CO-RECOVER: Co-Assessing Physical and Social Experiences for Participatory Recovery in Rebuilt Communities

The CO-RECOVER project investigates the lived physical and social experiences of residents in post-disaster rebuilt communities to enhance public health, well-being, and spatial inclusivity. Positioned within the New European Bauhaus (NEB) framework, the project utilizes the active recovery zones of Gaziantep, Türkiye—specifically the Nurdağı district—as a dynamic, real-world living lab.

European coordinators often require robust pilot sites to validate theoretical models. CO-RECOVER addresses this by employing a dual-layered, evidence-based methodology that seamlessly integrates environmental monitoring with participatory citizen science. Quantitatively, the project leverages academic expertise in physics to deploy and analyze environmental sensor networks. These networks will measure critical physical stressors affecting the neighborhood scale, such as thermal comfort, air quality, and specifically, the impact of urban LED lighting transformations on the light pollution spectrum and residents' biological rhythms.

Qualitatively, the project ensures deep community engagement by mobilizing local residents and stakeholders through İstasyon Gaziantep, a prominent regional hub for social innovation and community building. Acting as trained "citizen scientists," community members will gather granular data on spatial usage, psychological adaptation, and social cohesion in newly designed transition areas.

By bridging precise physical measurements with human-centric social feedback, CO-RECOVER generates actionable, data-driven insights. This holistic approach guarantees that neighborhood reconstruction strategies align with both structural requirements and the deeply rooted social needs of the community, actively fostering healthier, more resilient, and inclusive living environments for the future.