IN-PERSON Manchester Livable Cities

Abstract

Recent rural migration to Urla, a coastal village in the Aegean region of Türkiye, offers a compelling lens through which to examine the complexities of gentrification and the evolving notion of livability beyond the urban core. As urban dwellers seek refuge in rural settings—motivated by desires to reconnect with nature, local heritage, and a slower pace of life—Urla’s ancient winemaking traditions and local cuisine, set against its distinctive Aegean climate, have become central to the village’s renewed identity and appeal. This paper explores how the influx of new residents and visitors is transforming the interior spaces of Urla’s gastronomy and hospitality businesses. Drawing on fieldwork and spatial analysis, the research positions these interiors as sensory atmospheres and social practices that produce the phenomenon of rural gentrification. By situating Urla’s transformation within the global context of urban-to-rural migration and the search for livable environments, this paper contributes to critical debates on how rural spaces are shaped by—and, in turn, shape—the aspirations of both new and existing businesses. Ultimately, the study invites reflection on the contradictions and possibilities inherent in making rural places “livable” in an era of accelerated change, and on how the design of interior and public spaces mediates these ongoing negotiations.