YTU Graduate Program: Architecture
This text presents a short overview of the History and Theory of Architecture Graduate Program conducted at the YTU (Yıldız Technical University) Department of Architecture in Istanbul. The program was founded in autumn 1999 by Prof. Dr. Uğur Tanyeli, shortly after he joined the YTU faculty, and is currently completing its first decade. While this may be a relatively young age for an academic program, it has proved to be a prolific one, as over 150 students were enrolled so far and a total of 40 master's theses and 12 PhD dissertations were completed. Also of note is that all former Ph.D students now hold academic positions in universities nationwide. While exceptions apply, the general historical scope of research carried out in the program dates from circa mid seventeenth century to the present a period particularly important and stimulating for researching issues of evolution and change in archi¬tecture, which itself stands out as a primary concern for the program's curriculum. Three points may be highlighted among the program's motives: Firstly, young histo¬rians are encouraged to expand the present historiographic framework of the profession in Turkey by engaging in fresh research topics and defining new issues. Secondly, in parallel with the first point, students are urged to keep close contact with current debates and issues in both architectural theory and the social sciences at large. Thirdly, the program aims at developing a critical re-evaluation of prevailing historical narratives, particularly in domestic architectural thought, whereby con¬ventionalised accounts are challenged by new ways of thought, new theoretical models and new relations. Consistent to all these lines of study is a focus on paradigms of change and transformation; particularly dwelling on issues of modernisation in the late Ottoman world and early Republican Turkey.
ALEV ERKMEN
