This call is for the determination of the advisory committee members who will contribute to the discussion, evaluation, and presentation of the theme of the "Earthquake Museum" architectural project competition.

Subject and Purpose of the Competition:

In the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes on 6 February 2023, we have painfully experienced the dreadful destruction caused by the improper construction and ultimate  threat it poses to life. While scientists remind us at every opportunity that we are an "earthquake country", we have forgotten that forces of nature may turn into disasters by human hands. Perhaps we have overlooked the necessity of building a common/collective consciousness, which is the essential condition of being able to live with earthquakes.

This text is a call to create a space of collective consciousness to develop  the hope  for our future, with the pain and mourning of our losses in our hearts. 

This initiative aims to create a platform for confronting ourselves, discussing, re-evaluating, and redefining the concept of earthquake awareness with universal values through our society and geography. To explain  that a resilient and sustainable future can only be built through collective  awareness, internalized social consciousness, redefined priorities, and scientific approaches, and the responsibility of believing in hope for our future are among the concepts that the “museum” will represent.

Method and Phases:

Responders to the call are expected to contribute to the process in five phases, which are explained below.

Phase 1: Establishing the Advisory and Organizing Committee

The Advisory and Organizing Committee is an international commission expected to support the entire competition process, including this call text. The process primarily includes processing the information listed below and transferring it to the competition specifications.

• Data and documents on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of earthquakes

• Information collected from people affected by the earthquake, such as search and rescue, health, and damage assessment teams, and disaster victims.

• Related literature

Phase 2: Identifying Needs and Expectations

To commemorate the lives that ended in the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, participants are expected to design spatial arrangements/scenarios that describe and interpret the earthquake reality, and invite the society and individuals to together create more permanent, transformative, radical approaches and proposals about earthquakes.

In this context;

• How can the reactive criticism that we develop and strongly express against the earthquake reality and our experiences become  healthier and institutionalized in order to build resilient cities and societies?

• If the collective consciousness points to the continuity of social behaviors, the strength of memory, and the resonance of consciousness among individuals that transcends individuals, how should the earthquake issue be handled in the context of functions such as "monument", "museum", "education-research"?

• In what ways can “common consciousness” be built? Can a participatory process design guidance be made for the construction of “common consciousness”, from the design to the construction of the project, and the life scenarios built in it? How can those affected by the earthquake, such as disaster victims, search and rescue teams, engineers, and geoscientists, be included in this process?

• How can determinants such as social, economic, and political dimensions be handled? With what parameters can be discussed? How can we involve individuals who have been relatively silent for now from all segments of the country in the process of thinking and producing? Sociologists, historians, writers, economists, psychologists, intellectuals, etc.

Phase 3: Constituting Specifications and Evaluation Jury of the Architectural Project Competition

Invited Jury and advisors: Jury members are suggested by the members of the Competition Organizing Committee and the relevant institutions involved in the process. Jury members and advisors are expected to be from different interests such as architects, engineers, geoscientists, city planners, post-disaster workers, intellectuals, and sociologists. Opinions are expected on determining the following issues:

• Title, subject, and purpose of the competition

• Competition area and accessing its documents

• Flexible approach expected from the competitors, and the competition program

• Principles of competition participation

• Jury (consulting jury members, principal jury members, alternate jury members) and rapporteurs

• Competition calendar

• Reaching and sharing relevant regulations (earthquake, fire, etc.)

Phase 4: Searching Resources for the Realization of the Competition

• Budget determination

• Search for sponsors

Phase 5: Searching Resources to Implement the Winning Project

• Through the relevant ministries

• Through civil organizations

• Through private institutions/sponsors

The call is open to anyone who wishes to contribute within the framework and phases mentioned above.

Applications for the Advisory Committee will be received until 00.00.00.

Questions to the Advisory Committee:

• What is a memorial/commemoration space? How can it be handled? What might be referrer reading and comments?

• What are the exhibition objects that will determine the museum setup? Can it be added that curatorial work needs to be dealt with in detail? How can suggestions be made on exhibition objects and curatorial work?

• How can suggestions be developed on an urban scale regarding the urban memory damaged by earthquakes?

• Can a small-scale laboratory for earthquake research be considered in the competition concept? Can spatial requirements be listed?

• How should earthquake education be given? Can an understanding and approach be developed beyond existing applications?

• How is it possible to consider and discuss geoscience, structural/civil engineering, local architecture, and current architectural technologies in the context of earthquake resistance?