Educating Architects in Turkish Culture, Gains and Loses: A Historical Perspective

Abstract

Ottoman and Turkish architecture have exhibited a constancy and change in the course of history. Nevertheless these changes can only be understood by taking architectural education into account. Here it will be tried to discuss the gains and losses between the increase in the degree of architectural education/specialized knowledge and the blindness to the value judgements of the society and their reflection on the Turkish architecture. The edifice can not be separated from the architect, architect from the society; society and education from the idea. An architect is educated by society. Architect in turn is the product of the common idea of the civilisation he or she is affiliated to. Even a small diversity in the depth of belief or change in the approach in life style brings a deviation in the understanding of arts and architecture consequently architectural education also experience gains and losses along with it.