Restoration of a historic olivie oil mill in Altınoluk

Abstract

The mill studied is one of a few historic industrial buildings survived in the region. It reflects architectural features of the period while displaying olive oil production technology and its changes in time. Including the equipments, the mill is in bad conditions today. The study, aims to improve the existing conditions and safeguard the mill with a new function, thus, ensuring its historical, cultural, technological and architectural values to convey to the future generations.For understanding traditional olive oil technology and the mills, historical background of the olive oil production in the past have been studied. In addition, the history and geographical features of Altınoluk, history of the mill and the technologies employed were also investigated by literary studies, comparative analysis and interviews with previous owners all that were helpful for the restitution scheme. Together with the existing equipments for oil production, complete documentation of the mill, including architectural measurements, photography and determination of structural and material damages by a thorough observation is done through a two - week period field survey to determine its architectural, constructional and technological features that formed the values it possessed. By considering historical, architectural, cultural, and technological features, technological changes and their reflection on the spaces and features of historic environment in which it is placed, a restoration proposal, including new function and necessary interventions conforming to contemporary conservation principals has been presented as a project for the mill.