Reporting from Change by Design Antakya 2024
A workshop to envision Çekmece's future and preserve its living heritage after the earthquakes
A Change by Design workshop was held in Antakya from 1-12 June 2024, as part of the project ‘Revitalising Antakya’s Living Heritage: Community-led Reconstruction through Participatory Architecture and Planning.’ Twenty-seven participants from diverse backgrounds, including volunteers from ASF-UK and Earthquake Solidarity, focused on restoring the Çekmece neighbourhood and Antakya's living heritage post-earthquake while envisioning its future.
The twelve-day workshop aimed to develop a reconstruction approach that prioritises the community’s role in shaping the city’s future, beginning with questions such as, "How can we collectively repair the living heritage of Çekmece and Antakya after the earthquake and carry it into the future? How can we revitalise the places and lifestyles that make Antakya unique and significant to us?"
During the first week, volunteers and participants undertook urban walks through the Çekmece, Armutlu, and Gazi neighbourhoods, as well as the historical city centre. Local activists and residents were invited to engage in discussions regarding the city’s current status, legal challenges, and planning uncertainties. These conversations illuminated the longstanding social and environmental imbalances that have persisted since before the earthquake, rather than merely seeking to restore the city to its pre-earthquake state.
Field studies conducted at both dwelling and community scales included in-depth interviews with 21 households in Çekmece, revealing their daily routines and future aspirations. Mapping exercises and imaginative workshops with residents identified challenges and documented the community’s responses and rebuilding efforts. These workshops facilitated discussions on residents' expectations and practices in the aftermath of the earthquake, culminating in a Dreaming Workshop, where residents articulated their visions for the future of Çekmece by modelling and drawing their life practices and aspirations.
At the closing event held at the Çekmece Neighbourhood House, we welcomed officials from Defne Municipality, grassroots organisations, and guests from civil society. We shared the findings from the workshops and explored ways to influence official policies while developing community-led reconstruction strategies and cultural heritage revitalisation. The workshop concluded with a commitment to publish a report detailing the ways forward identified by the community. Building on this initial workshop, we aim to extend community-led planning beyond the Çekmece neighbourhood and organise further Change by Design workshops in other areas of the city.
