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Zoning

GCR (Ground Coverage Ratio / TAKS)

The ratio of a building's ground floor footprint to the parcel area. GCR × parcel m² = ground floor m². Values fall between 0 and 1; most zoning plans use 0.30–0.50.

GCR (Ground Coverage Ratio) — known in Turkish zoning as TAKS (Taban Alanı Katsayısı) — is defined in the Planned Areas Zoning Regulation as: "The ratio of the ground-floor area to the zoning parcel area." In simpler terms: how much of the parcel the building's ground floor can occupy.

The formula:

> Ground floor area = Parcel m² × GCR

On a 1,000 m² parcel with GCR 0.30, the ground floor can be at most 300 m². The remaining 700 m² is garden, parking, setback or green area.

The regulation specifies that ground coverage is not simply the ground floor projection: "Where basement floors remain above the natural or graded ground level due to slope, these are included together with the ground floor projection in the coverage calculation." So basements that become above-ground on sloped sites also count toward GCR.

GCR values are between 0 and 1 — geometrically a ground floor cannot exceed the parcel. Most zoning plans set GCR between 0.30 and 0.50. For detached-building (ayrık nizam) layouts without explicit plan values, the regulation caps GCR at 0.40.

Relationship to FAR: Maximum storey count is approximately FAR / GCR. Example: GCR 0.30, FAR 1.50 → 1.50 / 0.30 = 5 storeys. Low GCR + high FAR produces tall towers on small footprints; high GCR + low FAR produces wide, low-rise buildings.

Examples

  • 1.800 m² parcel, GCR 0.25 → ground floor max 200 m². Remaining 600 m² as garden, setbacks, parking.
  • 2.GCR 0.40 / FAR 1.20 → 400 m² ground floor, 1,200 m² total, ~3 storeys. Typical low-density residential complex.
  • 3.GCR 0.20 / FAR 0.60 → sparse villa-style zoning. Landscape preserved, low buildout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does GCR 0.30 mean 30 percent?expand_more
Yes — GCR 0.30 means the building can occupy 30% of the parcel. It is written as a decimal (0.30) but represents a ratio.
Can GCR be exceeded?expand_more
No. GCR is a hard upper limit set by the zoning plan. Exceeding it creates an unpermitted structure subject to demolition orders, zoning fines, or inclusion in the Building Registration Certificate (imar barışı) process.
How is GCR calculated on sloped terrain?expand_more
Per the regulation: basement floors that remain above the natural or graded ground level due to slope are added to the ground floor projection. A basement that is underground on one side but exposed on the other counts toward ground coverage. This rule was clarified in the 2013 amendment.
What if the zoning plan doesn't specify GCR?expand_more
The Planned Areas Zoning Regulation imposes fallback caps based on settlement population (below 5,000: GCR 0.20; below 30,000: 0.25; below 50,000: 0.30; above 50,000: 0.40). Any plan amendment aiming to increase storey count must explicitly define GCR and FAR.

Related Terms

FAR (Floor Area Ratio / KAKS / Emsal)Floor Area Ratio (Emsal, E)Zoning Status (İmar Durumu)Setback DistanceDetached Building Scheme

Sources

  • • Planned Areas Zoning Regulation art. 4 definitions (cccc)
  • • Planned Areas Zoning Regulation art. 5/6 GCR upper limits

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Last updated: 2026-04-24