Tracing the 20th Century in the Walled City: The Historic Peninsula and the Prost Plan
Location:Fatih, Istanbul
Facilitators: Yıldız Salman, Hayriye İsmailoğlu
Organizer:DOCOMOMO_Turkey
Language:Turkish
Date / Time:October 6, 14:00-18:00
This urban route, led by DOCOMOMO_Turkey, explores the modern architectural heritage of the Historical Peninsula from the 20th century. Along the route, participants will visit eight landmarks. The tour will provide a unique opportunity to learn about and appreciate the modern architectural, design, and urban planning heritage of the Historical Peninsula from the perspective of the members of the DOCOMOMO_Turkey Working Group.
1. Arpa Emini Social Houses: Arpa Emini Social Houses, whose construction started in the early 1950s, was built under the responsibility of the "Limited Responsible Istanbul Workers Union Building Cooperative". As a result of the process that continued with the loans provided by Emlak Bank and the assistance of the Ministry of Labor, the construction of all houses were completed in the second half of the 1960s. Workers working in other surrounding institutions such as the IETT Garage, were also benefited from these houses, which were primarily intended for the workers of the Cibali Tobacco Factory.
2. Istanbul University Faculty of Science and Letters:Sedat Hakkı Eldem – Emin Onat, 1942-44. The architectural characteristics and elements reflect the nationalist – historicist approach of the period. The windows and eaves, reminiscent of traditional residential architecture, contrast with the monumentality of scale. The functionalist approach uses high-tech construction standards of its period.
3. Atatürk Boulevard:Atatürk Boulevard, originally a part of Prost’s plan of 1937 as the main south-north axis through the Historic Peninsula, was implemented beginning from 1938. The north half of the boulevard that forms the focus of this tour was completed in 1945. The buildings along this new axis were mostly constructed in the late 1940s and 1950s.
4. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality:Building Nevzat Erol, 1953. Designed as the result of a national competition; the complex includes offices housed in the larger prismatic mass and the mayor’s offices and ceremonial functions in the smaller one. The hyperbolic dome of the hall refers to Şehzade Mosque in form. This is one of the earliest examples of the post-war international style in the architecture of Turkey.
5. Mehmet II, the Conqueror Monument:The monument designed by Hüseyin Gezer (sculptor), İmran Gezer (architect) and by İhsan Mungan (structural design) was completed on May 29, 1987. Mehmet II is presented on horseback entering Constantinople under a semi-arch representing a city gate with historic characters by his side; bronze reliefs depicting various scenes from the Conquest surround the monument.
6. Directorate of Public Health and Hygiene:The building is composed of a 2-storey front and 3-storey back wing around an interior courtyard, with a cubist exterior mass and architectural elements. The static façade and window arrangement reflects late modern international style characteristics of the 1940s. Some of the original architectural elements have been replaced during a recent renovation.
7. Turkish Social Security Administration, Zeyrek Building Complex:Sedad Hakkı Eldem, 1963. The building designed as the result of a limited national competition, received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1986. Office blocks of varying sizes located with respect to the topography of the historic neighborhood behind while projecting forms of the structures and architectural elements such as hip roofs and wide eaves establish a harmonious relationship with traditional architecture, also reflecting the stylistic tendencies of the architect.
8. Istanbul Drapers' and Furnishers’ Bazaar:Doğan Tekeli, Sami Sisa, Metin Hepgüler, 1959-66. The complex designed as the result of a national competition includes shops arranged in 2-to-4-storey cubic units with galleries and interior courtyards positioned and connected in various ways. Although the architecture of this low-rise fragmented composition does not directly refer to the existing historic built environment, it reflects the intention of establishing a harmonious relationship with it. The late modern spatial quality and architectural vocabulary is enriched with the works of notable artists of the period like Jale Yılmabaşar and Kuzgun Acar.
Notes:
The tour will commence in front of the Istanbul Congress Center.
All participants are required to be present in the area by 13:30 with their tour tickets.
Shuttles will be available to transport participants to the starting point of the route.