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Sedad Hakkı Eldem

Sedad Hakkı Eldem (31 August 1908 – 7 September 1988)[1] was a Turkish architect and proponent of nationalized modern architecture in Turkey.[2][3]

Biography

Eldem was born in Istanbul in 1908.[4] He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Department of Architecture.[5] Between 1931 and 1932, he traveled to France, England, and Germany on a scholarship from the academy.[citation needed]

In 1932, he opened his own office and began teaching at the Academy of Fine Arts, continuing until his retirement in 1978.[5] In 1934, he founded the National Architecture Seminar at the Academy, dedicated to the study and documentation of traditional Turkish houses. He argued that these vernacular structures inherently reflected modernist principles through the rationality of their floor plans and the clear structural logic of their timber-framed facades. Although much of the original research was lost in the Academy fire of 1948, it formed the foundation for his later works: Türk Evi Plan Tipleri (1954; Plan Types of Turkish Houses) and the comprehensive five-volume series Türk Evi (1984; The Turkish House)..[6][7] In 1938, he designed the Turkish Pavilion for the New York Exhibition.

Following World War II, Eldem represented Turkey at the International Union of Architects in Lozan in 1948. The same year, Eldem also collaborated with his colleague Emin Onat on the Istanbul Justice Palace. His work often focused on studying the proportions and architectural features of 18th- and 19th-century Ottoman houses, palaces, and mansions.

He was a member of the Former Artifacts Maintenance Council (Eski Eserleri Muhafaza Encümeni) between 1941 and 1945 and also a member of the Supreme Council of Antiquities and Monument Real Estate (Gayrimenkul Eski Eserler ve Anıtlar Yüksek Kurulu) between 1962 and 1978.

Eldem aimed to nationalize modern architecture, believing that the international style should be adapted to incorporate national and domestic elements rather than being applied uniformly.[citation needed]

In 1986, he received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the Zeyrek Social Security Facilities.[citation needed]

Eldem passed away on 7 September 1988 in Istanbul.[citation needed]

Architecture

Eldem's architectural career can be divided into four main periods. The first period, from 1928 to 1934, is characterized by inconsistency in his work.[why?] [citation needed] The second period, spanning from 1934 to 1952, is marked by modern adaptations of Ottoman architectural principles. From 1952 to 1962, his third period saw a decline in Ottoman influence and a move towards more modern designs. The final era, from 1962 until his death in 1988, is noted for his dual approach to projects.[clarification needed]

First period

  • The years between 1928 and 1934 are considered Eldem's formative years. During this time, he worked in Istanbul, Paris, and Berlin, but none of his architectural work from this period remains. The only structure built during this time was a temporary Turkish pavilion for the Budapest Exhibition in 1931, which offers limited insight into his architectural explorations. Eldem experimented with various approaches popular at the time, attempting to combine contradictory elements by incorporating different architectural styles into a single design. For example, the embassy project in Paris shows the influence of Auguste Perret in its details, while its plan incorporates traditional middle "sofa" and "Eyvan" elements typical of Turkish architecture. He also drew inspiration from the Cihar-bağ scheme, which is common in Iran and the Middle East. During this period, he studied the styles of Art Deco, Le Corbusier, Hoffmann, Olbrich, Tessenow, and Webb. Despite his stylistic experimentation, he remained committed to researching traditional Ottoman civil architecture, utilizing styles that complemented it.
  • Returning from Europe to Istanbul did not stabilize Eldem's architectural style. His early projects in Istanbul display diverse elements. The Ceylan Apartment (1933) exhibits traits of Art Deco, the S.A.T.İ.E. Store and Administration Building (1934) incorporates features of the International Style, and the Firdevs Hanım House (1934) includes elements of Le Corbusier. However, his focus shifted from large, elaborate mansions to more modest houses and buildings, which were published in the journal Arkitekt.

