An example of 20th century buildings in the multilayered cultural texture of Antalya Kaleiçi; Çamlılar House

Abstract

Every intervention that took place in settlements throughout history is a trace of a period and creates a historical layer. While these layers continue to exist as an urban texture, they sometimes appear only as a trace or as a reused material (spolia) in a new building. Antalya city center is a multi-layered settlement rich in architectural works dating to different periods. After the proclamation of the Republic, prominent architectural approaches in Europe affected the architectural environment of Turkey, and modern architecture was adopted as the symbol of the Republic. The international style, expressed by the rational design approach, the pure and plain understanding of beauty, new, fast, and economical materials, construction systems, and the use of geometrical forms as dominant elements, has formed the architectural language of Turkey's period buildings. In the transition period from detached houses to apartment type, the Çamlılar house was constructed like a multi-story apartment with independent units but has a holistic spatial organization with flexible transition opportunity that appeals to large family lifestyle. This house is an example of mixed- function house & workshop designed with a middle sofa/common area in the 1950s, using the modern construction methods and materials of that period, with the influence of the historical houses in Kaleiçi. The research determined that the basement and ground floor were used for commercial usage, and the 1st and 2nd floors were used for residential purposes. This house, reflecting the transition from traditional to modern, contributes to its environment and the urban texture in which it is shaped with its facade arrangement, spatial organization, construction system, and materials.