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(Architect Zeki Sayar, Built between 1931–1933 )
Contents
In August 1922, Dr Behçet Uz Hospital has been built as a result of the fire which has occurred while the Turkish military troops came to İzmir in order to the city has lost its old architectural identity. The building is the product of the modern aspect in its time which part of the new city planning and architecture in 1920s. It was designed and built by Zeki Sayar and is containing its function as a children's hospital now. The structure is well-protected and has not much changed in main form of it. However, Hikmet Gökmen restored the building, and reorganized the environment accordingly.
Context
The building has Cumhuriyet square which permanent arrangement applied on surrounding buildings and planted garden by the partition border walls where separated from outside as well. As a result of World War I, Izmir lost many things in terms of architectural aspect and despite all the challenges, while the city was rebuilding in the new period of republic, many public and governmental structures have been built around the hospital. In that period of time, the hospital got wide boulevards and other buildings which have similar architectural characteristics with it. While it maintains the synergy with this environment, now it is losing its architectural effect because of the crowded masses around it and new restoration policy.
Formal qualities
An enormous part of the hospital includes rooms for patients, staff and 4 level blocks which joint together in rectangular form to creates atrium in the center of the form. These rectangular elongated blocks is came up with an idea of 19th centuries architectural approach which aimed to utilize sunlight from multiple window opening system. These are also crossing with another square blocks as an example of 3 level headquarter of the hospital and canteen part, so that, the different form of blocks separates in each. The same geometric form repeats itself in openings on exterior facade and it follows modern aspect in architecture. Those architects which live in that time of period considered building planning in İzmir as ''since to protect the traditional features lead us more nationalist?, it is irrelevant. so make it modern and save the future''. up until the 1920s Turkish architects fellow the similar architectural trend but in 30s it has changed little bit and this hospital and Gazi Primary School are good examples of it.
Spatial experience
Comparing with its period of time and traditional aspect of architecture, most significant point of the building is the circulation in the building. Despite the old fashion stair system which has sectional stairs to reach upper floors and large lobby among them, it has preferred functional and minimalist circulation elements. This situation creates more 3D pattern and repeated floors instead of gorgeous entrance and its double height atrium, and make things possible to reach building's maximum height to carry the upper floors. Another difference from other hospitals is rectangular oriented block and their corridors has rooms both sides. İt is also possible to observe these type of corridor in Gazi School in Alsancak. The school was also part of that modern aspect in architecture.
Structure
It is a completely quite example of usage of supporting walls in construction. And, partition brick walls creates rooms and corridors apart. As a result of applied supporting walls, it has preferred regular rectangular windows in ordered. Artificial lighting is not obligated because of these openings enough in daylight and it has maximum efficacy. However, it is hard to say same thing for corridors and artificial lightning applied more in corridors.
Roof structure has similar characteristics with the surrounding public buildings to catch the harmony of them which is the red tile pattern with an angle. Painting of the building is pink. The decision is more relevant with the function of the structure instead of design and composition.