Change in Ottoman time-space conception and architecture

This study proposes to inquire the change in the Ottoman space-time conception and its associations with architecture in the contextual phenomena of the classic and the modern. The purpose is to examine and expose the social and cultural processes that are peculiar to the Ottoman realm in relation to space-time conception and the architectural field to differentiate the `modern? generating in 19th and 20th centuries and the `classic? frame of mind and system that had been operative in 16th to 19th centuries.The study is comprised of an introduction, addressed as one surface survey of the topic in Ottoman classic and modern contexts, to present the literature relating to the definition of the problem that is followed by three consecutive chapters, which respectively discuss the problem with different propositions in their own scopes and a conclusion that reconfigures the exposed problematiques.The chapters are structured chronologically to discuss the problem beyond disciplinary and linear narratives with contradicting historical moments or `troubled? events that cannot be easily categorized periodically and that are conflicting with the generic narratives, to present the process.To develop the dissertation along specified lines of flight, the narrative will define two major partitions to utilize disciplinary academic records such as the archives, beaurocratic, literary resources and non-disciplinary popular records like memoirs, travel books and journals and the chapters will dwell on their intersection. Hence, each chapter will both enable to argue proposed problems respectively and to assess different associations or correspondences without any hierarchal arrangement.The first chapter presents the conceptual framework as an introduction to the dissertation. Hence, while the historicity and the theoretical position of the study is determined for the assessment of the study, conceptions that are utilized to construct the narrative can be traced so as to rise opportunities for further studies regarding the topic. In this sense, the chapter is treated as introductory which portrays the concepts of the dissertation to define Ottoman space-time practices and patterns of meaning that go beyond mechanical clock centred technological determinism, teleological explanations and horology narratives. Temporal space-time and modern space-time are such conceptions. Manifesting the cultural rhythms of their period?s space-time, both concept proposals define the focus of the dissertation. The proposed concepts show that it is not possible to assess whatever space-time practices are calculated with (sun, sand or the mechanical clock) depending on mere ?time?. They stand out to manifest other rhythms such as psycho-social and cultural ones. Hence, the proposition of a rhythmic order based on empirical observation of nature and especially skies to comprehend temporal space-time and a shift to a modern space-time which replaces nature with a new order is justified and posited.Constituting the framework in respect to the related literature and the scope pertaining to the objective and the extent of the dissertation, the second chapter discusses the temporal space-time concept as a socio-cultural construction within its epoch. `Temporal space-time conception?, `Ottoman classic system and time?, `Ottoman mechanical clocks? and `Temporal Space-time in Texts? comprise four subtopics of the second chapter andare arranged as to comprehend the psycho-social structure and the cultural rhythms of its space-time. The first subtopic studies `temporal time?, `units of temporal space-time?, `hicri-kameri takvim (exilic moon calendar)? and `alaturka saat (Ottoman clock)? to comprise the conception of temporal space-time. These ?components? that are based on empirical observation and tracking of nature to reproduce natural rhythms as a system, constitute a space-time order along with religious, liturgical practices identifying Ottoman society. Exempt of precision by no means, such order produces irrational issues and situations. The classic Ottoman system dwells in this order. The second subtopic intends to expose the `classic Ottoman system? in relation to temporal space-time. In this sense `cosmology (yevm), astrology (ilm-i nücum), astronomy (ilm-i heyet)?, `beaurocratic language and time: `evâil, evâsıt, evâhir?, `müneccimbaşılık ve müneccimler (chief astrologer and the astrologers), `müneccimbaşı takvimleri (chief astrologer calendars)?, `zayiçe (horoscope), eşref saat (auspicious moment) ve architectural eşref saat? and `muvakkitlik, muvakkithaneler? are phenomena to be studied. As they display the operations of the Ottoman psycho-social structure, these patterns should be assessed as definition of Ottoman pre-modernity. The