The City of New Beginnings: Hatay
Hatay, one of the cities hit hardest by the February 6 earthquakes, is going through a comprehensive reconstruction process. With its thousands of years of history, cultural heritage and distinctive urban fabric, the aim is not only to rebuild Hatay but to restore it while preserving its connection with its past.
In this context, the Türkiye Design Foundation (TTV) carried out design and planning work to revitalize Hatay’s city centers in line with the protocols signed between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.
A One-Year Design and Planning Process for Hatay
The design and planning process required for the revival of Hatay’s city centers was completed after approximately one year of work. The project’s approach and the work carried out were shared with the public at a launch event in Antakya.
Mehmet Kalyoncu, Founder of the Türkiye Design Foundation, pointed out that after an earthquake it is not enough simply to construct buildings; the real goal must be to build a good city. Emphasizing the importance of architecture and urban planning working together in Hatay’s reconstruction, Kalyoncu noted that different architecture offices came together under the umbrella of the Türkiye Design Foundation.
A Team of Around 1,000 People Took Part
A broadly participatory process was carried out within the Collaboration Group formed under the leadership of the Türkiye Design Foundation. The team of around 1,000 people contributed to the design process for Hatay’s future through various meetings and fieldwork.
The work included 6 workshops and architectural presentations, 24 design coordination meetings, and 8 site visits and public meetings. In addition, 35 major meetings and 29 specialist meetings were reported to have been held.
Throughout this process, the aim was to gather the views of local stakeholders as well as experts, and to reflect Hatay’s real needs in the planning work.
Green Spaces Are Being Tripled
The resulting project envisions significant changes compared with Hatay’s pre-earthquake urban structure. According to the plan, the amount of green space is set to triple, while the area occupied by educational buildings is planned to double.
The size of social and cultural spaces, such as culture and sports centers, museums and mosques, is projected to increase approximately fourfold.
This approach aims to rebuild Hatay not as a new settlement made up only of housing, but as a city with a strong social life, extensive green spaces and the ability to meet residents’ everyday needs.
Hatay Will Rise Again
Furkan Demirci, Chairman of the Board of the Türkiye Design Foundation, describes the ultimate goal of the work as the revitalization of Hatay. At the heart of the project is not only the reconstruction of physical structures, but also the renewal of the hopes of the people living in the city, its social life and its urban culture.
The Hatay Revitalization Project sets out a holistic urban planning approach that preserves historical and cultural values while increasing green spaces, education and social life opportunities. Through this work, the aim is for Hatay to prepare for the future with the strength it draws from its past and to rise again as a city more resilient to potential disasters.