Conservation and reuse of modern houses: Florya Atatürk Marine Mansion

Modern Movement practices in Turkey started with the fundamental changes as ideological reflections of the revolution and as a result of proclamation of the Republic, in contrast to Europe where it started as a result of the change on social, cultural and aesthetic conditions. Within this period, architect Seyfi Arkan should be evaluated as one of the main figures -who is a witness of the changes in Europe- has a crucial contribution on Modern Movement in Turkey. Arkan has created idiosyncratic solutions for modern housing; and become one of the most important representative of Modern Movement in Turkey. Florya Atatürk Marine Mansion has designed a public beach on the coast where Atatürk had encounters with the public. The mansion positioned on the sea and building complex allied to the mansion. Starting during its construction, the complex became one of the iconic buildings of the Modern Movement in Turkey. Florya Atatürk Marine Mansion maintained its function as a house after Atatürk's death, using by Presidents who followed him until 1988. In 1993, the mansion was re-used as a museum without major architectural changes in spatial organization. Not only because it is one of the first Modern Movement examples in Turkey; but also the household was Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and architect was Seyfi Arkan, the mansion is still preserved and as a special example of modern heritage. In this study, it is aimed to produce documents for conservation of Florya Atatürk Marine Mansion with scientific and modern methods. The thesis has six main chapters: In the first chapter, the literature review, the aim of the thesis and the hypothesis is presented. The definition and the scope of the modern movement is evaluated in the context of conservation theory in the second chapter. The term "adaptive reuse" is explained and discussed in the third chapter. The reasons of reuse is specified and adaptive reuse of the modern movement is also analyzed in this chapter. In the fourth chapter, the house is analysed as a part of the modern movement and conservation and reuse of the modern houses is discussed. The conditions of Turkey on this subject is explained with the examples. Florya Atatürk Marine Mansion is chosen as the case study for the thesis as a significant example of theory and the practice. In the fifth chapter the settlement and the history of the mansion is analysed and the survey project was prepared. The architectural and the structural characteristics, structural deteriorations and their causes and various changes from construction date until today were analysed. According to these informations the restitution project is prepared. The mansion is revatuated in the context of modern conservation and modern museology after specifying the deficiencies of the usage as a museum. A conservation and reuse suggestion was prepared for the building as a modern museum. In the six chapter overall assessments have been made according to the first five chapters.