Emre Arolat speaks at Design a Sustainable Future Award Ceremony

Emre Arolat reflects upon the concept of sustainability in architecture, sharing his concerns about how the term has increasingly been reduced to superficial, cosmetic gestures such as simply adding greenery to buildings. Speaking at the “Design a Sustainable Future” award ceremony, Arolat describes the architectural design process as a vast basket holding countless variables, from site and wind to ecology, politics, economy, culture, and the desires of the user. He delves into the importance of learning from local context and traditional building methods, emphasizing that sustainability should not be approached as a purely technological pursuit but rather adapted thoughtfully to present-day needs. Arolat further illustrates his points through concrete project examples, touching upon Dalaman Airport and Çukurova Airport, and explaining how passive cooling, the use of shade, and simple design solutions can meaningfully contribute to energy efficiency in the face of climatic challenges. He concludes by underlining that architecture must be understood as a far broader and more comprehensive field of thought, rather than one confined to an environmentalist label.

You can watch the video here.