two years on from earthquake, foster + partners hatay masterplan underway

urban revitalization of antakya, hatay, commences

On the second anniversary of the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake, efforts to rebuild the devastated region of Hatay in the southeast of Turkey are well underway. Among the hardest-hit areas was Antakya, one of antiquity’s most important cities (Antioch), of which over 80% was destroyed, taking over 20,000 lives. In the wake of this tragedy, the Türkiye Design Council has spearheaded a design-led revitalization effort, working with an international and regional consortium of architects, engineers, and NGO leaders, as well as, crucially, affected local communities, to shape a future that is both resilient and deeply reflective of the city’s history. ‘Antakya, like much of Hatay, has been destroyed and rebuilt seven times in its long history,’ Furkan Demirci, Chairperson of the Türkiye Design Council, shares during our visit to the city. ‘Its resilience is embedded in its DNA, and now, we are rebuilding it with new memories, new stories that honor the city’s deep-rooted cultural history.’

Foster + Partners’ masterplan for Antakya spans 30 square kilometers and adopts an approach that encompasses both restoration as well as modern urban design principles, remaining thoroughly sensitive to the tragic impact on the land and urban landscape and its communities. The British firm outlined eight key design principles last year that best embody this, taking into consideration the need to build on safe land, improving circulation and open spaces, creating new districts, layering neighborhoods and enhancing connectivity between them, and building back.

all images courtesy of Foster + Partners unless stated otherwise

foster + partners leads masterplan

The masterplan was developed in collaboration with Turkish practices DB Architects and KEYM Urban Renewal Centre, alongside Buro Happold and MIC-HUB, seeking to retain the town’s pre-earthquake spirit, scale, and configurations. While the sheer scale of destruction presented a logistical challenge, it also provided an opportunity for the Türkiye Design Council and Foster + Partners to rethink the city’s image and infrastructure, ensuring sustainability — socially, environmentally, and economically — without compromising its identity.

Aligned with the regeneration plan’s human-centered approach, one of the first tangible steps in the process was the establishment of a community hub. This space, a cluster of modular, prefabricated units, now serves as the Türkiye Design Council’s campus and Community Center — a focal point for its recovery efforts where local residents were invited to engage with redevelopment plans. Over 40 meetings were held here with these communities NGOs, and professional stakeholders to ensure transparency and instil a sense of ownership in the future of the city. Furkan Demirci reflects on the importance of this: ‘When you lose everything — your home, your family, your job — the process of designing and discussing what the future city should look like becomes an act of healing. It gives people agency, it gives them hope.’

image courtesy of Türkiye Design Council

ensuring social, environmental, and economic sustainability

For Furkan Demirci, central to the masterplan is a commitment to preserving Antakya’s unique historical and cultural fabric. The city, described as a mosaic of archaeological and religious heritage, will see significant restoration efforts directed toward sites such as the Uzun Bazaar, ancient bathhouses, churches, mosques, and synagogues. The plans not only safeguard these landmarks but also reestablish them as key elements of the cityscape. A protection plan for 307 hectares of the historic city center was developed in consultation with local scholars and the Ministry of Culture, ensuring that Antakya’s past remains an integral part of its future.

Beyond the initiative of cultural preservation, the masterplan prioritizes climate resilience and disaster-proof urban planning. Given Antakya’s location along the Asi River, dividing the city into old and new, flood mitigation strategies are central to the redevelopment, with high-risk areas designated for green infrastructure rather than intensive construction. Public spaces have been expanded significantly — green areas across the city have grown from 136,000 square meters to 778,000 square meters, while educational and healthcare facilities have also seen substantial increases in capacity. The inclusion of pedestrianized roads and new bicycle lanes further reflects an emphasis on livability and accessibility.

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

Additionally, construction is now advancing across key districts, including the historic city center and the surrounding areas of Defne, İskenderun, Kırıkhan, and Samandağ. Within a 50-hectare pilot area, the number of residential and commercial units has been preserved while public space has been doubled, introducing a new concert hall, library, and theater alongside green spaces and essential infrastructure. This, aligned with the Türkiye Design Council and Foster + Partners’ broader vision of urban sustainability, considers equal integration of ecological, social, and economic factors.

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