London’s Building Centre has just launched an exhibition exploring the work of Mimar Sinan (1490-1588), the famous architect of the Ottoman Empire era. And while the show, entitled ‘Sinan: The First Starchitect’, offers, as expected, plenty of rich, historic material of the master’s work in Istanbul and beyond, it also gives its own inventive, modern twist to the tale.
Sinan was a contemporary of Palladio and Michelangelo, point out the organisers Turkishceramics and the Architects' Journal, yet his work goes largely unnoticed outside the academic community and the geographical regions where his buildings can be found. This show, curated by Rory Olcayto, sets out to right this and explore how he helped define the look and feel of the Istanbul of his time and beyond, revealing how his work served ancient and contemporary communities alike.
A group of London-based architects – including Ian Ritchie Architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, DSDHA, Reiach and Hall Architects, Sam Jacob Studio and Bureau de Change – travelled to Istanbul and Edirne a few months ago to study Sinan’s oeuvre. Drawing on their experience and the architect’s legacy, they developed a series of individual research projects around his work, brining his legacy to the 21st century.
The result? A show that balances old and new, Sinan’s aesthetic achievements and masterful use of ceramics, with his indisputable engineering skills – his portfolio ranges from high profile work in the former-empire’s capital to infrastructure work, spanning domes and minarets, bridges and aqueducts.
A publication celebrating Sinan’s work, as well as these contemporary interpretations, is also available at the Building Centre in conjunction with the exhibition.
The show presents research studies inspired by Sinan's work, by London practices an Ritchie Architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, DSDHA, Reiach and Hall Architects, Sam Jacob Studio and Bureau de Change. Photography: Benedict Johnson
The architect's work spans lots of work in Istanbul and beyond, from domes and minarets, to infrastructure such as bridges and aqueducts. Photography: Ben Blossom
Sinan helped define the 'look and feel of historic Istanbul', say the organisers. Photography: Ben Blossom
A publication celebrating Sinan’s work and these contemporary interpretations is also available at the Building Centre
INFORMATION
‘Sinan: The First Starchitect’ is on show until the 10 June. For more on the exhibition visit the Building Centre website
ADDRESS
The Building Centre
Store Street
London
WC1E 7BT
-
Shigeru Ban’s mini Paper Log House welcomed at The Glass House'Shigeru Ban: The Paper Log House' is shown at The Glass House in New Canaan, USA as the house museum of American architect Philip Johnson plays host to the Japanese architect’s model temporary home concept
-
Artist Mickalene Thomas wrestles with notions of Black beauty, female empowerment and love'Mickalene Thomas: All About Love’, a touring exhibition, considers Black female representation
-
New Phaidon book celebrates the world's best designersDesigned for Life: The World’s Best Product Designers by Phaidon celebrates the rich contemporary landscape of product design
-
Richard Rogers exhibition delves into the architect’s ideas at Chateau La CosteA new Richard Rogers exhibition created by Ab Rogers opens at the late architect’s final design, the Drawing Gallery at Chateau La Coste in France
-
RSHP: a new name for a new era of collaborative designRogers Stirk Harbour + Partners rebrands as RSHP, heralding a new era of collaborative design for the architecture practice, following Richard Roger's passing in 2021
-
Airport jetty by RSHP provides a polychromatic welcome to SwitzerlandThe Aile Est, or East Wing, at Geneva Airport, a dramatic, polychromatic jetty, is the newest project by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners in Switzerland
-
Remembering Richard Rogers (1933 – 2021)We celebrate the life and career of Richard Rogers, one of the most influential architects of our era and winner of the 2007 Pritzker Prize, who passed away on 18 December 2021 at age 88
-
No. 33 Park Row: RSHP's first New York residential project completesNo. 33 Park Row is Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners' first foray into residential architecture in New York
-
How Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners built The Macallan’s Speyside distilleryLook back at the journey behind the creation of the award-winning The Macallan Distillery in Scotland’s Speyside, by renowned architecture studio Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
-
There’s more than meets the eye at RSHP’s Louvre-Lens campus additionRogers Stirk Harbour + Partners pack more into storage facility design
-
Top marks for RSHP’s statement building for London School of Economics
