Sedad Hakkı Eldem puts forth a rich and diverse work as an architect. From the early 1930s until 1980s, he was a key figure in Turkish architecture as a prolific architect and professor. His style reflects trends ranging from rationalism to cosmopolitan styles, but with a touch of historical interpretation based on traditional Turkish houses.Erdem's interest in Turkish house leitmotifs experienced a brief hiatus in the 1950s when he experimented with the dominant discourse of post-war modernism. This led to a new program of private houses based on rationalised and stylised versions of traditional Turkish house.The physical transformation of the Bosphorus gained momentum in the 1950s following the competition of the shore drive; a new residential architecture started to appear, which is completely unfamiliar with the existing urban pattern by means of form, material and construction techniques as well as way of living. These new “modern” houses were designed on the slopes facing Bosphorus, offering a new life-syle to their wealthy owners.Safyurtlu House II was built within this atmosphere in 1952. Located on two garden terraces on an upper level of their earlier residence, Safyurtlu I House, the design blends into the landscape defined by the surrounding gardens and sea views. The lower level houses the service and main living areas and opens onto a paved outdoor deck overlooking the sea. The living room is a large, free space that functions both as an entrance and as a circulation area. A cozy space is created in front of the fireplace with a raised platform at the back. Along the back wall are the stairwell, kitchen and utility room and storage with a separate entrance. On the upper floor there are three bedrooms, surrounded by large balconies with beautiful views of the Bosphorus. The storage and wet spaces are again located along the rear wall. The thick masonry wall, which house a fireplace, chimneys and a series of niches reminiscent of traditional Turkish houses, become important architectural elements in themselves. It runs continuously on one side of the house and reaches the same level with the roof ridge. The internal spatial arrangement is fairly simple.
Construction
Perhaps the most important feature of this building is the combination of different materials and structural systems such as timber, concrete and brick. The upper floors and roof are reinforced concrete slabs, raised above the pilotis. The wet spaces, service area and the chimney walls are surrounded by brick masonry walls while the lighter partition walls between the rooms have timber frames. Most of the exterior is wood inside and out, including the top and bottom surfaces of the balcony, lower surface of the eaves, and the ceiling on the floor below. The ceiling on the upper floors remains exposed concrete. The timber surfaces has a paint or polishing finish, with red and green contrasts as the main colors. The masonry walls are plastered white. The fixed part of the window and the design of the sash are different. The windows on the upper floor are sliding windows, and behind the sunscreens ventilation openings were placed.
Later Alterations
With its flat projecting roofs, large glazed surfaces and cantilever elements reminiscent of Wright's Falling Water House The Safyurtlu II House in Yeniköy is one of the typical products of this period integrating traditional vocabulary in the modernist language. The building is still in use as a residence, and has no known alterations on the original construction.
