Mahalla 2.0: Reimagining climate-responsive courtyard neighborhoods for contemporary cities
Mahalla 2.0 reimagines traditional neighborhood climate intelligence for high-density cities, showing how naturally ventilated, self-shading, and socially cohesive housing can reduce dependence on energy-intensive, high-carbon urban development models.
Organizer: Farida Gasimova, PhD, Azerbaijan University of Architecture and construction
May 22, 2026 | 10:00 - 11:00
(passed)
Summary
This interactive session explores proximity-driven and passive-design approaches to rethink high-density urban development beyond energy-intensive “glass-box” typologies. Drawing on the concept of the “Mahalla 2.0,” it demonstrates how traditional neighborhood principles such as natural ventilation, shading, and social cohesion can inform contemporary urban design.
Participants engage in a structured negotiation exercise between three stakeholder groups—community and heritage advocates, sustainability-focused innovators, and strategic developers—to co-design a shared urban morphology. The process highlights the trade-offs between climate performance, social connectivity, and economic viability.
The outcome is a negotiated urban model that integrates passive climate intelligence, livability, and development feasibility, offering a practical framework for balancing competing priorities in future urban growth.