Opinion of BİLGİ Faculty of Architecture About the Earthquake and Its Aftermath

We are deeply saddened by the earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023 and led to a great destruction and loss of many lives. While the effects of the earthquakes are felt strongly, the catastrophic flood that took place and the loss of new lives have increased the need for emergency response. However, conceiving these emergency responses as short-term interventions, ignoring the fact that disasters are not the exception but a usual occurrence in our geography will lead to damages that will be hard to repair in the long-term. In the aftermath of such a large-scale destruction, deriving long lasting lessons, addressing the problems at hand by adopting a multidimensional and interdisciplinary approach, and implementing the decisions taken in the framework of public good, social and environmental ethics, and merit should prevail. Permanent recovery is only possible with the inclusion of participant organizations that will prioritize scientific data and sustain environmental and cultural heritage through conservation. As BİLGİ Faculty of Architecture, within the scope of our professional and humane responsibilities, we release to the public that we are prepared to contribute to all kinds of aid and support efforts that will be implemented with a scientific approach and by practicing professional ethics in the aftermath of disasters.