CARRRE is a collective of architects and academics with deep ties to Türkiye who came together following the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. These earthquakes, two on February 6th, and one on February 20th, are considered to be the deadliest natural disaster in Türkiye’s modern history. Hundreds of thousands of buildings were destroyed or damaged across eleven provinces (roughly the distance from NYC to Montreal), millions were left homeless, 110,000 people were injured, and the estimated death toll was over 60,000 people. 

In response to this devastation, CARRRE’s goals were two-fold: to amplify awareness among a global audience about the effects of physical disasters and to advance knowledge around multidisciplinary, innovative rebuilding and recovery efforts to create sustainable, culturally relevant, and resilient environments. Through ongoing contributions, its continuing members hope to give architects, planners, and community groups more agency for future projects, provide resources in ongoing efforts, and improve lives through design. 

One of CARRRE’s first initiatives was to curate Turkey and Syria After the Earthquakes, a series of five international panel discussions among thirty global experts providing a platform for learning, debate, and actionable projects. These panels were conducted in partnership with the American Institute of Architects NY (AIANY) and the cultural institute Salt in Istanbul. Recordings of these panels may be found under the Watch + Read tab. 

Member firm AC Höcek Architecture LLC is designing and curating a 2027 exhibition at the AIANY to bring awareness to the efforts (some more enduring than others) around recovery in Türkiye during the four years since the earthquakes. The curators believe that the uniqueness of the exhibition is that it considers this entire four-year span, allowing visitors to explore not only why and how the these efforts may have been able to achieve their goals, but also how some were unable to do so. The work of these groups, many of whom will be included in the exhibition, may be seen under the Watch + Read tab.