Pakistan Embassy Building and Residence

Architect: Sedat Hakkı Eldem

Project, which is designed in 1964 and built between 1972-1974, consists of two seperate buildings: a block used as office and an embassy residence. Buildings are situated on an inclined land in a way that office block not blocking the residence’s view, and residence situated on higher elevation to provide it.

Office block basicly seems like a prismatic mass, and to emphasize this characteristic, is painted to grey. It has an entrance element that seems independent from the building itself, as characteristics, with a modern re-use of portal figure which is a very common feature of Islamic architecture, that we can never see in any other works of Sedat Eldem.

Unlike the office building, Residence gives the impression of a very light structure. Both structures show contrast about color use as well as design itself. Unlike the massive grey Office, white and yellow colors are dominant in Residence Building.While ground floor has public spaces such as reception hall, dining hall and study room, upper floor is designed as if it was the private residence of the ambassador and his family; just like in other similar type of projects.




Site plan:






Ground Floor Plan:





Upper Floor Plan:





Section:





Garden Side Elevation:





Entrance Elevation:





Free-Hand Sketch:





Some Photographs:








Location of the Building:

Sedad Hakkı Eldem (1908-1988)

Completed his elementary and secondary education in Genovia and Munich. Studied architecture in Fine Arts Academy between the years 1924-1928. After he graduated, he had a three year scholarship to England, Germany and France where he met architects as LeCorbusier and worked in offices of Auguste Perret and Hans Poelzing. Existing in Europe and Turkey, Nationalistic movements inclined him to creat a national style, so he contributed to perform a “National Architecture Seminar” as an intention . This intention later grew stronger and called as II. National Architecture Movement.

While Eldem tried to benefit from traditional componenets which can be applied to certain types of projects, he tried to take rationalist approach on functional building types.

Eldem’s works, which always have significant importance in modern Turkish architecture, have always attracted attention on themselves and some of them even became momentous works that started new periods such as Turkish Pavillon (1938-39) as the exordium of II. National period or Istanbul Courthouse (with Emin Onat) stating a new rationalist and functionalist period.

With his original solutions to discussions of national against universal approach, Eldem had contributed lot to Turkish architecture also with his books and articles.