Second period

  • Eldem's period of stylistic exploration ended with the Yalova Thermal Hotel (1934–1937) and the Ağaoğlu House (1936–1937) projects, marking the beginning of a new era in his architecture. He began to gain recognition in Turkey for his architectural style and approach to modern architecture. The Yalova Thermal Hotel was one of the first nationalized modern works in Turkey. During these years, there was much discussion about interpretation in modern architecture and Eldem became a pioneer defending the idea of nationalized modern architecture.
  • From 1934 to 1952, Eldem experimented with incorporating traditional Ottoman house plans and exterior elements into more modernized designs, drawing on his historiographical research. He sought to "invent the tradition" within the modern context of his time. For example, the Ağaoğlu House features an elliptical "sofa", the Safyurtlu House (1942) includes a middle "sofa", and the Ayaşlı Mansion (1938) is designed with a karnıyarık ('split out from the middle') type of "sofa".[clarification needed] Some of his projects strongly connected international style and domestic tradition, while in others, traditional Turkish elements were subtle. The Taşlık Coffee House (1947–1948) was designed with a traditional T-shaped plan, minimizing international elements. In contrast, the Admiral Bristol Hospital and Nursing House (1943) appears national only from the outside, while the faculty buildings of Ankara University (1943–1945) and Istanbul University (1942–1947) were inspired by Nazi Germany, with Turkish influence being a minor aspect of the buildings.

Third period

  • Between 1952 and 1962, Eldem's architecture minimized Ottoman civil architectural characteristics. The Florya Facilities (1955–1959) and Rıza Derviş House (1956–1957) were built in a rationalized modernist style influenced by "California modern". The design of the Istanbul Hilton (1952–1955) shows little of Eldem's personal architectural style; its standard American appearance is attributed to Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) (Gordon Bunshaft) despite Eldem's involvement.[definition needed] The Second Safyurtlu House (1952) is a successful example of late modernism architecture.

Final period

  • The years after 1960 are known as a period of significant change for both Eldem and the Republic of Turkey. Eldem adopted two distinct approaches during this time. The first was heroic and monumental, moving away from traditional and domestic styles, as seen in the Akbank Administration Building and Ayazağa Office Buildings. The second approach was more characteristic of Eldem, featuring eclectic designs and new interpretations of Ottoman civil architecture, resulting in a unique vocabulary.[clarification needed] This included features such as horizontal roof lines, wide canopies, and well-proportioned windows and cantilevers, as seen in the designs of the Zeyrek Social Security Facilities (1962–1964), India Embassy Residence (1965–1968), Kıraç Mansion (1965), and Sirer Mansion (1966–1967).

List of significant works

References

  1. ^ "Eldem, Sedad Hakkı - VKV". encyclopedia.vkv.org.tr. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  2. ^ Acciai, Serena (2017-01-11). "The Ottoman-Turkish House According to Architect Sedad Hakkı Eldem". ABE Journal. Architecture Beyond Europe. 11 (11). doi:10.4000/abe.11023. ISSN 2275-6639.
  3. ^ Ergüler, Meltem (1996). "Sedad Hakkı Eldem Binalarının Analizi". Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Institute of Science and Technology. hdl:11527/17017.
  4. ^ Acciai, Serena (2017-01-11). "The Ottoman-Turkish House According to Architect Sedad Hakkı Eldem". ABE Journal. Architecture Beyond Europe. 11 (11). doi:10.4000/abe.11023. ISSN 2275-6639.
  5. ^ a b Acciai, Serena (May 2018). Sedad Hakki Eldem. An aristocratic architect and more. Studi e saggi (in Italian). Vol. 185 (1 ed.). Florence: Firenze University Press. doi:10.36253/978-88-6453-667-5. ISBN 978-88-6453-666-8.
  6. ^ Bozdogan, Sibel (2003), "Eldem, Sedad Hakkı", Oxford Art Online, Oxford University Press, retrieved 2025-04-21
  7. ^ "ELDEM".
  • Sibel Bozdogan, Suha Ozkan, and Engin Yenal, Sedat Hakki Eldem: Architect in Turkey, Singapore: Concept Media Ltd./Aga Khan Trust for Culture, 1987.
  • Edhem Eldem, Uğur Tanyeli, Bülent Tanju, (2008), Sedad Hakkı Eldem I: Gençlik Yılları, Osmanlı Bankası Arşiv ve Araştırma Merkezi, ISBN 9789944731058
  • Uğur Tanyeli, Bülent Tanju, (2009), Sedad Hakkı Eldem II: Retrospektif, Osmanlı Bankası Arşiv ve Araştırma Merkezi, ISBN 9789944731126
  • Uğur Tanyeli, (2007), Sedad Hakkı Eldem, Boyut Press Group, ISBN 9789755214559
  • TIMMOB Chamber of Architects, (2010), 100 Yıl'da İki Mimar, ISBN 9789944898881