Building Typologies in Between the Vernacular and the Modern: Antakya (Antioch) in the Early 20th Century

Abstract

Antakya, also known as Antioch, is a special historic city for many reasons. It has maintained a unique blend of authentic values that result from a deep historical background, a rich culture, and a diverse religious population living together with tolerance and in peace for centuries. As a city in the southeastern corner of Turkey near Syria, its rich cultural identity is reflected in various aspects and parts of the city. Kurtulus Avenue is one of the major urban axes of Antakya and is a remarkable case. It stands out from other parts of the city for having a unique architectural style that is defined by an interesting group of buildings with characteristics between vernacular and modern. Kurtulus Avenue, a version of the ancient Herod Road, was widened and redirected during the French Mandate Period. Half of its buildings were demolished and renewed and the other half were renovated and reused, creating this particular group of buildings that define this new main artery with a new Western architectural style. The buildings are the products of a nuanced synthesis with common references to vernacular and modern architecture. Kurtulus Avenue can be considered as a good example for the reflections of the transformations from vernacular to modern architecture and can help to understand this process from a different perspective. With the aim of analyzing, defining, and presenting the reflections of the transformations of urban and architectural characteristics of the buildings located along Kurtulus Avenue, urban morphology and typo-morphological methods are used.