Who is Han Tümertekin?

Han Tümertekin was born in Istanbul in 1958. After graduating from Saint Michel French High School, he completed his studies at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Faculty of Architecture in 1982 and worked in architectural studios in Paris between 1982 and 1983. He continued his education with postgraduate studies in historical preservation. This academic foundation in conservation would form the basis of his relationship with historical buildings in the years to come.

Conducting his architectural practice under the roof of the office he founded in Istanbul in 1986, Tümertekin currently operates his Istanbul office alongside Atelier Han Tumertekin in Strasbourg. Outside of Turkey, he has realized projects in the Netherlands, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, China, Mongolia, and Kenya.

Architectural education has also been an integral part of his practice. Contributing to academia since 1992, Tümertekin has served as a visiting professor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, and Ecole Spéciale d'Architecture in Paris; he was also among the founders of the Istanbul Bilgi University Master of Architecture program. His selected projects were published as a monograph by Harvard University Press.

In terms of accolades, Tümertekin was honored with the National Architecture Award in 1998 and 2000. He won the prestigious 2004 Aga Khan Award for Architecture with the B2 House and served on the 2007 Aga Khan Award for Architecture master jury. He also served on the award's steering committee for many years.

Han Tümertekin and Contemporary Turkish Architecture: The Era of Adaptive Reuse

Han Tümertekin is not a figure who can be confined to a single historical style like Ottoman or early Republican architects. To understand him, one must look at contemporary Turkish architecture that has evolved since the 1990s and, in particular, the adaptive reuse practices that gained momentum in Istanbul from the 2000s onward.

During this period, Istanbul's historical and industrial building stock began to be evaluated with a fresh perspective. Idle power plants, bank buildings, and military structures were reintegrated into public life with cultural, educational, and research functions. Tümertekin took an active role in this transformative process. Alongside his contemporary architectural practice, he worked on major adaptive reuse projects such as the Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi), Casa Botter, the former Ottoman Bank Headquarters (SALT Galata), Silahtarağa Power Plant (santralistanbul), and the Imperial Mint (Darphane-i Amire) at Topkapı Palace.

The architect's approach to these structures is well-documented in his own words. As he explained regarding the SALT Galata project, the goal was not to replace a slightly worn or damaged element with a new one. The aim was to preserve the existing original texture, simply clear the layer of dirt, and renew the building without losing its soul by leaving the patina, cracked, or worn surfaces untouched. For the Rami Library, he summarizes his approach as uncovering the original spatial qualities of the historical building and integrating new functions with minimal physical intervention.

This philosophy makes Tümertekin one of the defining figures of this era. In his practice, a historical building is neither an object to be turned into a sterile museum showcase nor a blank shell to be entirely rewritten. The building is a space that is read together with its historical layers, building its new life upon them.

Prominent Buildings and Projects

SALT Galata (Former Ottoman Bank Headquarters)

• Location: Bankalar Caddesi, Karaköy

• Function: Culture, art, and research center

The building was designed by the French-Levantine architect Alexandre Vallaury for the Imperial Ottoman Bank (Bank-ı Osmanî-i Şahane) and opened in 1892. Its front facade facing Bankalar Caddesi features neo-Renaissance architecture, while the rear facade exhibits orientalist influences.

The renovation of the building into a cultural institution was executed by Mimarlar Tasarım under the direction of Han Tümertekin. SALT Galata opened in 2011 as the Galata venue of SALT, a cultural and artistic institution affiliated with Garanti BBVA. The building, whose original shell, interior architecture, and decorative elements were preserved as much as possible, today houses SALT Research, an auditorium, the redesigned Ottoman Bank Museum, and creative workshops. The project stands out among adaptive reuse examples in Istanbul by transforming a structure holding Galata's financial memory into a dynamic, public research and cultural space.

santralistanbul Energy Museum

• Location: Silahtarağa, Eyüpsultan

• Function: Industrial museum

The Silahtarağa Power Plant began production on February 11, 1914, serving as Istanbul's sole electricity provider until the 1950s. The plant was decommissioned on March 13, 1983, for economic reasons. The long-abandoned facility was later leased by Istanbul Bilgi University, meticulously restored, and reopened on September 8, 2007, under the name santralistanbul.

