M. Vedat Tek, architect an episode in Turkish architecture

Abstract

This thesis examines Mimar M~Vedat Tek, as his name hasbecome synonymous with an architectural movement (FirstNational Architectural Movement) in Turkey.He lived at a very critical time in Turkish History, wit~essingthe collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the formation ofthe new Turkish Republic.The architectural movement was a politically supported oneand took place just before the Modern Architectural era inTurkey. It therefore gained popu1ari ty starting from 1908onwards, with the aid of the Second ConstitutionalGovernment and was abandoned in 1930, in accordance with thealtered policies of the New Republican Government.In order to be able to understand the architect's formation,the architectural environment of the 'pre-Vedat' era(1830' s-1900), and wi thin this context, the transformationof Ottoman architecture is reviewed.The architectural movement he had helped formulate is alsoexamined from the ideological and archi tectura1 points ofview.The main issue raised in the assessment of both the architectand the movement is the effects and consequences of Westerninfluences on both.As an architect, his importance derives from the fact thathe was the first Turkish architect who applied the indigenousstyles in the Ottoman capital.He also has a referential importance as being the firstformally educated Turkish architect.However as an architectural thinker, his importance isminimal. As he has no written statements about his architecture,it is extremely difficult to talk about his architecturalphilosophy.What he did have, was an architectural methodology, astylistic inclination and an architectural vocabulary.Similarly, the movement did not have an architecturalphilosophy either. What it did, was to adopt the ongoingpolitical ideology and redefine itself to accomodate that.It actually did not even have a starting point. It was thelast stage in an already existing epoch and was the naturaloutcome of three world-wide 'ism's: Architectural eclecticism,Nationalism and Historicism.It also had a system and an architectural vocabulary,creating a unity in style, Architectural language and composition,which was employed by all the architects for theduration of the period and for all the building types.In this context, an examination of Vedat Tek's work displaysits interrelationship with the total output of the era.His educational background had provided him with the adequateknowledge of the technology of his times and he was simplyapplying the basic principles he had learned at the Ecoledes Beaux-Arts.However, his extreme facadism, making use of eclectic collagesand Ottoman elements as superficial pastiche, make it hardto classify him as a creator.On the other hand, the positive response that was given tohis buildings, was because they evoked a sense of belonging.In the socio-c ul tural context, this was qui te a cred i tab Ie.achievement for hi~ and he could very well be considered ashaving succeded in at least taking the very first step inreinstating the identity of Turkish architecture, totallylost in the 19th century.