Understanding 60 years of soft storey in Türkiye: an interdisciplinary perspective

Türkiye has a long history of earthquake-related disasters, with extensive building damage often resulting from even moderate seismic events. Evidence suggests that at least 50% of buildings in the country lack proper design documents and permits, and about 80% of the building stock consists of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. The high seismic risk is exacerbated by widespread non-compliance with building codes, poor structural detailing, and construction quality, along with significant design irregularities such as soft storeys, which have the most detrimental impact on seismic performance. Despite numerous seismic advancements, the persistence of soft storey designs highlights a gap between engineering solutions, architectural design, and the socio-cultural and economic contexts that drive building practices. Addressing soft storeys requires an interdisciplinary approach that considers not only technical solutions but also the historical, cultural, economic, and social factors informing design decisions. The soft storey, often viewed as a technical issue arising from poor architectural choices, is intertwined with Türkiye’s historical urbanization processes, regulatory changes, and socio-economic traditions, such as the preference for multi-storey RC buildings following the 1965 flat ownership law. The study argues that without addressing the underlying reasons for the persistence of soft storey designs, such as self-construction practices, budget constraints, client demands, and users’ preferences, efforts to mitigate this vulnerability will remain ineffective. By exploring the regulatory frameworks, as well as architectural, cultural, and economic dimensions of soft storeys, this research aims to inform future efforts in developing resilient building designs that address the root causes of this vulnerability, ultimately leading to safer urban environments in Türkiye.