Beyond the canon of Islamic architecture:  rethinking informal mosques

Göksun Akyürek

Makale detayları

Beyond the canon of Islamic architecture: rethinking informal mosques

Yazarlar:

Göksun Akyürek

Yayıncı:

İdeal Kent Yayınları

Ana Başlıklar:

Mimari Tarih | Teori ve Eleştiri

Dergi:

İDEALKENT Issue 48, pp.98-127

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001353285

pISSN:

1307-9905

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 This study critically engages with the historically constructed boundaries of the discourse on Islamic architecture and reviews contemporary critical approaches to this concept. It advocates for a distanced and reflective stance toward the term itself. Rather than offering a comprehensive or universal perspective, the study explores the diverse contexts and shared characteristics of informal mosque constructions that remain outside the canon of mainstream architectural discourse. In doing so, it underscores the necessity of a contextual and relational theoretical framework. Following a discussion of recent conceptual and theoretical approaches to informal architecture, the study presents empirical insights into informal mosque practices across various geographies. It then turns to the specific case of Turkey, examining how informal processes of urbanization after 1950 have given rise to distinctive mosque forms shaped by unique socio-spatial, historical, and cultural conditions. This analysis is grounded in case studies from the Beykoz district of Istanbul. Ultimately, the study argues that despite developing outside formal planning mechanisms, these architectural practices must be understood not only through their formal characteristics but also through their embeddedness in broader social production processes. In this regard, the research highlights the importance of rethinking contemporary architectural historiography through new questions that emphasize process, relationality, and plurality.

 This study critically engages with the historically constructed boundaries of the discourse on Islamic architecture and reviews contemporary critical approaches to this concept. It advocates for a distanced and reflective stance toward the term itself. Rather than offering a comprehensive or universal perspective, the study explores the diverse contexts and shared characteristics of informal mosque constructions that remain outside the canon of mainstream architectural discourse. In doing so, it underscores the necessity of a contextual and relational theoretical framework. Following a discussion of recent conceptual and theoretical approaches to informal architecture, the study presents empirical insights into informal mosque practices across various geographies. It then turns to the specific case of Turkey, examining how informal processes of urbanization after 1950 have given rise to distinctive mosque forms shaped by unique socio-spatial, historical, and cultural conditions. This analysis is grounded in case studies from the Beykoz district of Istanbul. Ultimately, the study argues that despite developing outside formal planning mechanisms, these architectural practices must be understood not only through their formal characteristics but also through their embeddedness in broader social production processes. In this regard, the research highlights the importance of rethinking contemporary architectural historiography through new questions that emphasize process, relationality, and plurality.

 This study critically engages with the historically constructed boundaries of the discourse on Islamic architecture and reviews contemporary critical approaches to this concept. It advocates for a distanced and reflective stance toward the term itself. Rather than offering a comprehensive or universal perspective, the study explores the diverse contexts and shared characteristics of informal mosque constructions that remain outside the canon of mainstream architectural discourse. In doing so, it underscores the necessity of a contextual and relational theoretical framework. Following a discussion of recent conceptual and theoretical approaches to informal architecture, the study presents empirical insights into informal mosque practices across various geographies. It then turns to the specific case of Turkey, examining how informal processes of urbanization after 1950 have given rise to distinctive mosque forms shaped by unique socio-spatial, historical, and cultural conditions. This analysis is grounded in case studies from the Beykoz district of Istanbul. Ultimately, the study argues that despite developing outside formal planning mechanisms, these architectural practices must be understood not only through their formal characteristics but also through their embeddedness in broader social production processes. In this regard, the research highlights the importance of rethinking contemporary architectural historiography through new questions that emphasize process, relationality, and plurality.

 Bu çalışma, İslam mimarlığı söyleminin tarihsel olarak inşa edilmiş sınırlarını, bu söyleme yönelik güncel eleştirel yaklaşımları genel bir çerçevede ele alarak, bu kavrama mesafeli bir yaklaşım önerisinde bulunmaktadır. Bu doğrultuda, kapsayıcı bir genel perspektif sunmak yerine, ana akım mimarlık yazınının dışında kalan enformel cami üretimlerinin farklı bağlamlarını ve ortaklıklarını inceleyerek, bağlamsal ve ilişkisel bir kuramsal çerçevenin gerekliliğini tartışmaktadır. Araştırma, enformel mimarlığa dair güncel bir kavramsal ve kuramsal çerçeve sunarak farklı coğrafyalarda üretilmiş olan enformel camilere dair olguları ortaya koymaktadır. Ardından Türkiyenin özgül bağlamında, 1950 sonrası gelişen enformel kentleşme süreci ve bu bağlamda ortaya çıkan cami yapılarının kendine özgü sosyo-mekânsal, tarihsel ve kültürel koşullar çerçevesinde nasıl biçimlendikleri tartışması İstanbulun Beykoz ilçesinden seçilen örneklerle ele alınmaktadır. Sonuç olarak bu çalışma, resmi planlama süreçlerinin dışında gelişmiş olsa da söz konusu yapıların yalnızca biçimsel nitelikleriyle değil, aynı zamanda toplumsal üretim süreçleriyle de ele alınması gerektiğini tartışmaktadır. Bu doğrultuda, güncel mimarlık tarihi yazımını sürece, ilişkiselliğe ve çoğulluğa odaklanan yeni sorularla yeniden düşünmenin önemi vurgulanmıştır.

Makale detayları

Beyond the canon of Islamic architecture: rethinking informal mosques

Yazarlar:

Göksun Akyürek

Yayıncı:

İdeal Kent Yayınları

Ana Başlıklar:

Mimari Tarih | Teori ve Eleştiri

Dergi:

İDEALKENT Issue 48, pp.98-127

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001353285

pISSN:

1307-9905

Islamic architecture

informal mosques

informal architecture

participatory architecture

architectural historiographyİslam mimarlığı

enformel camiler

enformel mimarlık

katılımcı mimarlık

mimarlık tarihyazımı

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Göksun Akyürek

Yayıncı: İdeal Kent Yayınları

Ana Başlıklar: Mimari Tarih | Teori ve Eleştiri

Dergi: İDEALKENT Issue 48, pp.98-127

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001353285

pISSN: 1307-9905

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Göksun Akyürek

Yayıncı:

İdeal Kent Yayınları

Ana Başlıklar:

Mimari Tarih | Teori ve Eleştiri

Dergi:

İDEALKENT Issue 48, pp.98-127

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001353285

pISSN:

1307-9905