Nineteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Divan Hotel, opened in 1956, was one of the first modern hotels in Turkey in the mid-century. With this aspect, it constituted a significant social space of the period. Over the years, the hotel’s interior has undergone many renovations. A particular one was conducted by architect Abdurrahman Hancı in the 1970s, which could be regarded as a milestone in the history of modern interiors in Turkey. The interiors were designed with a total work of art, also known as gesamtkunstwerk, approach which brought together many artists and designers varying from ceramics to photography and lighting. Artworks were not added to the interior, but were designed by artists together with the architects who set it up from the beginning. The method of the study was developed through oral interviews with architects and interior architects who worked in the interior renovation project and analysis of the photographs. This study analyzes the architect-artist collaboration deeper and to shed light on the history of modern interiors in Turkey.