From architectural festival to biennial

Turkey's one and only Architectural Festival was held in Istanbul in 2004, organized by the Arkitera Architecture Center. Although attracting a lot of attention, it couldn't be repeated, and an architectural biennial was not realized. Architecture in Turkey appears on the people's agenda mostly as related to construction issues and probably as a result of this, construction fairs turn out to be the most vivid and long lasting events. Considered as an important intermediary for intellectual production and its communication, can the seeds for such a biennial be sowed in 2012?

            In 2012 the IABR will organize a biennial together with São Paulo and Istanbul. Although the São Paulo municipality gives full support to realize the biennial on their part, it is still uncertain if Istanbul municipality will give a hand to this collaboration. Istanbul Bilgi University (Asu Aksoy) is involved in the organization of the 2012 IABR.