Abstract

Natural destruction caused by technology, globalization, and industrial movements has threatened the ecological balance. The risk of depletion of natural resources has led people to be more respectful of nature and to protect it. Achieving the goal of ecological studies and reducing environmental problems is possible by understanding environmental awareness at the social level. Documentary films shot in the ecological field are an effective tool in raising social awareness by showing the state of nature in the face of the production activities of humans. Koyaanisqatsi, which is among these productions, is 1982 American experimental and non-narrative documentary film produced and directed by Godfrey Reggio, with music by Philip Glass and director of cinematography, Ron Fricke. In this film, in which the turmoil of life is emphasized, the narration has further been strengthened thanks to representations of the built environment. In this study, the turmoil in life and the effect of this turmoil on the natural and built environment are covered, based on the strong representations of Koyaanisqatsi. This study aims to contribute to the ecological development of design approaches in built environment production and to increase environmental awareness. In the study, the change and transformation of human-nature relations until the present, and the urban and architectural reflections of the turmoil in life are discussed. In line with the search for solutions to ecological problems experienced on a global scale, the importance of design approaches that will not conflict with ecological interests in the production of the built environment has been revealed. The widespread use of architectural approaches that take into account the climatic data of the region, which is sensitive to nature in material selection and gives importance to the effective use of renewable energy sources, is of great importance in preventing the chaos emphasized in Koyaanisqatsi.