The Türkiye Design Council (TDC) has gathered 13 design practices, including Foster + Partners and Bjarke Ingels Group, to contribute to the revitalization of the historic province of Hatay, an area severely damaged by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in February this year. Foster + Partners has been selected to lead the design and planning of the new master plan for the city of Antakya, known to antiquity as Antioch, while several other offices including Turkish practices DB Architects and KEYM (Urban Renewal Center) will work together to create a vision for the rebuilding of the city. The master plan is expected to be revealed in its entirety in 2024.
As a consequence of the devastating earthquake, an estimated 80% of the central city of Antakya has been destroyed. The historic city, the capital of the Hatay province in southeastern Türkiye, is described as a mosaic of archeological sites and historical religious features. The interventions aim to create a more resilient and sustainable city while preserving its 2,300-year-old cultural heritage and identity, including the sites of the two significant settlements, Seleukeia Pieria and Antiokheia.
Plans also include the restoration of important sites such as the Uzun Bazaar, churches, mosques, bathhouses, and synagogues that mark the skyline of the historical city and reassert its culture of tolerance and inclusivity. Natural features such as the plains of the Asi River will also be taken into consideration, as the relief efforts strive to ensure the vitality of the region and create an example for design-let revitalization in a post-disaster context.
Over the centuries, the Hatay region has been severely affected by earthquakes, leading to subsequent periods of prosperity and decline. In modern times, Hatay represents an important transportation link between Syria and other parts of Türkiye. Following the 6 February 2023, relief efforts were initiated in an effort to help the tens of thousands of displaced people and rebuild the affected buildings. Türkiye Design Council's revitalization planning is being supported by the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urban Planning and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In February, 80% of the city was devastated, putting Hatay in a unique position. Its archaeological and religious mosaic features require special urban planning, which needs to be combined with the creation of self-sufficient, resilient structures. Being a city within walls, Hatay requires a pedestrian-centric approach. Our planning will also revolve around water, forestry, olive cultivation, and livestock, as we retain the prevalent agricultural courtyards incorporated throughout the city while addressing challenges related to global warming, such as emerging flood issues necessitating the restructuring of riverbeds. - Bünyamin Derman, Founding Partner of DB Architecture
The February earthquake severely affected regions in central Turkey and north-west Syria, becoming one of the most devastating natural disasters to hit the region in recent years. Several other natural disasters were registered this year around the world, including another earthquake in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountain range and storms leading to dam failures and floods in Northwest Libya. While cities cannot fully protect their residents in the face of this type of disaster, there are several strategies to help mitigate the effects and create more resilient urban environments in the face of changing climate patterns and seismic activity.
