The 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that hit Southeastern Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, took an estimated 60,000 lives. Entire neighborhoods across 11 provinces were destroyed in cities such as Kahramanmaraş, Adiyaman, and Antakya, with more than 2 million people displaced and 500,000 collapsed or severely damaged buildings. The humanitarian crisis presented urgent aid and disaster relief challenges as well as concerns for long-term, sustainable, and resilient rebuilding efforts.

Turkey and Syria After the Earthquakes is a series of panel discussions curated by CARRRE, a collective of U.S.-based architects and academics with deep ties to Turkey, aiming 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 through the sharing of professional expertise and long-term rebuilding strategies.

This fifth panel, “Hatay Planning Center Report,” addresses a report developed by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality about recovery and reconstruction processes in Hatay, one of the provinces most damaged by the earthquakes. First, members of the HPC discuss the report, followed by expert panelists responses, discussing their relevant experience and international examples.

Cover Image: Ingrid Woudwijk