Organized by our department as part of World Heritage Days, the "Studio-Side Talks" series continues to engage students with the social dynamics and contemporary debates of the architectural discipline. In this latest event, Assistant Professor Ayşe Merve Saraçoğlu Gezer conducted a comprehensive talk exploring the historical evolution of the concept of housing and the ethical responsibilities of architects.
The talk addressed the social, cultural, and spatial transformation of residential architecture from the Early Republican era to the present day. By examining the meanings attributed to housing within Turkey’s modernization journey—alongside user needs, shifting production practices, and urban planning policies—the session encouraged students to view housing typologies from a critical perspective.
The discussion centered on the theme established by the International Union of Architects (UIA): "Housing is a human right. Build it." Emphasizing that architecture is not merely a field for producing aesthetic and formal structures, Assistant Professor Ayşe Merve Saraçoğlu Gezer stated that designing healthy, safe, accessible, and high-quality living spaces is the architectural profession's most fundamental social obligation. Students—the architects of the future—were instilled with an awareness of the importance of prioritizing the right to housing and social benefit in their professional practice. The talk, which drew keen interest from our students and was enriched by an interactive Q&A session, concluded following productive discussions on the architect's public responsibility.