COP31 Heads to Antalya: SP Architects Reimagines the Former Expo 2016 Grounds

From November 9 to 20, the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) will fill the streets of Antalya, Turkey, with diplomats, scientists, activists and industry leaders. It’s a joint effort: Turkey hosts the summit and holds the presidency, while Australia steers the formal negotiation tables. The agenda reads like a climate‑checklist – emissions cuts, adaptation strategies, finance flows, zero‑waste initiatives, and the ever‑pressing need for resilient cities.

What makes this edition stand out, beyond the packed program, is the venue itself. SP Architects has been tasked with turning the former Expo 2016 horticultural park in Antalya’s Aksu district into a functional, yet inspirational, conference complex. The old fairground already boasted landscaped gardens, exhibition halls and pavilions devoted to agriculture and biodiversity. Rather than starting from scratch, the firm is retrofitting, extending and, where necessary, adding new structures that can live on after the climate talks end.

The site is split into two contrasting zones. The “Blue Zone” – run by the UNFCCC – will house the formal negotiations, credentialed delegations, and breakout rooms. Across the way, the “Green Zone” opens up to the public, showcasing exhibitions, side events and interactive dialogues. Coordinating circulation between the zones, security checkpoints and shared services turned out to be a logistical puzzle that SP Architects solved by setting up a temporary on‑site office and working hand‑in‑hand with Turkey’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change.

Design‑wise, the architects leaned heavily on modular, reusable components. Think prefabricated panels that can be dismantled, relocated or repurposed for future fairs, concerts or community gatherings. Environmental controls – passive shading, natural ventilation and solar shading devices – are baked into the building envelopes, trimming energy demand during the busy November days. In short, the campus aims to be a low‑impact, high‑flexibility platform.

On November 11‑12, a special World Leaders’ Climate Action Summit will bring heads of state to the Green Zone. Sessions will zero in on climate‑smart buildings, disaster‑risk management, smart‑city tech, nature‑based solutions and sustainable waste streams. All of this happens against the backdrop of the construction sector’s notorious carbon footprint – a reminder that the very walls we sit behind are part of the problem and, potentially, part of the solution.

Looking beyond the conference, the plan is for the adapted grounds to stay active. Antalya’s metropolitan and district municipalities have already signed memorandums to host fairs, music festivals and cultural events there, ensuring the investment doesn’t become a ghost‑town after the delegates depart. It’s a pragmatic nod to circular economy principles – reuse, extend, recycle.

As COP31 unfolds under the theme “From Dialogue to Consensus, From Consensus to Action,” the Antalya venue itself becomes a talking point. It embodies the very transition the summit seeks: from one‑off showcases of ambition to built‑in, lasting infrastructure that serves both climate goals and local communities.