third subtopic studies Ottoman mechanical clock practices as socio-cultural signs to go beyond technological determinism and teleological narratives. `Chief astrologer Takiyüddin?s clock book and the observatory he established?, `mechanical clock production in Ottoman lands? and `clock towers? are cases to be studied in this subtopic. The objective is to discuss that modernity is not inherent in things and the use value goes beyond technological values of things; in other words, things are simply meaningful when they are culturally reproduced. In this sense, `temporal space-time in texts? and `assessment? sections comprising the fourth and fifth subtopics aim to demonstrate the `classic mindset and system? that is central to the arguments in the chapter together with the conception of temporal space-time of the period by exemplifying and assessing texts and enunciations from 14th to 18th centuries that construct the content of the first three chapters. What is observed here is that the formation of a langue that conceptualizes events and situations and thus facilitating production of knowledge.The third chapter entitled `Disengagement of Temporal Space-time? aims to discuss the disengagement in temporal space-time conception occurring in the transformation from traditional to modern. The intention is to demonstrate the social and cultural relation of the disengagement with the modern period. `Exemplary Texts on Disengagement? and `Disengagement? are the two subtopics. The first subtopic, `Exemplary Texts on Disengagement? studies the figures that have taken disengagement as their agenda in their texts. Ahmet Mithat?s `Adab-ı Muaşeret yahut Alafranga (Forms of Politeness or the French Style)?, Ahmet Rasim?s `Şehir Mektupları (Urban Mail)?, H. Hamid?s `Şems-i Tarih - Zeval-i Saat (Dissolution of Time)?, Ahmet Samim?s `Vaktimizi Bilelim (Know Our Hour)?, Ahmet Haşim?s `Müslüman Saati (Muslim Clock)? and Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar?s `Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü (The Calibration Institute of Clocks)? are the exemplary texts to discuss the change in space-time conception. The assessment section associates the texts to each other and the topic. The second subtopic entitled `Disengagement? studies the changes in temporal space-time and the formation of modern abstract time. `Disengagement of exilic moon calendar?, `disengagement of Ottoman time?, `disengagement of day-night demarcation? are the cases of this subtopic.The fourth chapter entitled ?Change in Space-time Conception and Public Space? studies the ?public space? and ?the change in public space? in relation to the change in space-time conception to assess the social changes in the transformation from Ottoman to Turkey. In this sense, the issue is discussed focusing on ?production of lighting gas, Dolmabahçe gasworks and night?. ?Production of Lighting gas, Dolmabahçe Gasworks, Illumination Experience?, ?New Time of The Modern City: Night? and ?Assessment? are the subtopics.The Fifth chapter entitled `Change in Space-time Conception and Architecture? studies the social and cultural transformations reflecting the changes in Ottoman space-time conception discussed in previous chapters in a more specific scope, namely, architecture. Here, the objective is to demonstrate the direct relation of the changes in space-time conception and architecture to initiate new fields of debate. Hence, the chapter argues that classic and modern socio-cultural constructs generate differing impacts on architecture in subtopics named as `Temporal Space-time and Architecture?, `Disengagement of Temporal Space-time and Architecture?.As the narrative structure comprises successive chapters that are related to each other by using the same concepts distinctively, a singular conclusion is not the objective of the dissertation. In this sense, the `Conclusion?, which is the fifth and the final chapter of the dissertation, will sum up significant propositions within the chapters to make further assessment. The intention is to demonstrate the direct relation of changing space-time conceptions and practices with sophistications that can be traced back from the 19th century and complicated, multiple and rapid formations after the 19th century. The conception of space-time within the leaping shift from the classic sophistications to the extensive formations of the modern will be addressed as the nexus of Ottoman socialization practices. The field of architecture presents possibilities to profoundly survey and study the topic as a frame for such practices. Therefore, the objective is to discuss the particularities of Ottoman socialization practices in relation with the conception of space-time and architecture.Key words: Ottoman, time, space, space-time, modernity, architectural theory.