foster + partners unveils masterplan to rebuild earthquake-struck hatay province in turkey

foster + partners to rebuild antakya, hatay

Foster + Partners unveils the masterplan vision for its urban revitalization of Antakya in southeast Turkey which was devastated by an earthquake in February 2023. The masterplan has been developed in collaboration with Buro Happold, MIC-HUB, and leading Turkish practices DB Architects and KEYM Urban Renewal Centre as a part of the broader Hatay regeneration initiative spearheaded by Türkiye Design Council (TDC).

The proposal spans a 30-square kilometer area of the Hatay province’s capital district and one of antiquity’s most important cities (Antioch). Sensitive to context and reinforcing local character and climate, the architects have sought to retain the town’s pre-earthquake spirit, scale, and configurations. Accessibility and inclusivity are also crucial, with the plan proposing the creation of new public green spaces, efficient transportation systems, and community hubs. Alongside the design plans, Foster + Partners developed eight principles to further aid the efforts across the wider Hatay province and other disaster-struck cities around the world.

all images courtesy of Foster + Partners unless stated otherwise

design principles for emergency construction

Foster + Partners’ booklet of urban design guidelines for emergency construction builds on earlier work carried out by the Hatay Collaboration Group of architects. The document outlines the eight key principles for the masterplan, including building on safe land, improving circulation and open spaces, creating new districts, layering neighborhoods and enhancing connectivity between them, and building back.

The British practice proposes building new green buffers, soft edges, and protected zones around waterbeds to account for projected rises in water levels to designate new buildable land. Significantly, the Asi River edge will become a new river park north of Ataturk Park with views of the old cityscape and mountains, offering accessible waterside retreats for residents. Enhancing circulation, new road networks will largely follow existing systems and patterns while promoting walkability. Thirteen new districts have also been identified, each defined by a stream or a primary road as its perimeter and a high street with retail and commercial uses as the main spine. Within, neighborhoods will function as superblocks, their building massing designed to respond to local climate conditions. Looking to the future, the masterplan will limit urban sprawl beyond to the outer ring road and redistribute density and favor building more compactly.

Foster + Partners unveils the masterplan vision for its urban revitalization of Antakya, Hatay

the community-centric masterplan retain’s regional heritage

Following the earthquake which hit southern Turkey and northern Syria last year, an estimated 80% of Hatay was destroyed. The TDC, an NGO supported by the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has brought together leading international and local architecture, planning, and engineering experts to begin regenerating the affected region. A driving principle has been understanding and embedding the region’s heritage into the vision, preserving the urban character of the area while building anew.

In September 2023, Foster + Partners was appointed to lead the development of a masterplan for rebuilding Antakya in collaboration with these leading professionals as well as local communities. The practice began last year with participating in initial design workshops in Hatay along with Buro Happold and MIC-HUB.

developed in collaboration with Buro Happold, MIC-HUB, DB Architects, and KEYM Urban Renewal Centre

Engagement with the local people was identified as integral to preserve the city’s social and multicultural heritage, alongside a communal sense of identity, ownership, and belonging. Described as a mosaic of archaeological and historic religious features, Antakya is home to two significant ancient cities: Seleukeia Pieria and Antiokheia. Reflective of this, the masterplan will incorporate the restoration of important sites such as the Uzun Bazaar, churches, mosques, bathhouses, and synagogues.

Further, elements of urban memory from before the earthquake will also been reflected across the new developments through the community engagement process. Notably, communal areas in the first buildings are being designed to revitalize neighborhood relationships, creating opportunities for residents to reconnect and re-establish their daily habits.

the proposal spans a 30-square kilometer area of the Hatay province’s capital district