Republican Era Turkish Architecture - Modern Period

İşbank İş Kuleleri

İşbank İş Kuleleri is an important landmark on the Istanbul skyline. The design process for İş Kuleleri extends back to the 1980s. Initially, the project was selected in a limited design competition for the Turkish Glass Manufacturing Factories Head Office, but was modified after İş Bankası purchased the land. Taking economic factors into consideration, a decision was made to construct one large tower and two relatively smaller towers. Thus, the single high-rise bank headquarters was separated from the other towers and positioned in a dominant location. Designed by Doğan Tekeli and Sami Sisa, İş Kuleleri was completed on 26 August 2000 and has attracted attention since the day it opened. Built with the most advanced techniques of its time, this complex possesses many superior features. The large tower is approximately 8 times the size of the T. İş Bankası Head Office building in Ankara. The amount of BS 35 grade concrete used in the structure could be used to construct a 5-storey building with 1,000 apartment units, and the BÇ III concrete steel used could construct 8,000 apartment units of 100 m² each. The total length of air ducts used in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems reaches 150,000 square metres, which is equivalent to the area of approximately 26 football pitches. The amount of piping used in the building, if laid end to end, reaches a length equivalent to approximately 300 kilometres, the distance between Istanbul and Bursa. Tower 1, which houses the General Management offices of Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş., has a height of 181.20 metres. Tower 2 and Tower 3 have heights of 117.61 metres.

Atatürk Dam

Atatürk Dam, constructed as part of the GAP (Southeast Anatolia Project), is one of the world's largest dams. It is located on the Euphrates River between the provinces of Adıyaman and Şanlıurfa. The dam, which was put into operation in 1992, took approximately 9 years to construct. The structure, which reaches a height of 169 metres, has a body volume of 84.5 million cubic metres. Atatürk Dam, a rockfill type dam, is 1,644 metres long and 15 metres wide. One of the greatest achievements in Turkish engineering history, Atatürk Dam's lake area reaches 817 square kilometres. The dam, with an installed capacity of 2,400 megawatts, is capable of generating 20% of the energy produced in Turkey's hydroelectric plants on its own. With a water storage capacity of 48.7 billion cubic metres, Atatürk Dam has the capacity to supply water equivalent to Turkey's 7-year drinking and utility water needs. In 2019, approximately 8.3 billion kWh of energy produced contributed TRY 3.3 billion to the country's economy. Since it was put into service, Atatürk Dam has generated approximately 184 billion kWh of energy and has brought approximately TRY 110 billion to our country.

Atatürk Culture Centre (AKM)

The first project of Atatürk Culture Centre was designed by architect Feridun Kip and architect Rüknettin Güney. The building, whose foundation was laid on 29 May 1946, could not be completed due to lack of funds and was transferred to the Ministry of Public Works in 1953. With the project revised by architect Hayati Tabanlıoğlu, the construction process began again in 1956. The most significant change in the revision was the removal of the indentations at the four corners of the structure and the windows on its facade. The facade facing the square was entirely resolved as glass, and this glass area was articulated with aluminium elements. Construction was completed on 12 April 1969 and the building opened for service as Istanbul Culture Palace. However, after a relatively short period of time, a fire broke out on 27 November 1970, rendering the building unusable. The reopening of the building, which was repaired by Hayati Tabanlıoğlu, also took a long time. AKM, located on a plot of 27,691 m², occupied 14,821 m² and had a built-up area of 52,000 m². The structure reopened on 6 October 1978, with a name change, this time as Atatürk Culture Centre. AKM hosted numerous events until the 2000s and holds a very special place in Turkish cultural and artistic life. Work continues on reconstructing Atatürk Culture Centre, which was demolished in 2018, with a new design. Article Series: Chapter 6 Prepared by: B. Serhat Cengiz Sources • https://v3.arkitera.com/g42-is-bankasi-gokdeleni.html?year=&aID=360 • https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/ataturk-barajinda-doluluk-rekor-seviyede/1496773 • http://atilganblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/ • http://www.tekelisisa.com/