Rethinking on Cultural Sustainability in Architecture: Projects of Behruz Çinici

This study aims to open a discussion on the concept of cultural sustainability in architectural design. We asked the question of whether spatial planning has a role in cultural sustainability and in which terms cultural sustainability could be considered or discussed in the design process. We started with a presupposition of an example that achieved cultural sustainability in time. We exemplified a holiday resort village designed in 1970, which is still in use with inconsiderable transformations. Social engineering was a necessity for the architects, Altuğ and Behruz Çinici, and their design approach was to achieve sustainable living considering financial, ecological, environmental, and cultural dimensions. Behruz Çinici and his wife, Altuğ Çinici, were influential architects of their time. For an understanding of Çinici’s design concepts, we first looked at the inspiration sources mentioned in his conferences. After studying their village projects, we suggested four spatial concepts for reading projects from the perspective of cultural sustainability. We analyzed their three resort villages, which were designed in the same decade, through the criteria we have suggested. In the evaluation, the distinguished features of Çinici’s resort projects are discussed in relation to the concept of cultural sustainability. In conclusion, we aim to open a discussion for the criteria we proposed for cultural sustainability in spatial planning, and to emphasize the importance of cultural practices for housing policies for regional identity in a global world.