Turkey and Syria After the Earthquakes: Emergency Responses

The 7.8- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that hit southeastern Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023 officially took an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 lives. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed in cities such as Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, and Hatay, with more than 160,000 collapsed or severely damaged buildings. The region is facing a humanitarian crisis that presents immediate 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 four panel discussions curated by Collective Action for Readiness, Recovery, and Resilience (CARRRE), a collective of US-based Turkish-American architects and academics. CARRRE aims to amplify awareness among a global audience regarding the catastrophic repercussions of these 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.

This first panel, Emergency Responses, will provide an overview of the affected regions, discuss ongoing response efforts, and explore avenues to pursue within the built environment to address urgent needs of impacted communities.

Key topics include:

• Emergency housing and temporary shelter
• Shelter sites and infrastructure restoration
• Unexpected challenges in relief efforts
• Enhancing preparedness for disaster relief (international examples)

Moderator:
Celal Abdi Güzer, PhD, Faculty Member, Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara

Speakers:
Hitoshi Abe, Director, xLAB Research Center, UCLA; CEO, Atelier Hitoshi Abe
Illya Azaroff, FAIA, Associate Professor, New York City College of Technology, CUNY; Principal, +LAB architect; NYS Disaster Coordinator and 2021 President, AIA New York State
Ersin Gök, Founding Member, Yuva Project
Esin Pektas, AIA, PE, RA, LEED AP BD+C, Major Capital Projects Program Director, Authority of New York and New Jersey

Co-Host:
Salt (Istanbul) 

Organized by: 
AIANY Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee; AIANY Global Dialogues Committee; AIANY Building Codes Committee; Collective Action for Readiness; Recovery, and Resilience (CARRRE)

Event Start Times by Location:
AIA New York (NYC): 9:30am EST
Salt Beyoğlu (Istanbul): 4:30pm TRT

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

This event is offered in person and virtually; COVID-19 vaccinations and face masks are strongly encouraged for all visitors to AIANY. Read our full Health and Safety Protocol here.

If you register for a virtual ticket, you will receive an email with a Zoom link to access the program.