Global Experts Convened for Antakya
"Collective Mindset-Antakya Platform" established through a voluntary collaboration of internationally renowned architects, urban and regional planning experts, sociologists, psychologists, archaeologists, as well as figures from bureaucracy, law, communication, television, and broadcasting fields, has released an assessment report for the revitalization of Antakya.
Titled "A Brief Evaluation of Planning and Zoning Activities Undertaken for the Revival of Antakya," the report provides valuable insights and recommendations on reviving Antakya, considering its historical and cultural heritage. It also includes a joint expert assessment regarding the past year's developments following an earthquake.
The outcomes and drawbacks of the "Collective Mindsetl Antakya Platform," led by Emre Arolat, Murat Tabanlıoğlu, Prof. Dr. Ece Ceylan Baba, and Levent Erden, with guidance from Prof. Dr. İlhan Tekeli, are briefly outlined as follows:
Serious Issues with Planning and Coordination: Establishing coordination offices that ensure effective and widespread communication should be a priority to address planning and coordination challenges in the region.
City dwellers should play an active role: Earthquake-affected city dwellers should not be left as "passive earthquake victims" in the planning process and reconstruction activities; they should be given a right to have a say.
Assigning Tasks to Experts: Prioritizing local actors in reconstruction efforts should be a top priority. This means identifying local demand first and then seeking designer and expert support based on the specific conditions required to meet these demands.
Swift Determination of Standards: Building quality must be improved and concretized through stringent regulations in the post-earthquake reconstruction process to prevent future disasters of a similar magnitude.
Phased Approach: Recognizing that the most challenging part of planning is setting the roadmap, the process should be divided into stages rather than pursuing single-solution approaches, with clear objectives announced for each phase.
Allocation of Resources: The distribution of resources should be discussed with local actors who can produce tangible results aligning with public standards and the reconstruction model.