The Chamber of Architects of Turkey (CAT), was founded in 1954 with a special law. It is a Constitutional professional organization entrusted with the formulation of rules and regulations pertaining to architectural practice while seeking public interest and the benefit of the society in general. Chamber membership is a pre-request for practice of the profession.

Problems of architectural profession and architects are directly linked with the construction, planning and public improvements in our country and its cities. Hence, since its foundation, CAT has been following urbanization problems and issues closely and intervenes whenever and wherever necessary.

CAT, with its accumulated experience of 57 years, has a unique structure. Starting as a ground – breaking professional organization in the 1950s, it was influenced by the then prevalent social dynamics of the 1960s and adopted a definite social character by the 1970s. This background, despite the imposed interruptions of the 1980s, shaped its leading role in the struggles for better urban policies and implementations in the public interest and has triggered a process of internal reorganization. In 1990s, as a natural outcome of these developments, significant steps were taken towards a higher level of institutionalization. Despite the negative backlash of physical and economic catastrophes experienced during the 1999-2002 period, a new phase of organization was achieved in early 2000s. In 2005, organizing the UIA 2005 World Architecture Congress gave the experience of a half century a new international dimension and has proved our institutional qualification in the world community of architects.

CAT’s missions are growing every year: relevant current issues from architectural education to continuous professional development (CPD), from recognition of professional qualifications to international accreditation are tabled and discussed with other related institutions and work on the restructuring of the professional environment continues.

CAT, as a professional organization in the service of the society, while protecting the rights of architects, also works towards achieving a healthy living environment for that society. This term, our work is carried out with the same concept.