Zeynep Kaçar

Zeynep Kaçar is a landscape architect (M.Sc.). She graduated with honors from the Department of Landscape Architecture at Karadeniz Technical University and completed her master’s thesis at Istanbul Technical University, titled “Children’s Rights in Disaster Action Plans and Disaster (Prevention) Parks.” In her thesis, she developed applicable models based on disaster action plans and child-centered approaches.

With over ten years of experience in local government, Kaçar has played an active role in strategy development, project management, and the design of public spaces at İnegöl Municipality. Her work focuses on disaster-resilient public spaces, climate-adaptive design, and children’s right to play. She joined international academic networks through field research at Mississippi State University in the United States and contributed to participatory design processes with children in the Marmara Municipalities Union’s “Streets are Transforming” program.

During her municipal practice, she gained applied experience in preparing funding and support program applications, developing climate-adaptive recreation plans, and implementing nature-based solutions. These processes strengthened her capacity in resource management, stakeholder collaboration, and creating sustainable projects. Kaçar continues her professional journey by focusing on developing resilient and climate-adaptive living environments, while also reinforcing the spatial presence of children in cities and promoting the concept of disaster prevention parks within the Turkish context.