ERZURUM STATE RAILWAYS NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT COMPETITION (1945)

Railway transportation has maintained its importance both during the Ottoman Empire and Republic of Turkey. Peculiarly, railways had been the of first priority of kind of transportation until the 1950’s in Turkey. The development in the technical issues has affected this process as well as the sub-structure. When considered as a whole, railways brought with a new life-style. Building groups around the terminal were located in order to meet general needs. Besides, it was a reflection of modern life in terms of architecture. On the other hand, traditional motifs were used indoors. The railway line came to Erzurum in 1939. Two years earlier, the construction of the terminal started in 1937 and was completed on 20th August 1939. The first governmental decree about the buildings around the terminal was published on 11th August 1942. Moreover, a project competition was held by the General Directorate of State Railways in 1945. It was requested to project a complex consisting of a railway operation building, a meeting house, a hotel and houses. When the process followed to determine the winner is analysed, it is seen that it gives some clues about the new lifestyles brought with these buildings which will become the symbol of the Republic in Turkey