Prospective and Retrospective: Le Corbusier’s Twofold Voyage d’Orient

In 1911, a twenty-three-year-old Le Corbusier embarked on a six-month journey from Dresden to Istanbul, and back to his native Switzerland through Greece and Italy. Upon his return, the young architect unsuccessfully attempted to publish his travel notes as a book in 1912 and again in 1914. Only in 1965, forty days before his death, did Le Corbusier conduct the final revision of his 1914 typescript for publication. The next year, Le Voyage d’Orient was published posthumously. Previous scholarship on this book has overlooked the importance of Le Corbusier’s 1965 edits, consequently approaching the work as an authentic testament of the author’s youthful spirit. Based on a new and contextualized reading of the 1914 typescript hand-annotated by Le Corbusier in 1965, this article demonstrates how the late edits constitute a re-writing of a segment of Le Corbusier’s own history, especially in relation to his ideas of modernity, tradition, inspiration, and attachment to Mediterranean architecture.

Master Frame and Flat Floor-Timber: An ‘Architectural Signature’ of the Mediterranean Shipyards?

This article is an attempt to analyse the master frame form characterised by a flat floor-timber, a sharp or shaped turn of the bilge, and more or less straight sides. This form of master frame is associated with the Mediterranean architecture of the ‘frame-based’ principle, as attested from the end of the 5th century to the beginning of the 6th century AD Dor 2001/1 shipwreck (Israel), which is considered as one of the five origins (Root 4: Nilotic-riverine) of the ‘frame-based’ architecture. A series of medieval and modern wrecks of coastal ships and galleys bear witness to this form of master frame linked more generally to the Mediterranean whole moulding. In view of the consistency of these archaeological as well as ethnographic evidence on traditional Mediterranean shipbuilding, this form of master frame with a flat floor-timber appears to be one of the most revealing ‘architectural signatures’ of the practices of Mediterranean shipyards.

The Decorative Orientations in the Mediterranean Architecture and its Influence on the Development of Cultural Sustainability

This paper attempts to describe the different orientations in architectural decoration that arose as a result of human existence and its relation to his environment. Throughout history, decoration has been a bridge connecting the building to the environment, connecting people with history and culture. And it has been an instrument of the local identity of the building and the whole environment within the framework of the idea of sustainability, which consists of three foundations (economic, environmental and cultural). Within this texture in this study, decorative details and patterns are evaluated, in order to understand the effects of factors on cultures. From one culture to another, it is discussed in connection with the comparison of the Moorish and Greek decoration. As a result, this study has determined decorative orientations in the Mediterranean architecture and its influence on sustainable development. Keywords: Decoration, Cultural Sustainability, Style, Identity, Greek, Moorish

Hearstův hrad. Kalifornský sen v záři evropské umělecké tradice

Hearst Castle is one of the world‘s most famous public museums. Its architect Julia Morgan built the magnificent building near San Simeon on the Pacific Coast in Central California for William Randolph Hearst between 1919–1947. Its architectural form is mostly based on the examples of the Mediterranean architecture of Spain and southern Italy. The private residence where Hearst had hosted the famous Hollywood Society became a public cultural heritage in 1957. Since then, visitors have been allowed to admire Casa Grande and other suites, furnished with an unusually rich collection of European works of art, mostly of Medieval and Renaissance origins. The interiors are preserved in the original state in order for the visitors to enjoy the atmosphere of the 1930s. The installation of the artworks is one of the prime examples of the living history approach in a museum.

SUSTAINABILITY OF THE LIBYAN HOUSH IN THE OLD CITY OF TRIPOLI: استدامة الحوش الليبي في المدينة القديمة طرابلس

The ancient city of Tripoli was founded by Phoenicians around 3,000 years ago. As a result of various civilizations taking place, there are architectural and artistic works that constitute a real treasure in the city. The city, located in North Africa, has been serving as a transition between Europe and Africa. During Roman, Islamic States, Ottoman and Principalities period, especially commercial center and rich residences in this center were formed. These residences, which are called "Housh" with traces of the Ottoman and Qaramanli Periods, are buildings shaped around a courtyard. In fact, these "Housh", which combine the characteristics of the Mediterranean architecture plan with local materials and techniques, have suffered from long-term disuse. Today, lack of financial resources, combined with a lack of historical consciousness, created a different demographic and social structure in the historical city. The primary aim of the thesis is to document the current situation, to examine the sustainability of "Housh" type structures and to develop suggestions for sustainability of the Libyan Housh. based on research on websites, articles, and books, which deals with the idea of knowledge of environmental assessment and personal impressions of the place is good knowledge and we can provide the reader with new information on this subject.

Soap Bars and Silk Cocoons: Microecologies of Connectivity in Late Medieval Mediterranean Architecture

This article discusses connectivity in late medieval Mediterranean architecture from a microecological point of view, as initially formulated by Peregrine Horden and Nicholas Purcell. Combining their approach with Michel Foucault’s concept of governmentality, it argues that Ottoman multipurpose buildings of the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries operated as architectures of governmentality on a microecological level. Their composite architectures became relevant and meaningful through their penetrations into everyday experiences, and through their management of a multitude of relationships. On the one hand, this made them world-making institutions in their own localities, and on the other, imperceptibly connected them to distant corners of the Mediterranean, and to different but comparable experiences.

A workshop experience in the intersection of design and conservation disciplines: Mediterranean architecture schools students’ workshop

MASS’(Mediterranean Architecture Schools Students’) Workshop 2015 is jointly organised by the Department of Architecture of Suleyman Demirel University (SDU) and Akdeniz University, which was held from May 5–9, 2015 in Isparta. 60 students from SDU and 30 students from Akdeniz University were participated in this event. A main topic of this workshop is ‘Contemporary addition in the historic context’. Isparta Uzum Bazaar and Koy Bazaar including two different historic areas have been studied. The two groups of students have designed top covers to the streets of these areas. The workshop aimed to combine students’ research and theoretical information; and also, develop conversion skills of design projects. Thus, the workshop draws theory—research—application bonds in the minds of students. It offers students free interaction and sharing, to gain group work experience, to provide intellectual connection and to develop thinking skills in short time. Finally, the MASS workshop event improved with participation from the different Mediterranean countries. Keywords: Contemporary addition in the historic context, architectural education, Workshops.