TURKISH ARCHITECTURE IN THE REPUBLICAN PERIOD

The Search for Identity: 1st National Architecture Movement

The trend towards nationalism that followed the proclamation in 1908 of the 2nd Constitution brought about new research in architecture. In Turkish architecture, the period known as Neoclassic Turkish Style or a National Renaissance in Architecture, which began at this time, was headed by the architects Kemalettin Bey and Vedat Bey. Later, during the Seventies, this style became known as the First National Style. This new form of architecture tended to use a great number of the decorative features found in classic Ottoman architecture.

Efforts were made through a revival of classic Turkish architecture in the buildings of this period to create an architectural Renaissance or Turkish national architecture. During this revival, Islamic nations began to secede one by one from Ottoman rule and as a result, in the face of Pan- Islamism the movement towards Pan-Turkism , that is, the creation of the concept of nationhood began. In architecture, this trend towards so-called nationalist style was more an attempt to implement the use of the wide eaves, domes, pointed arches, pillars, overhangs, triangular stalactite-like capitals and tiled facing found in the old religious buildings. This style was predominately used in public works and did not really affect residential-building.

The First National Architecture could not keep pace with new technology or meet the requirements of the new age so remained a movement which in style was remote, selective, sensitive, formalized and academic.

Foreign Architects of the Young Republic

Building requirements increased rapidly particularly in the new capital, Ankara.. There were not enough architects to meet these needs so after 1927 a new period began when the hegemony of foreign architects predominated. Architects such as Clemens Holzmeister, Ernst Egli, Theodor Jost, Hermann Jansen, Martin Wagner, Martin Elsaesser, Bruno Taut, and R. Oerley, who took up posts in Turkey as teachers, consultants, planners and implementers, influenced the architecture of the Republic through their own personal leanings. During this period it was the Viennese school of European architecture, in particular, with its monumental traditional form of neo-classicism that was imported and became the dominant influence on Turkish architecture. Symmetric design, refined decoration, symmetric facades with plain lines, a rhythmic arrangement of windows, flat or concealed curved roofs, monumental staircases, pillared entrances or pillars rising several storeys up the fronts of buildings are among the characteristic features of this period. This becomes a public statement of the monumental concepts and authority of the State..

The New Approach Towards the Contemporary Movements

Pioneering thought in the West which centred on Bauhaus and CIAM was not slow in coming to Turkey..In the 1930's some Turkish architects followed the contemporary International Style closely, and for about ten years constructed buildings which followed the Western trends of cubism and the use of reinforced concrete.

A New Perspective on National Architecture: 2nd. National Architecture Movement

Following a period of approximately ten years (1930-1940) during which attempts were made to keep pace with positive trends in world architecture, an reaction against the hegemony of foreign architects, which had been going on since 1927, caused a trend towards a new national architecture to begin. This return to tradition was influenced by the Fascist movement in Italy and the rise of National Socialism in Germany with their totalitarian ideas The new trend, which tended towards romanticism and aimed to create a new national architecture, influenced architecture in Turkey between 1935 and 1950. The movement, first under the name of the National Architecture, and later called the Second National Architecture, aimed at finding and using traditional features in its architectural style. Sedad H. Eldem was influential in creating a rational basis for this style through his work at the Academy of Fine Arts in establishing a seminar under the name of the National Architect Seminar which devoted itself to the sudy of traditional civil architecture in Turkey. The separatist understanding of the totalitarian regimes of the time which took over in countries such as Russia, Germany and Italy had a role in these nationalistic ideas. Moreover, the architects Kemalettin Bey and Vedat Bey were a source of new strength to this movement which had never been entirely extinguished. However, in this new phase, the preference was for the use of simple features from the domestic architecture of the past rather than the religious type of detail which had been used by the First National Architecture. Relying on producing the essence of these, importance was giving to symmetry, stone faced facades, and a monumental effect. This style lasted until the 1950's. It ended when it became necessary to keep up with the new developments and requirements in technology, in other words, with contemporary ideas about architecture.

The decline of the Second National Architecture Movement came with the 3rd competition in 1948 for the Istanbul Courts of Justice in which the rational approach of the joint design of S. H. Eldem and E. Onat won first prize. It had completely ended by the time the competition for the Istanbul Municipality Headquarters was held in 1952.

