Ecological Systems Thinking in Architecture

This study examines ecological systems thinking as a conceptual framework for redefining architecture in response to contemporary environmental challenges. Moving beyond the conventional understanding of buildings as isolated physical objects, it conceptualizes architecture as an interconnected system operating across building, urban, ecosystem, and planetary scales. The study draws on systems thinking, socio-ecological approaches, ecological design, regenerative design, and planetary perspectives to explore the relationships among energy flows, material cycles, water systems, user behavior, biodiversity, and environmental processes. Through a qualitative design that combines a literature review with comparative analyses of three pairs of traditional Anatolian and contemporary ecological examples, selected according to explicit criteria, it demonstrates how local knowledge, climate-responsive strategies, and resource-conscious practices can inform current architectural approaches. The study further proposes a Multi-Scalar Ecological Design Framework that integrates environmental impacts across different scales. Ultimately, it argues that architecture should evolve from minimizing environmental harm toward actively supporting ecological regeneration, resilience, and long-term planetary well-being.