NEXUM Architects was the main sponsor and opening keynote speaker of the International Sustainable Architecture Conference held in Istanbul on 28–30 November. For three days, architects, engineers and academics from more than 20 countries discussed the future of the built environment in an age of climate crisis.
Key Themes of the Conference
The programme focused on applicable strategies rather than theoretical debate. The themes that stood out over three days were:
- Realistic roadmaps for carbon-neutral building design
- Transforming the existing building stock without demolition
- Low-carbon materials and local supply chains
- Monitoring building performance during operation
NEXUM’s Talk: “Transforming Beats Demolishing”
The presentation by our Design Director, Elif Kaya, argued that the most sustainable decision in architecture is often “not building something new.” Through case studies, we showed how adaptive reuse of existing buildings preserves embodied carbon while creating both economic and ecological value.
“The greenest building is often the one already standing. Our task is to reimagine it.”
An Open Workshop for Young Architects
As part of the conference, we ran a free workshop for architecture students. Participants practised energy modelling and material selection through a real restoration scenario. We will continue such programmes as a lasting part of our corporate responsibility.
Reflection
Sustainability is not a marketing headline; it is a discipline that shapes every decision from the first sketch to operation. This conference was valuable to us for strengthening the industry’s shared language.