MEHMET VEDAT TEK-PARLIAMENT BUILDING

Mehmet Vedat Tek, who was born in 1873 and died in 1942, is known for his works in early 20th century and is one of the most prominent architects of the First National Architectural Movement along with Kemalettin Bey. When he returned to Turkey, he started to go at bringing new national identity to the Turkish Architecturewith Kemalettin Bey. In his structures he emphasized on planing and he tried to make use of even a little piece of sand and avoid needless expenses. He was able to disguise every failure of the land. He completed his education in Paris at Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts. Then he won Order of the Legion D’honneur in Rome Prize Fellowship competition that was organized by Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts. By taking Ottoman-Turkish Architectural items, such asarches, domes, eaves and tile wall, he created the formal and theoretical basis of 1. National Architectural Style. He is one of the two leading architecture of 1. National Architecture Era. In 1908, he served as the chief architect of the Sultan, but during WWI he was assigned to chief architecture of Ministry of Defense. His most significant work is Parliament Building in Ankara. Historical style was used in this building.ÓGazi KšşkŸÓ and ÒVakõf Oteli(Ankara Palas)Ó were seemed to be important structures of Vedat Tek. Besides his national touch in his buildings, he was aware of modern changes and he interpreted himself. Although he was a participant of national architecture, he fallowed contemporary architectural changes and cmmented on it by himself. He think that in the future simlplicity and function become more important figures in form and ornament.



Parliament building was designed and built as a meeting place for Chp in 1923 by the architect Vedat Tek. But it became second parliament building of Turkish Government. That’s because 1.parliament building was not sufficient anymore for the new developing Republic so the function of this building changed and the new parliament building opened in 18 October 1924.The building served as parliament building for 36 years and now it is used as a museum. It contains two floors and a basement floor. At the center, there is a council chamber which rises through two floors and the interior elements are located on three edges of the council chamber. At the entrance and high façades, symmetry is strong with the help of axles. After the main entrance there is a large passage and the ceiling of this passage was covered with Seljuk and Ottoman patterns. Similar to the passage, The Great Hall has a wooden ceiling covered with hexagonal star motifs. In addition to these, the portal which was constructed later, jagged and low vaults, large fringes, balconies supported from bottom, ceilings with timbers and tiles in some places show that period’s architectural characteristics. The façades of this building are formed by rough stones which has various size and creates a masonry.

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Parliament Building was expecially designed for meetings and it is obvious that this building is feasible for large amount of people as it seen in large passage after entrence room but unfortunately it couldn't meet the requirements of the new age.While touring the building ,very influencing details can be seen; for instance, Seljuk and Ottoman patterns were perfectly used on passaging.

PAUL BONATZ- OPERA BUİLDİNG

Paul Bonatz was born in Metz in 1887.He studied under Karl Hocheder and Friedrich von Thiersch at the Munich Technical College. After that he became the assistant of Fisher He followed his principles and highly impressed by large heavy stone structures, in a more contemporary form. He followed his profession as an architect all his life and never gave up his principles as some of his contemporaries did. In 1943 he was appointed consulting architect to the Ministry of Education in Turkey. He was a lecturer in the Architectural Faculty at Istanbul Technical University between 1946 and 1955 and took part in the restoration of the Taskisla building where the Faculty was situated . Bonatz realized a variety of different projects during his years in Turkey, Saracoglu Housing for Government Officials in Ankara (1945,) where he tried to use traditional features of the Turkish house in a contemporary dwelling. His design stressed form rather than function in this work In 1948 Bonatz redesigned Sevki Balmumcu's Exhibition Hall in Ankara and turned it into the Grand Theatre. Bonatz supported the trend towards 2nd National Architecture and his ideas on monumental design had an effect on Turkish architecture. Bonatz wrote two books, the titles of which are "Leben und Bauen", and "Brücken" (with F. Leonhardt) published in 1951. He died in Stuttgart in 1956.

Opera building’s first version was designed by Şevki Balmumcu and built between 1933-1934.The first function of this building was Exhibition Hall but between 1947-1948 the building was redesigned by Paul Bonatz and turned it into the Grand Theatre. Unfortunately, this situation was highly criticized because according to some people, this change caused the loss of originality of this building and this situation made Şevki Balmumcu upset and affected his health. However Bonatz designed the building according to the principles of second National Architecture.

