AGENDA

Legal Metropolitan Regulations, Yet Again Display the Weaknesses of Our Political Culture / İlhan Tekeli

The legal regulation known as the “Metropolitan Law”, which got through the Parliament in the last days of 2012, will bring forth a change of constitutional importance in the administrative system of Turkey. The author classifies the changes brought by the law, which was imposed on the society, in two groups: new arrangements both in the size and jurisdiction of local governments, and in maintaining or strengthening the supervision of the local governments by the central government. The author emphasises the need for a change in the administrative structure of Turkey, yet stresses the fact that this change cannot be done gropingly, rather should be based on a serious study on the hierarchic relations in the settlement map of Turkey.

50th ANNIVERSARY OF MİMARLIK

• MİMARLIK Magazine is 50 Years Old! / Chamber of Architects Publications Committee
• MİMARLIK Magazine while Leaving Behind 50 Years ... / Eyüp Muhcu
• 50-Year Reservoir of MİMARLIK Magazine / Ali Artun
• MİMARLIK Database
• Cover Competition for the 50th Anniversary Special Issue of MİMARLIK Magazine is Finalised
• People Who have Contributed to the MİMARLIK Magazine 1963-2013

MİMARLIK magazine, published by the Chamber of Architects since 1963, is the only long-term architectural magazine of Turkey. This issue dedicated to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the magazine, which besides witnessing various changes in its design and content due to the changes in the architecture of the country and the profession, yet has managed to carry on its general outline. In this special section devoted to the 50th anniversary, the president of the Chamber of Architects Eyüp Muhcu, underlines the effectiveness of the Chamber in the field of architectural publishing and its importance. Former member of the Publications Committee and General Secretary Ali Artun, on the other hand, presents an evaluation on the 50 years of the magazine.  In the following pages you can find the results of the design competition opened for choosing a special cover for the 50th issue of the magazine, information on the database of the magazine and on the people who have contributed to the magazine.  

ARCHITECTURAL AGENDA

On the Building Control Survey Draft Law or the New “Bag Law” Draft / Chamber of Architects

The “Building Control Survey Draft Law”, which acts as a “Bag Law” comprising changes for 11 law units, including the Law of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), and which is served to the press by the political powers in order to eliminate Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), is continued to be discussed in architectural platforms. Chamber of Architects bring the new regulations within the draft law under spotlight. The aim is to draw the awareness of Turkish architects on the subject by highlighting the provisions and restrictions it brings to the architectural profession.

BIENNALE

A New Platform in the City: 1st İstanbul Design Biennale / İpek Yada Akpınar

The author evaluates the first design biennale; “Kusurluluk / Imperfection”, organised by İKSV in İstanbul between the dates 13th October- 12th December 2012.  According to the author visiting these two different platforms, located in İstanbul Modern and Galata Greek Elementary School, in reality is not only a public design / art meeting, but also a journey of discovery where we face ourselves. Biennale, on the other hand, is a significant urban arena for remembering social values and conveying future messages. The author thinks that the İstanbul Biennale with its dual-axis identity, open to experimentation, diversity in the use of space and contribution to the city, is a positive start for the city and its citizens.

FROM RURAL / CITY

Paşalar Village, Akçakoca / Düzce / Aydanur Yenel

Paşalar Village is situated inside a green fabric within the natural beauties surrounding Akçakoca. The village carries traces from many periods of history; highland houses reveal the natural and cultural treasures of Anatolian geography.  The author introduces its readers the historical houses of the village, with its asphalt roads, paved stone inner streets, narrow and curled streets, and a history of 200 years.

ARCHITECTURAL CRITICISM

Mathematics of a Typical Apartment: Ada Apartment / Berin F. Gür

Ada Apartment, located in Bostancı, inside the typical apartment fabric and at a corner plot, was a candidate for the “Building Category” of 2012 National Architecture Exhibition and Awards.  The author, evaluating within the frame of “typical” as a concept opposite to the “ideal” in the definition of Colin Rowe, analyses the codes of the building, which is situated on a single plot inside the physical fabric of ordinary residential areas.

COMPETITION

Municipality of Çanakkale Competition for the “Green” Local Government, Culture Centre Building and its Surroundings

The architectural competition announced with an aim to carry out the services of the Central Municipality of Çanakkale in a single building and with higher efficiency, in the area of the current municipality service building and old city bus station. The competition searched for projects, which can provide urban services within a contemporary manner and functional totality that can easily be reached by citizens, yet also can act as a cultural centre. Among 38 projects that are evaluated 3 awards and 5 honourable mention awards were given.

