AURA Istanbul x Beykoz University Seminar Series Brought Architecture and Urban Discussions into the Academic Environment

The seminar series organized through the collaboration between Beykoz University and AURA Istanbul brought together architectural research, design culture, and contemporary architectural debates in an academic setting, aiming to provide students with diverse perspectives. The seminars enabled students to engage with different research methods, design approaches, and professional experiences.

Held during the 2025–2026 Spring Semester as part of the Architectural Design Studio, the seminars focused on the Gülsuyu–Gülensu study area and addressed topics such as urban history, social geography, ecology, urban transformation, commons, sense of place, living environments, and the social responsibility of architecture through a multidisciplinary perspective. Shaped by the contributions of academics, researchers, and practitioners, the program encouraged students to view urban transformation not merely as the reconstruction of the physical environment, but as a complex network of social, cultural, and ecological relationships.

The seminars also explored the evolving role of architecture in the context of today's multiple global crises. Alongside environmental, economic, and social transformations, participants discussed the opportunities and uncertainties brought about by artificial intelligence and digital technologies, examining their implications for the future of the architectural profession. Speakers emphasized the importance of developing new ways of thinking and practicing architecture in an era defined by uncertainty.

The program further highlighted sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein's concept of The End of the World As We Know It, emphasizing that the current global transformation represents not only a period of collapse but also the possibility of a new beginning. Participants stressed the need to rethink the relationship between humanity and nature, arguing that architecture should move beyond a paradigm of dominating nature and instead embrace a more harmonious and responsible approach.

Within this context, the seminars underscored that architecture should be reconsidered not merely as a discipline focused on the production of buildings, but as a care praxis that acknowledges environmental, social, and ecological responsibilities. The seminar series provided students with a valuable academic platform to develop a critical, holistic, and future-oriented perspective on architecture.

İlhan Tekeli: “Transformations of Cities in Turkey Throughout History and the Stage We Have Reached Today”

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/ASmM8zICEPQ?si=fGyU3-KmrC3HhBh6

Murat Güvenç: “The Social Geography of Maltepe”

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/LSWfqgCVtZM?si=tIPfHo_VSFUmqsmb

Ünal Akkemik: “Natural Ecosystems and Their Importance in Urban Planning: Maltepe”

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/iAS0Xa9Snco?si=V4XuQU1jjDLkScI9

Cumartesi Aurası: Tuna Han Koç – Zeynep Altınbaşlı “The Production of the City from Space to Place”

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/g2OHObIcnDs?si=tmbz7CW3O3CGEVt1

Emrah Altınok: “From the Right to the City to the Right to a Qualified Living Environment: The Gülsuyu-Gülensu Experience”

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/eeNYgs7-IWs?si=FaE8JVbPWD8N9mX-

Cumartesi Aurası: Bünyamin Derman “Transformation of Cities: Rewriting Space, Society, and Time”

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/5gpmpqE2g_I?si=aOrYsimerAGOGkE0