Galatasaray University Restoration Awaiting Almost Two Years

Ruined by a blaze in January 2013, the building of Galatasaray University is waiting to be restored almost for two years. 

Prof. Dr. Kutgün Eyüpgiller from Istanbul Tehnical University told bianet that Preservation Council [Istanbul III Numaralı Kültür Varlıklarını Koruma Bölge Kurulu Müdürlüğü] declined the restoration project of Galatasaray University as they “fairly” claimed the project didn’t respect the historical building’s original structure.

The debate over the restoration of the building continues for the past few months. 

Following the blaze, an official restoration team has been founded but all its members resigned as Galatasaray Education Foundation took over the task. 

One of the resigning members, Eyüpgiller submitted a complaint to the new project, saying that the new restoration would turn the historical building into “concrete”. 

Eyüpgiller claimed that the council also declined the project for similar reasons. 

“This project poses a violation to Preservation Council Code 660 on the restoration of historical buildings. And it hasn’t been amended by persistence and it is getting declined over and over again. 

“We were able to learn that the new project could just include some of the internal details after long debates.  

“On the other hand, the solution is easy. The restoration should be made according to the code which doesn’t foresee demolition of the building frame and restored according to the building originals with its original material. The new project drafting would take 3 days.” (NV/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.