An English Architect in the 19th Century Istanbul: William James Smith and Taşkışla

An English architect William James Smith had worked in Istanbul from 1842 to 1856, a most politically influential period for the British Empire. Smith, after his appointment to the prestigious project for the new Istanbul Embassy Building of United Kingdom, whose conceptual design was probably by renowned architect Sir Charles Barry, had attained the interest and trust of Ottoman statesmen. Consequently he was assigned to realise a number of important architectural projects contributing to the modernization of Ottoman Architecture. Some of the Smith’s important works for the Ottoman Porte are: A military hospital [Gümüşsuyu Askeri Hastanesi], a naval hospital, a school of medicine later known as Mecidiye Kışlası then Taşkışla, a part of the Selimiye Barracks, a Glass Pavilion in Dolmabahçe Palace and Tophane Imperial Kiosk [Tophane Kasrı] for Sultan Abdülmecid; a building for the Board of Trade, renovation of the Naum Theatre. His commissions for so many important buildings, in spite of the presence of the notable architects, namely Balyan and Fossati, is a proof of Sultan’s appreciation of Smith’s works. Smith worked for both the British Empire and the Ottoman Sultan for a considerable number of grand scale projects. Being Smith’s first work of grand scale, Taşkışla has had a major role in the history of the Ottoman Empire and Istanbul in addition to its own interesting construction history

Alexander Vallaury’s Late Works On İzmir, Thessaloniki And Eminönü Customs Houses And Notes On The Agenda Of Ottoman Architecture At The Turn Of The Century

Alexander Vallaury (1) , the renowned architect of the late Ottoman era served as the architect of Customs Administration ( or Administration of Indirect Contributions ) from 1889 on (İ..DH 1154-90240), until he left Turkey around 1910 (2). This responsibility, concerning the planning and construction of warehouses and customs facilities, has so far been an overlooked aspect of his long and fruitful career. However, given the giant urban transformation that the Ottoman cities’ seafronts experienced then, and considering the importance of the port reorganization in these undertakings, Vallaury’s position as the architect of the Customs Administration is significant, in terms of his contribution to that era’s major engineering and architectural issue: the reordering and modernization of port-cities. This paper, based on archival material, explores and comments on the construction phases of customs houses in three major Ottoman ports, during which their architect Vallaury had to address some major architectural concerns that were to play a determining role in the evolution of Ottoman architecture at the turn of the century. It also discusses the subsequent changes in Ottoman architecture, as well as the degree to which Vallaury, a foremost representative of Beaux Arts School and eclecticism in Ottoman architecture, could respond, contribute and cope with them

Transitional Elements Of Spherical Superstructures In Early Ottoman Bathhouses

Tez (Yüksek Lisans) -- İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, 2007Thesis (M.Sc.) -- İstanbul Technical University, Institute of Science and Technology, 2007Bu çalışmada, erken dönem Osmanlı mimarisindeki eğrisel örtüye geçiş sistemleri, hamam yapıları üzerinden incelenmiştir. Eğrisel örtü, örtüye geçiş ve örtüyle ilişkili aydınlatma ögeleri için terminolojik bir çalışma yapılarak bu ögelerin biçimsel ve yapısal özellikleri için bir biçim kataloğu hazırlamıştır. Biçim kataloğunda yer alan ögelerin, hamam yapılarında kullanımını belgelemek için bir envanter formu oluşturulmuştur. Yerinde ve arşiv çalışması ile incelenen 51 hamam yapısından elde edilen örtüye ilişkin bilgiler envanter formlarına işlenerek bir veri tabanı haline getirilmiştir. Ayrıca her bir hamam yapısı için derlenen yazılı ve görsel malzemeden birer envanter dosyası hazırlanmıştır. Tüm bu çalışmalara paralel olarak hamam yapılarının tarih içindeki gelişimi ile ilgili ve Osmanlı mimarlığının erken dönemdeki özellikleri ile ilgili arşiv ve kitaplık çalışması da sürdürülmüştür. Sonuçta ulaşılan somut veriler, veri modelinin yardımıyla sayısal değerlere ve grafiklere dökülerek, Osmanlı mimarlığının erken döneminde kullanılan örtü sistemlerinin zamana göre değişen niteliği tartışılmıştır.This study carries out an analysis of spherical superstructure systems in early Ottoman architecture, through bathhouse examples. An initial terminological survey for spherical superstructures, along with their transition and lighting elements was concluded in a “Catalogue of Forms”, that covers their formal, structural and material properties. A detailed “inventory form” was designed, based on the entries in this catalogue, so that the application of superstructural elements in bathhouses could be systematically documented. This infrastructural work was followed by on-site and archival analysis of 51 early Ottoman bathhouses, whose superstructural properties were recorded on inventory forms, which consequently resulted in an inventory database and a data model. An inventory dossier for each bathhouse was also assembled out of several written and visual materials compiled. In parallel, was carried out a library study, concerning the general properties of bathhouses throughout history, as well as the general properties of early Ottoman architecture. Finally, a tabulation of all the concrete data in our data model let us produce numerical values and graphics, against which was discussed the changing character of early Ottoman superstructures in time.Yüksek LisansM.Sc

Covid 19 Pandemi Sürecinin Öğrettikleri ile Mimarlık Eğitimine Yeni Yollar Açılabilir mi? Veya Uzaktan Mimarlık Eğitimi Sadece Dijital Ortamda mı Olur?

Can new pathways be opened for architectural education following the ordeal of the pandemic period? Or is distance architectural education only to be in digital medium?Given the prolonged pandemic conditions, digital means of remote lecturing, which the Academy embraced as an emergency requirement and along with compulsorily aligned with decisions and applications in the course of 2019-2020 academic year spring term, seems to become an obligatory means and medium of teaching in the following fall term and even the year after. On the other hand, this remote lecturing alternative that proves to be a pseudo-solution that renders the economical and administrative problems faced by the universities invisible is being fast adopted by the Council of Higher Education via new decisions and by-laws, to co-exist and surpass, if not to replace face-to-face lecturing in the medium term.This article aims to analyze this radical change in academia and discuss in particular, its impact on architectural education, and how it can be transformed into a beneficial tool to ameliorate it rather than being an emergency exit. Based on the last months’ remote digital lecturing experiences in comparison to usual face-to-face architectural education practices, the authors’ first point to indispensable requirements to realize remote lecturing via digital means in architectural education. Then the article focuses on the kind of tailoring needed in architectural education to yield successful results with remote lecturing and digital educational means