Of Seismic Importance

Bridging across time zones, “Mid-Term Relief and Transitional Programs,” a symposium co-held at the Center for Architecture in New York and at the Salt cultural institute in Istanbul, took the aftermath of Turkey-Syria earthquakes as its departure. Panelists representing a diverse geographic spread shared their professional experiences in post-disaster responses, beginning with the rural anti-seismic rammed-earth projects of Edward Ng, professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Yasmeen Lari, co-founder of the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, argued that self-built and low-impact structures—like the shelters and community centers she has designed for Pakistani villages effected by flooding—can “decarbonize and decolonize the humanitarian model.” James Garrison, an architect teaching at Pratt, noted how planning ahead and testing emergency-housing prototypes, such as the ones he developed with the City of New York, is a crucial step to avoid interim housing from lasting years or permanently displacing communities. Urbanist Alp Arisoy reflected on how the Turkish…