Talk
Chamber Talks
Palace and Architecture During the Second Constitutional Period
M. Vedad [Tek] as The Chief Imperial Architect
13 November 2024 / 19:00
M. Vedad Tek, who received his architectural education in Paris and became the first Turkish architect to establish his own office in Istanbul, was patronized during Sultan Abdülhamid II's reign and was appointed as Chief Imperial Architect in 1909 when Sultan Reşad ascended to the throne. Tek's five-year tenure as chief architect, during which he designed important buildings such as the Post and Telegraph Ministry building, the Second Grand National Assembly building, İzmit Clock Tower, and Haydarpaşa Ferry Terminal, reflects the Ottoman dynasty's changing power and the new balances brought by the Second Constitutional Period
Based on Dila Gümüş's extensive archival research, the book reveals the architect's approach to historical buildings and his management of work processes through Vedad Tek's drawings, survey notebooks, and documents. In this conversation with Tarkan Okçuoğlu, they will discuss the restoration and management of palace buildings during the Second Constitutional Period, the architectural understanding of the era, and Vedad Tek's working practice.
The talk will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel of the Istanbul Research Institute.
About Chamber Talks
Chamber Talks initiated by the Istanbul Research Institute (İAE) in 2008 to add a different dimension to on Istanbul studies, is organized online to increase its accessibility. With its scope ranging from history to architecture, from music to cinema, these talks aim to feature the latest research and discussions about Istanbul.
About Müjde Dila Gümüş
Müjde Dila Gümüş, assistant professor at Istanbul University's Art History Department, completed her doctorate at the same department in 2018. Conducting her post-doctoral studies at Harvard University's Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture in 2019-2020, Gümüş's publications focus on late Ottoman architecture, working conditions of architects of this period, and close readings of their works. She is the editor of the book Istanbul Art Nouveau (Albaraka Publications, 2023) and the author of The Palace Architect of the Second Constitutional Period: M. Vedad [Tek] Bey published by IAE.
About Tarkan Okçuoğlu
Graduating from Istanbul University's Faculty of Letters, Department of Archaeology and Art History in 1992, he completed his master's degree in 1995 and his doctorate in 2000 with a thesis titled "The Understanding of Depiction in Ottoman Wall Paintings in the 18th and 19th Centuries" at the same institution. He received his Associate Professorship in Turkish and Islamic Art in 2012 and became Professor in 2019. His work focuses on visual culture and architecture in the late Ottoman period. His book Between Dream and Reality - The Image of Istanbul in Ottoman Painting was published by IAE in 2020. He currently serves as the head of the Turkish and Islamic Art Department at Istanbul University's Art History Department.
