Turkish Architecture in the Republican Period | Foreign Architects of the Young Republic

Building requirements increased rapidly particularly in the new capital, Ankara.. There were not enough architects to meet these needs so after 1927 a new period began when the hegemony of foreign architects predominated. . Architects such as Clemens Holzmeister, Ernst Egli,Theodor Jost, Hermann Jansen, Martin Wagner, Martin Elsaesser, Bruno Taut, and R. Oerley, who took up posts in Turkey as teachers, consultants, planners and implementers, influenced the architecture of the Republic through their own personal leanings. During this period it was the Viennese school of European architecture, in particular, with its monumental traditional form of neo-classicism that was imported and became the dominant influence on Turkish architecture. Symmetric design, refined decoration, symmetric facades with plain lines, a rhythmic arrangement of windows, flat or concealed curved roofs, monumental staircases, pillared entrances or pillars rising several storeys up the fronts of buildings are among the characteristic features of this period. This becomes a public statement of the monumental concepts and authority of the State.. During this period , among the buildings constructed by Holzmeister between 1928 and 1936 are the Minsitry of Defence in Ankara, the General Staff Headquarters, the Officers' Club. The War School, the Presidential Residence, the Central Bank, and the Austrian Embassy. In 1938 he won a competition to design the Grand National Assembly,. T. Jost built the Ministry of Health (1926), E. Egli the Conservatory for Teachers of Music, the Exchequer Building and the Ismet Paşa Girls' Institute (1927-30), while B. Taut built the Faculty of Languages, History and Geography. (1937)


Ministry of Health 1926- 1927 Sıhhiye- Ankara Architectural Design: Theodor Jost Photo:Dogan Hasol

Ministry of Health 1st. Floor Plan Source: Inci Aslanoglu, "Erken Cumhuriyet Donemi Mimarligi." (Ministry of Health and Social Security Archives)

The Exchequer and Audit Department Building 1928- 30 Ulus- Ankara Architectural Design: Ernst Egli Photo:Dogan Hasol

The Exchequer and Audit Department Building Ground floor plan Source: Inci Aslanoglu, "Erken Cumhuriyet Donemi Mimarligi." (The Exchequer and Audit Department Archives)

The Ismet Pasha (Zubeyde Hanim) Institute For Girls 1928- 1930 Sihhiye- Ankara Architectural Design: Ernst Egli Photo:Dogan Hasol

1 2 3