The construction type of this building is reinforced concrete.The building is mainly divided into three parts which are entrance, stage and saloon for audience.These three parts became whole with the help of riwaq at the front façade. The entrance is at the east elevation and from there, one can access to the foyer.There are two passages in the foyer which enable access to the main audience place. From the entresol one can access to the mezzanine floor. Finally, the marble stairs at the middle of the foyer enables access to the lodge. Traditional Turkish house architecture style can be seen in the Opera Building. Stained glasses at the mezzanine floor and wooden walls at the foyer can be an example to this style. Finally as an exterior decoration at the front façade artificial stone which looks like Ankara stone had been used and at the other façades ivory coloured stucco had been used.

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OPERA

Although some people claimed that feature's of building were destroyed after Bonatz redesigned,it is totally wrong since he used 2nd national architecture trend successfuly. In the opera building , he achieved his goal in using traditional features of the turkish hause. Accessing to the main audience place designed smart.There are two main passages in the foyer so audience easily reach to the place.

SEYFI ARKAN - ILLER BANKASI

Seyfi Arkan, who was one of the most influential architects between the years of 1930-40,went to Berlin as a graduate student on a scholarship awarded due to his outstanding success as a student at the Academy of Fine Arts in İstanbul. In Berlin, he became a student of Professor Hans Poelzig, who influenced and partially shaped his architectural understandingand practice when he also worked in his office. Upon Atatürk’s invitation Arkan built ÇankayaPresidential Residence in the new capital city of the Turkish Republic, Ankara. On his accomplishment he was appointed to build many other official and governmental buildings in Ankara.( Greenfinch Sea Pavilion , secretary of General Office of the President Greenfinch , City Bank,etc. )This made him the brightest and the most influential state architect of the era. Arkan tragically lost the support of the State and his popularity after Atatürk’s death. Arkan’s architecture is not like other modernist architects of the era abroad. Arkan’s architecture differed from others in the sense that it did not consist of a national identity characteristic which can be detected at first glance. Arkan preferred universal architectural principles overlocal ones but some of his Works, he synthesized universal and local architectural features. Arkan’s buildings are representatives of various interpretations from International style, to classicist characteristics, local and authentic variations, as well as Deco aesthetic, andmodernist styles. Arkan’s attitude was that of an architect’s who softened the canonical components of the orthodox modern architecture, combining them with already existing conditions and Deco aesthetic interpretations through his professional experience and empathy. In Iller Bankası ; for example, Metal gates, columns which shaped by different concrete materials, circular forms were used and this building is a good example for deco aestheic style.The most important factor that gives his designs their spirit was his commitment to the idea of total design. Arkan reflected this attitude in his designs from the smallest artifacts to the larger scale designs like the building itself. Arkan’s projects are not at all stereotypical in Turkish architecture. In fact, Arkan’s attempts are considered to be more valuable than solely reducing modern architecture to principles and replicating one buildingafter another.

İller Bankası had been established to provide technical and financial assistance to local governments. the headquarters building of this bank was built between 1935-1937 and the designer of this project is architect Seyfi Arkan who won the international competition which was arranged for this headquarters building. The construction type of this building is reinforced concrete. In the building, ground floor and first floors is allocated to technical officials and upper floor is divided into four departments, upper block has been covered with a grayish-pink stone which is called Ankara andesites and this separates upper and lower floor from each other as a form and material. Lower floors have contain horizontal lines and curvilinear elements. Contrary to this, on the upper floor rectangular windows which arranged in a vertical way are common. Good use of materials and details are notable in this project. Rich materials, circular forms, decoratively covered exterior, metal gates with a crysal glass surface, columns in different shapes and the classical concept of ground floor which are used in Iller Bankası is called deco esthetic style and can be seen in Arkan’s other building and finally building has been preserved well but the furnitures which was designed by the architect had been changed in60s.

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As the architect was influenced deco aesthetic style , the effects of it is deeply seem in the bank such as curvilinear elements,rectengular shapes,various type of materials,etc. After toruing, people can realize the intellectual background of his architectural design. Large scales were also created in the bank . The mosst interesting characteristic is 'Ankara andesites' which is a grayish-pink stone. It differs from the other floors not unly by material but also by form.