Abstract

Safranbolu, as a destination point on the Silk Road, located in Anatolia, appeared as one of the cities where cultural transfer has occurred by trade in history. Today, the historical city is a major touristic destination, which was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1994 for its traditional architecture. After the establishment of an iron-steel industry in Karabük, Safranbolu moved away from the production model of producing as much as consumed and faced the disappearance of crafts due to transitions to different lines of business. While in the past craft was a major source of income, industrialization resulted in the decrease in the interest to craft products. While architectural heritage is preserved in Safranbolu, the craft culture is on the edge of extinction and is about to lose its identity. In such circumstances, design can be a tool for continuing the link between craft and industry. As two adjacent city centers, Safranbolu and Karabük demonstrate opposite characters; while Safranbolu is a historical attraction point with its architecture, Karabük is a symbolic province of industrialization endeavors. As a result, heavy industry has led the economy to move from Safranbolu to Karabük spatially. This spatial transformation resulted in the transformation of traditional crafts and products in the region. How the translocation of the workforce and the emergence of tourism on architectural heritage affected the notion of design in iron crafts is the main focus of the study.