The Architecture(s) & Urban Studies Call for the 2026 Istanbul conference ‘Heritage(s): Cultural Pasts – Urban Futures’ is intended to highlight work being done in built environment and spatial design disciplines as it relates to the interplay of contemporary practice, historical contexts, heritage theory and cultural studies.
Understanding the built environment in this context is complex. It is diverse and crosses disciplines and times. It requires social awareness and historical knowledge. It can be filtered through buildings, cities, places, artworks and cultural objects. It can be contradictory and contested.
In examining these questions from the host city of Istanbul, this conference is located in a place that typifies the questions at play. Historically seen as the meeting point of Europe and Asia, Istanbul was an imperial capital for the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman Empires. One of the most visited cities in the world, it was European Capital of Culture in 2010. With the centre of the city classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right, it boasts iconic examples of both art and architecture.
Disciplines involved include, but are not limited to:
