MİMARLIK AGENDA

Olive Tree, Architecture and Our Stories / Bülent Şık

The author draws attention to the recently-withdrawn bill allowing legal development permits in the fields of olive trees, shores and water-meadows for the building of thermal power plants and cement factories; gold and silver mining; and for the openings of marble and stone quarries - all on behalf of the public good. Stating that the absence of olive trees with centennial lives would ruin the belief in the continuity of life, Şık emphasizes that this intervention will lead to the loss of a long-time relationship that exemplifies how human existence depends on the lives of other creatures. We might lose our stories.

COMMEMORATION

Fifty Years of Professional Life: Prof. Ataman Demir / Nevzat Oğuz Özer

Ataman Demir, with an id no 2060 to Chamber of Architects’ İstanbul Metropolitan Branch, passed away on May 25, 2017.  Graduated from State Academy of Fine Arts in 1963, he was a senior faculty member at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. Nevzat Oğuz Özer has written his obituary.

AGENDA

One More Star Lost From Our Memory: İller Bankası / Sevcan Karadağ

Iller Bank building, which started and ended in 1935-1937 despite the difficult economic conditions of that time, was renovated in 2005 as part of a comprehensive and considerably large-budget restoration project. In June of 2017, the building was demolished as it was “blocking” the view of the newly-built mosque project. While criticizing the demolition policy that has become “the spirit of the age”/ “Zeitgeist”, the author also points out that no original work was planned to put in place.

Missing Value: The Memorial for Atatürk, His Mother and Women's Rights / Nazlı İpek Mavuşoğlu Çakman, Nağme Ebru Karabağ

Wherever the threat to the cultural heritage comes from, or whatever its cause, the loser of this struggle is always the same. The recent example from Izmir is the Memorial for Atatürk, His Mother and Women's Rights in Karşıyaka. The Municipality decided to re-make the monument with the principle of "the bigger, the better", and carried out the destruction while the debates were still going on. Discussing the process, the authors issue a call against the act of such erasing of the traces of our recent past.

Justice of Space, Space of Justice / Tuna Pektas

Our right to live in democratic, ecologic and happy cities is often transformed into a privilege gained through a struggle. The Center for Spatial Justice, questioning the possible acts to protect these rights, succeeds in producing new common words in collaboration with different disciplines. For example, the "Hope Archive" project, which collects good cases from the world to multiply hope, lightens our way towards the energy we feel lacking.

EVENT

Evaluating the theme of ICOMOS International Day for Monuments and Sites 2017: Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism / İclal Dinçer

Every year on April 18, ICOMOS, working on behalf of the common heritage of all people, celebrates the International Day for Monuments and Sites and organizes a series of events over a theme. This year’s theme, "sustainable tourism," stands as a very important issue considering the tourism economy that will double its current capacity in 20 years.

About the City That Cannot Reach to the Coast: "At the Seashore in Pera" Exhibition

Galataport is one of the many projects that was carried out under the control of several decision makers who know better about what is right and what is wrong for the people (!) - without the knowledge of the people. The exhibition "At the seashore in Pera" reflects on Galataport that includes unused structures that rose like a wall between the city and the urban environment, and the transformation of these structures for the benefit of the capital, not for the benefit of the city. The exhibition was held between June 5 to 30 2017 at Chamber of Architects’ İstanbul Metropolitan Branch.

COMMEMORATION: MARUF ÖNAL

Maruf Önal as the Professor-Architect - II

Following our previous issue, here is the second part of the conversation held by Serhat Başdoğan, Harun Batırbaygil, Güven Şener and two members of the Memorial Committee, Afife Batur and Bülend Tuna on Maruf Önal’s role as a professor.

ARCHITECTURAL CRITICISM

Aftermath: Demolition and Re-structuring: From Sümerbank Kayseri to AGU Education and Rectorate Building / Funda Uz

Abdullah Gül University Sümer Campus has received 2016 National Architecture Award in “Building” category. The Selection Committee was pleased from the project’s “sensitive approach as it transforms an industrial settlement into a university campus", and its ability "to open the campus not only to the university community but also to all the citizens, and hence to be able to establish a cultural and social bridge between the past and the present.” The author questions the formal language of the complex and uses the concept of “aftermath” to explain the potential situation that was raised while unused industrial facilities were reprogrammed and the remaining physical marks were revitalized and renovated after the demolition.

PRESERVATION / REVITALISATION

Local Aspects of Conservatıon: Karamürsel-Ereğli / Nurdan Kuban

Most of the studies concerning the preservation and conservation of the historical environments that present evidence from earlier live experiences usually stay at the level of “conservation oriented zoning” and ignore the wishes of the people of the region. The author focuses on this important problem and explains her research project initiated and further directed by the local actors.

ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION

The Design Power of the Studio Space: Harvard GSD / Derya Güleç Özer, Hilal Aycı

This article discusses Harvard GSD by arguing that the nature of the spaces where architects who spend their educational lives is one of the parameters that affect future design decisions. The personalized studio space creates an environment in which students can experience a sense of belonging, and it is also a source of motivation to work.

ARCHITECTURE IN THE REBUBLICAN PERIOD

At the Intersection of Local and Global: İstanbul Manifaturacılar Çarşısı / İdil Erkol

Although it, İstanbul Manifaturacılar Çarşısı (İMÇ), one of the few modern buildings on the historical peninsula, has lost its former vitality and splendor, however, it constitutes an open air museum with the artworks within the complex. The author examines the context and the architectural character of this work, drawing particular attention to the "attempt to legitimate the modernist formal language with reference to local".

A "Mining Settlement" with a face right to be forgotten: Cürek / Elifnaz Durusoy, Ebru Omay Polat

Iron mines in Cürek are one of the enterprises opened in our country in 1930s following the government policy of creating self-sufficient industries. The workers’ residential blocks were registered in the previous years as they were designed "with modern city planning approach". The authors analyze Cürek, a city described as “a place like Paris” by outsiders, and draw particular attention to the necessity of establishing a balanced relationship between the preservation and use values of the area based on mutual benefits.  

CONTACT

Support: Two hands swimming in Venice! / Sıla Akman

The devastating effect of climate change on World Cultural Heritage Sites is revealed by a pair of gigantic hands rising from the canal to hold the Ca 'Sagredo Hotel in Venice. Designed by the Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn, Support – each hand with a height of about 9 meters and a weight of 2,500 kg - is helping the building to keep up with changing conditions.