THE LOCAL MODERNISM IN TURKISH ARCHITECTURE
Poster Presented for DOCOMOMO: Documentation and Conservation of Buildings, Sites and Neighborhoods of the Modern Movement.
10-11 November 2004, METU—Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, Ankara, Türkiye/Turkey
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This house is situated on Araç road about one kilometer south of the town center along the Karaçomak Creek. As it is seen from the photographs the house is a two story dwelling which is very unlike of the traditional Kastamonu architecture. The present owner dates the house to early 1940s. It is constructed on a 448 m2 of property. Two distinct features are its iron and stone works.

• The foundation and corner stones are from a nearby stone quarry called Örencik. These stones are the choice of masonry artisans in the region due to its durability overtime and the quarry’s close proximity to town.
• The interior and exterior walls are stucco over wooden carcass.
• The apparent iron works in the windows are typical of the forty’s era and simultaneously have the hints of late art-deco style.
• The first floor front window has an interesting sliding iron cage which can be opened from inside sliding the wings towards either side.
• Another interesting feature are the metal ornamentation along the rain gutters; the over emphasis on these downspout gives an extra beauty in detail of an era gone by. Incidentally this ornamentations on downspouts was a local industry in the first half of the 20th century in Kastamonu which is now lost.

The original owner and builder was Nazim Batur (1903-1964). He was a colorful figure in Kastamonu Province. A forestry engineer by training worked in Ankara and rose up in the ranks to become the Head director of Directorate of Forestry in Turkey. Later he resigned and became a representative from Kastamonu province to the Turkish National Assembly. According to the present owner it was built around late forties by Mr. Batur. He used it for his domestic use. During Batur’s time Marashall Fevzi Çakmak stayed in this house during his visit to Kastamonu.

Another celebrity who stayed in this house was Bülent Ecevit and his wife during present owner İsmet Topçu’s bid for mayoral candidacy in the early 70s. Mr. Topçu is a retired pharmacist in Kastomonu who is saving the property for two of his sons.

Formal Address:
Saraçlar Mahallesi
Araç Caddesi No 117
Kastamonu 37200
Pafta 42; Ada 237; Parcel 50

Poster Prepared by: Çakan Osman TANIDIK,
METU, Middle East Technical University, the Faculty of Architecture; Ankara &
CBDO, Central Black Sea Development Organization; Kastamonu