COMPETITION

Mersin Chamber of Trade and Industry Service Building and Business Centre

The competition opened by the Mersin Chamber of Trade and Industry, aimed to acquire a project for “service building and business centre”, which is expected to answer the spatial needs and contribute to the quality of services towards its members and the city.  The competition valued the ideas that support the transformation of this part of the city to become a new urban focus. Among 104 projects submitted to the competition, the jury announced 3 equivalent awards, 3 honourable mention and 4 purchase awards.

ARCHITECT

Union Organiser, Architect, Designer, Curator, Author, Editor, Publisher Selçuk Milar / Çetin Ünalın

16 original posters, dating 1950-1956, discovered in the archives of Architects’ Association 1927, and which belonged to Selçuk Milar, who is an architect, designer, curator, author, editor, publisher and who has contributed to the organisation of architects, first opened to public view with the exhibition opened in Ankara, in April 17th 2012. The author while addressing the multi-faceted personality of Milar, discusses the different aspects in his life-long work.

DWELLING

Gated Communities as a Choice of Lifestyle: A Study for İstanbul / Şengül Yalçınkaya Erol, Ayhan Karadayı

The authors in their research on 4 different gated community settlements in İstanbul, show that the residents’ preference to live in gated closed settlements is rather than a reflection of consumer culture, is an indication of class, social and economic power.

ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHITECTURE

Evaluation of Daylight Effect in Buildings and an Example from London/ Serpil Çerçi

The architects portray the analysis on daylight, shading, light pollution and sun reflections that deemed necessary in the re-structuring of the abandoned old Shoreditch Tube Station in East London.  The authors search for possible ways to build an elevated new structure by preserving the surrounding daylight values. 

ARCHITECTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PERIOD

The History and the Values of Hasanoğlan Village Institute and Higher Village Institute Settlement / Sermin Çakıcı, Figen Kıvılcım Çorakbaş

Although it managed to prolong its education facilities for only eleven years, Hasanoğlan Village Institute is considered as a value in the cultural and educational field in the history of the country, due to its contribution in the modernisation of the society. The settlement was brought into the agenda with the ideas competition opened by the Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch and the Chamber of Civil Engineers, in 2007. Even though, by 2012, we cannot talk about a holistic approach in the preservation of the settlement; a partial preservation of the existing music school has started. The authors while conveying the history of the settlement and the competition process discuss the underlying values of the settlement.

ARCHITECTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PERIOD

Old Olive Oil Mills as Industrial Heritage / Kunter Manisa

Among 127 old olive oil mills, most of which are inactive and partly registered in the Aegean region, 70 of them are documented and recorded.  The author evaluates old olive oil mills in Ayvacık-Küçükkuyu region in the context of industrial archaeology and provides suggestions in using these mills to add to the tourism of the region.  

BOOK REVIEW

A Pioneering Figure in Modernism: Seyfi Arkan / Elvan Altan Ergut

Published parallel to the research conducted in the scope of the Chamber of Architects Commemoration Programme 2008-2010, “A Pioneering Figure in Modernism: Seyfi Arkan”, includes a catalogue comprised of archival documents and contemporary photographs of all the projects, buildings and urban plans of the architect. In addition to these the book covers symposium papers of various people who have a say in Turkish modern architecture or Arkan, significant research papers published on Arkan so far, and reports and lecture notes prepared by the architect himself. The author, positions Arkan inside the architecture of the Republican Period and coveys her evaluations on the book through unfolding its chapters.  

BOOK REVIEW

Making a Magazine! / Commemoration Programme Series / In the Memory of Zeki Sayar: Turkish Architecture and Criticism: Design, Profession, Production / Şebnem Yalınay Çinici

The book brings together the presentations of the last two sessions of the symposium “Zeki Sayar and Arkitekt/ To Organise- Design- Document”, held by the Chamber of Architects Commemoration Programme 2010-2012, in the scope of the research conducted on Zeki Sayar. It also compiles the images of the exhibition on Sayar. The author scrutinises the presentations within the book while commenting on the publication activity as a means to reach to individuals and create social awareness.

CONTACT

From Parking Fields to Public Spaces / Evren Uzer

The author explains the practice called Park(ing) Day that started to be used in San Fransiso from 2005 onwards as a short-term, low-cost and repeatable small-scale intervention.  Started as a guerrilla movement Park(ing) Day became a lasting practice with the regulations of the local government in 2010. This, in fact, shows us that long-term and everlasting recruitment of urban life with small-scale interventions can be made possible with the support of the urban policies.