Curiosity, as the proverb goes, might kill the cat, but more often than not, it yields pleasant results. The curiosity in architect Hasan Kuruyazıcı has done just that -- in the form of a book project.
Curious about the architects of awe-inspiring old buildings in İstanbul’s historic quarters such as Galata, Cihangir and Tarlabaşı, Kuruyazıcı set out to document the contributions Armenian architects of İstanbul made to the city’s urban landscape. The outcome is a book and exhibition project, titled “Armenian Architects of İstanbul and Their Contributions in İstanbul’s Architecture.”
The project, which is co-financed by the İstanbul-based Hrant Dink Foundation and HAYCAR, a solidarity group of Turkish architects and civil engineers, seeks to highlight the role of forgotten Armenian architects in shaping İstanbul’s urban architecture during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The project will conclude in November with the publication of the book and a parallel exhibition, both coming as part of the İstanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture program.
Having conducted a similar project earlier with Greek architects in İstanbul, Kuruyazıcı describes the motive behind his study. “Today there is a huge stock of buildings dating from the 19th century [in İstanbul]. Although many of them had been ravaged, these are ones that managed to survive. The question of ‘Who built all these buildings?’ has brought me to conduct such research,” he said.
The list of architects Kuruyazıcı came up with after long trips around the streets of Kurtuluş-Tatavla, Pangaltı, Taksim, Cihangir, Tarlabaşı, Tünel, Galata, Eminönü and Mahmutpaşa will be mentioned in the upcoming exhibition and book.
The Hrant Dink Foundation says work is still under way to uncover information about Armenian architects in İstanbul and their works, particularly the life stories of those who lived and built in İstanbul in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Today’s Zaman
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