Use of literature in understanding the transformation of domestic architecture: Case of İstanbul between 1908 and 1950

Abstract

Domestic architecture is tightly related with socio-cultural changes and transformations within the society. However collecting data about the social relations of a previous period in which the witnesses and the solid materials are not available is a difficult task. Literature may be a useful source at this point, in order to reach data about a period which not much has remained. Especially novels involve literary spaces reflecting the details of daily life which usually takes place in the house. The need for such study was determined after analysing the Turkish housing history. It was noticed that the architectural historians have usually mentioned about the physical, economic or politic factors which affected and shaped the housing but the social relations were usually dismissed. One of the essential targets of this study is to reveal these social relations which have an important role on house design. In order to trace the transformation of domestic architecture, five novels in Turkish Literature have been analysed. These novels have been selected by non-random sampling method. Space is specified as Istanbul and the time interval is determined as years between 1908 and 1950, when socio-cultural changes in the society accelerated. Some social relations which shaped and transformed the housing have been revealed by analysing and interpreting the chosen literary texts. Information provided from the literary texts and the previous knowledge gained from the written housing histories altogether creates a whole giving a comprehensive perspective to the housing subject.