YATAY KENTSEL MİMARLIK: SÜRDÜRÜLEBİLİR KENTSEL GELİŞİM İÇİN YENİLİKÇİ BİR STRATEJİ

Horizontal architecture is a critical urban planning model gaining importance due to seismic risks and high population density.1 The primary goal of this low-rise, human-scaled approach is to foster user-oriented, environmentally harmonious living spaces, enhance social cohesion, and promote a sustainable urbanization model.Unlike its vertical counterpart, it increases green spaces, strengthens neighborhood relations, and facilitates safer community activities.However, it requires substantial land use in dense cities and may increase infrastructure costs.This study aims to provide a comparative analysis of horizontal and vertical architectural models by focusing on their environmental, economic, and social impacts within the context of sustainable urban development.The research adopts a qualitative, comparative case study approach, employing thematic analysis of the literature and selected global and Turkish urban projects.The comparison is based on six core criteria: Density, Land Use, Social Cohesion, Energy/Environment, Horızontal Urban Archıtecture: An Innovatıve Strategy For Sustaınable Urban DevelopmentThe Journal of Academic Social Science Yıl:14, Sayı: 172, Ocak 2026, s. 227-241 228 Infrastructure Cost, and Seismic Resilience.The main findings indicate that while horizontal architecture excels in social and environmental sustainability, a balanced, hybrid approach is essential for economically efficient and spatially integrated urban planning in rapidly growing metropolises.