Voluntary Support From the Türkiye Design Foundation for Hatay’s Revival
The Türkiye Design Foundation (TTV) has voluntarily undertaken the design and planning process for the revival of the historic city center of Hatay, which was severely affected by the February 6 earthquakes. The work, led by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, aims to help restore the city while preserving its historical and cultural heritage.
In the process, to be carried out under the coordination of the Türkiye Design Foundation, national and international experts from different disciplines are expected to come together. At the heart of the work is the creation of a city center that preserves Hatay’s historical fabric, maintains its connection with the past and can be passed on to future generations.
Comprehensive Planning for Hatay’s Historic City Center
As part of the work led by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in cooperation with the Scientific Committee, the “Conservation-Oriented Planning Studies for the Historic City Center of Antakya” are being implemented.
While the Türkiye Design Foundation is taking part in the project on a voluntary basis to rebuild the historic city faithfully to its original form, the urban design and planning work is expected to be carried out in collaboration with the Urban Renewal Center (KEYM) and DB Architects. Turkish and international experts in various fields are also expected to contribute to the process.
One of the main goals of the work is to repair the physical destruction caused by the earthquake while also preserving Hatay’s architectural and cultural assets.
Materials Salvaged From Historic Buildings Will Be Reused
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that priority was given to debris removal in the first phase of work in the historic city center. Following debris removal, sorting work was planned, along with rescue excavations to identify historic building materials that could be reused.
According to the reported information, the aim is to reuse salvageable materials in the restoration and reconstruction of the same buildings during Hatay’s revival.
This approach is important for preserving as much as possible not only the city’s physical appearance but also its original architectural character and the memory of its buildings inherited from the past.
Work Continues on the Conservation Zoning Plan
Work on the Conservation Zoning Plan for Hatay’s historic center also stands out as one of the key elements of the project. The aim is to carry out the planning process together with the Scientific Committee and to implement the resulting work after review by the relevant institutions.
In this way, the aim is to create a holistic planning approach for the reconstruction of Antakya that responds not only to today’s needs but also respects the city’s historical identity.
Mehmet Kalyoncu: We Aim to Pass Hatay’s Heritage On to Future Generations
Mehmet Kalyoncu, Chairman of the Board of the Türkiye Design Foundation, said they are proud and happy to contribute to the work for Hatay.
Kalyoncu stated that their goal is to ensure that the city’s heritage is preserved and passed on to future generations through working groups formed with national and international experts and with the contributions of everyone devoted to Hatay.
The work voluntarily undertaken by the Türkiye Design Foundation focuses not only on restoring Hatay’s historic city center but also on carrying the city’s architectural memory, cultural values and distinctive identity into the future.