Architecture of Turkey - Second National Architectural Movement

Second National Architectural Movement

Related to the rise of Fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany, there was a trend towards creating a new national architecture in Turkey around the 1940s. The movement was called the Second National Architectural Movement (Turkish: Ikinci Ulusal Mimarlik Akimi). The pioneers of this movement were Sedat Hakki Eldem and Emin Onat. Similar to Nazi architecture and Fascist architecture, the movement aimed to create modern but nationalistic architecture. In order to lead this movement Sedad Hakkı Eldem, who was a professor, held National Architecture seminars at Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts focusing on the traditional Turkish house styles.

Some of the buildings related to this style are Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial (1954–60), Şişli Mosque (1945–49), Anıtkabir (1944–53), Istanbul University Faculty of Science and Faculty of Literature buildings (1944–52) and Istanbul Radio Headquarters (1945–49). The movement was most influential between 1935 and 1950. From the 1950s, the influence of this style started to diminish due to the next wave of influences, especially International style and Rationalism.

• Mersin Halkevi designed by Ertuğrul Menteşe (1944–46)

• Anıtkabir designed by Emin Halid Onat and Ahmet Orhan Arda (1944–53)

• Istanbul University Faculty of Science and Faculty of Literature Buildings (1944–52) designed by Sedad Hakkı Eldem and Emin Onat

• İstanbul Radio Hall (1945) designed by Doğan Erginbaş, Ömer Güney and İsmail Utkular

• Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial designed by Feridun Kip, Doğan Erginbaş and İsmail Utkular (1954–60)