The 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that hit Southeastern Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, officially took an estimated 60,000 lives. Entire neighborhoods across 11 provinces were destroyed in cities such as Kahramanmaraş, Adiyaman, and Hatay, with more than 500,000 collapsed or severely damaged buildings and more than 2 million people displaced. The humanitarian crisis facing the region presents urgent aid and disaster relief challenges as well as concerns for long-term, safe, sustainable, and resilient rebuilding efforts.

“Turkey and Syria After the Earthquakes” is a series of panel discussions curated by CARRRE (Collective Action for Readiness, Recovery, and Resilience), a collective of U.S.-based architects and academics with deep ties to Turkey. CARRRE aims to amplify awareness among a global audience regarding the catastrophic repercussions of the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquakes, and to provide agency to architects, planners, engineers, municipalities, and builders on the ground by assisting with local relief efforts, sharing professional expertise, and aiding in the development of long-term rebuilding strategies. These panels aim to provide an international platform for learning, debate, and actionable projects.

“Hatay Planning Center Report: Recovery and Reconstruction” is the fifth panel in CARRRE’s discussion series. In the aftermath of the destruction, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality joined with the Hatay Metropolitan Muncipality to form the Hatay Planlama Merkezi (the Hatay Planning Center) to address the recovery and reconstruction processes of the province of Hatay, one of the provinces most damaged by the earthquakes. The report examines the challenges and opportunities that arise in connection with the long-term, municipal-level planning initiatives and resilient rebuilding of cities and communities, created with input from administrations, universities, national and international institutions, experts, professional organizations, non-governmental components, volunteers and most importantly, the people of Hatay. The expert panelists who will respond to the report will address post-disaster planning strategies and building techniques, engineering seismology and hazard assessment, and focus on alternative approaches developed for Turkey and other countries.

Event Start Times by Location:
AIA New York (NYC): 9:00 AM EST
Salt Beyoğlu (Istanbul): 5:00 PM GMT

Co-Host:
Salt (Istanbul)

The organizers are strongly encouraging that attendees make donations to Turkish Philanthropy Funds in support of the planning and rebuilding efforts.