Soyer: “We consider İzmir not as a concrete mass but as an ecosystem”
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer spoke at the opening ceremony of the 12th Architecture and Education Congress. Citing the February 6 earthquakes as an example, Mayor Soyer pointed out that unearned income-oriented cities were built instead of resilient cities in Turkey, saying, "We consider İzmir not as a concrete mass but as an ecosystem."
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer attended the opening of the 12th Architecture and Education Congress organized by the Turkish Chamber of Architects (TMMOB) Izmir Branch, hosted by the Izmir Institute of Technology. The congress, themed "The Second Century of the Republic and Architectural Education," addressed proposals and discussions related to architectural education and the second century of the Republic over the course of two days, marking the 100th anniversary of the Republic.
President Tunç Soyer, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Baran (Rector of Izmir Institute of Technology), Nilay Kökkılınç (President of Izmir City Council), Eyüp Muhcu (President of TMMOB Chamber of Architects), Kozan Uzunoğlu (President of the Chamber of Architects of the Union of Turkish Cypriot Engineers and Architects), and İlker Kahraman (President of TMMOB Chamber of Architects Izmir Branch), along with architects, academicians, and numerous students, attended the opening of the congress held at the TMMOB Architecture Center.
“One of the most important duties falls to our architects”
President Tunç Soyer, emphasizing the importance of the architecture profession, noted the need for a change in architectural understanding in line with the evolving world, pointing to the concept of "circular culture." President Soyer stated, "Circular culture has been present in the history of many Mediterranean cities like Izmir. Inspired by this rich past and the world's changes, we are compelled to present a new urbanism. Therefore, we approach Izmir not as a closed concrete mass but as an ecosystem that is part of the cycles of nature. In this city, we strengthen tranquility and harmony rather than speed and individualism. Undoubtedly, one of the most important tasks in this new direction that urban planning is taking falls upon our architects. The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality will be fully supportive of our architects on this highly important journey. Your valuable expertise has always been our guide in our efforts to build Izmir as a city where prosperity increases, and fairness is shared."
“A management approach has emerged that feeds unearned income”
President Soyer said, "Green cities are not formed with trees, and smart cities are not formed with technology alone. It is the people who create both green and smart cities. Therefore, education has an extremely important place. I hope that this education includes the Republic, peace, and democracy. I hope it encompasses social peace, solidarity, and, above all, conscience. In the last twenty years in this country, a management approach has emerged that feeds speculative centers instead of building cities resilient to disasters and crises, respecting the right to life. That's why the undermining of professional chambers continues. That's why the organization of goodness and conscience continues. We experienced this in the most painful way in the earthquake on February 6th. This picture is the result of an approach that contradicts the principles of architecture and urban planning and undermines professional ethics."
“The metropolitan municipality will continue to benefit from the architects of this country”
President Soyer, emphasizing the significance of this congress as we enter the second century of the Republic, concluded his remarks by stating, "Everything discussed here will inspire both the architects of the future and the new century of this country. The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality will continue to benefit from the knowledge and experiences of the architects and all other experts produced by this country. In Izmir, we will together enhance harmony with each other, nature, our past, and the ongoing changes."
“The wealth of a country lies not in its highways but in its qualified individuals”
IYTE (Izmir Institute of Technology) Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Baran began his remarks by celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey and commemorating the 85th anniversary of the death of the great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Yusuf Baran stated, "Atatürk was a global enlightened leader who implemented scientific reforms, wrote books, and trained students for the modernization and development of Turkey. When we set ambitious goals for our country and people, we can stand tall and proud in his presence." Baran continued, "As beings who have lived on this earth for 200,000 years, we are working to create a better world. The foundation of a good world lies in nurturing good individuals. The wealth of countries is not in natural gas, oil, highways, or bridges but in a qualified human resource. We owe a great debt to this nation. We are living in a world where intelligence migrates from sweat to brainpower. We are experiencing a period where those who build walls across borders are backward in a scientific sense. We expect you, esteemed architects, to leave works that are energy-efficient, in harmony with nature, and contribute to change and transformation."
“There is a need to work with common sense and democracy”
The President of the Izmir City Council, Nilay Kökkılınç, emphasized the significant value of architecture and architectural education in our country at the international level in the first century of the Republic. She stated, "Our country's architects have gained international recognition by participating in many prestigious projects both domestically and abroad. Since cities are our common living spaces, the importance of architecture can be easily seen in producing sustainable solutions from infrastructure to superstructure, preserving cultural differences, assets, and identities. In this context, there is always a need for collaborative efforts with a visionary architectural approach in urban planning, and central and local governments, professional chambers, universities, and civil society need to work in harmony with a participatory and pluralistic democratic understanding for the proliferation of visionary architectural examples and sustainable cities."
10.11.2023