CIU Academician Prof. Dr. Fatih Ahmet Rıfkı drew attention to the importance of city planning on World Cities Day
Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture (FADA) academic staff Prof. Dr. Fatih Ahmet Rıfkı stated “The primary aim of the 8th November World Cities Day, is to raise awareness of the importance and the meaning of city planning, by bringing work environments and the public together”.
Rıfkı stated that one other aim of World Cities Day is to enable seeing planning from a wider angle, and went on to say, “And in this context, to be able to present the environmental problems arising from the city and regional developments, to the knowledge and interest of the society and public authorities”.
Stating that the meaning and function of cities changes from person to person, Prof. Dr. Rıfkı continued, “As much as cities being a location where commercial activities are managed, where all kinds of power are obtained, where people live and where they establish their lives, and where splendid buildings are, it is also a location where there are largely poor areas, and where migrants shelter”.
Expressing that as a result of countless random interactions, cities are also the emerging place of social and technological innovations, Rıfkı stated that among city residents, anonymity and alienation are common traits.
Exclaiming that the first principle is to “abandon architecture that is based on cheap fuel”, Rıfkı added that the second principle is to prioritize the necessities of social life within urban design.
Highlighting that within the scope of the principles, when it comes to designs the importance of aiming to create multi-sensory experiences was emphasized, Prof. Dr. Rıfkı stated that the next principles were to establish equality within public transportation and to ban automobiles.
Reminding that these principles are valid in North Cyprus, Rıfkı concluded, “When it comes to city-related problems, these principles are an important guide for solving them across the world.”