The campus master plan was a collaborative effort by multiple architects. According to Tümertekin's own account, the overarching settlement decisions were led by Nevzat Sayın and Emre Arolat under the coordination of İhsan Bilgin. Tümertekin specifically focused on the transformation of the main power plant building, which housed the massive turbine halls, into the Energy Museum.

Machine rooms No. 1 and No. 2, constructed in 1913 and 1921, were organized to form the Energy Museum. The AEG, Brown Boveri, Siemens, and Thomson Houston turbine-generator groups located here were preserved exactly as they were left in 1983. Tümertekin's design focuses on shifting the visitor's perspective of the machinery rather than relocating it. The architectural intervention was conceived as a structural circulation route—consisting of steel scaffolds, stairs, and elevators—that allows visitors to view the existing mechanical equipment from entirely new visual planes. The Energy Museum was honored with the DASA Award by the European Museum Academy in 2012.

Rami Library (Rami Barracks)

• Location: Rami, Eyüpsultan

• Function: Library and research center

The Rami Library represents one of the most comprehensive examples of Tümertekin's methodology for historical structures. As the architect notes, the Rami Barracks were originally built in the 1770s. The new architectural program consists of manuscript archives, children's and adults' libraries, and expansive reading rooms. The client was the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the design was executed by Han Tümertekin Architecture & Consulting.

A minimal intervention approach was adopted for the barracks, which is organized around a square plan with a high-volume, single-story layout surrounding a central courtyard. Elements haphazardly added over time were cleared away. For the new functions, mezzanines integrated seamlessly into the load-bearing system of the bookshelves were introduced. Damaged sections were reconstructed using original materials and traditional techniques. The architect points out that they utilized a structural shelving system in this project that they had originally designed for a bookstore twenty-five years earlier.

The project received significant international acclaim. The Rami Library was selected as one of the 19 finalists from 369 nominated projects in the 16th cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2023–2025), where it was officially recognized as Istanbul's largest library.

Maiden's Tower Restoration (Kız Kulesi)

• Location: Off the coast of Üsküdar, Bosphorus

• Tümertekin's Role: Restoration consultancy

In the most recent restoration of the Maiden's Tower, Tümertekin served as a consultant rather than the lead design author. Prof. Dr. Zeynep Ahunbay, Prof. Dr. Feridun Çılı, and Han Tümertekin provided expert consultancy for the works aimed at stripping the iconic structure of later additions that contradicted its authentic character.

The restoration was heavily based on late 18th-century data, a period for which the most reliable information and documentation existed. The steel roof and mezzanine added to the castle courtyard in the 1990s were dismantled. Technical reports revealed that the upper section of the tower had been converted to reinforced concrete in 1944. These concrete sections, having reached the end of their structural lifespan, were safely removed. Following the meticulous restoration completed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Maiden's Tower was triumphantly reopened to visitors.

Bilsar Building, Tünel

• Location: Tünel, Beyoğlu

• Function: Corporate headquarters and showroom

A smaller-scale yet highly instructive example in Istanbul. An early 20th-century residential building in the historic Tünel district was converted into a corporate headquarters and showroom. Due to the building's strict historical monument status, interventions were kept intentionally limited. The ground floor was designed as a public-facing area with a retail store, showroom, and temporary theater, utilizing raw materials to mirror the raw texture of the surrounding street. More refined, polished details were reserved for the upper floors allocated to the company's internal operations.

A Reference Point Outside Istanbul: B2 House

While located outside Istanbul, it is essential to mention the B2 House to fully grasp Tümertekin's architectural ethos. This two-story residence in the village of Büyükhüsun in Ayvacık, Çanakkale, was completed in 2001. Built using exposed concrete and hand-carved local stone, the structure harmonizes perfectly with the surrounding Aegean landscape through its minimalist form and integration of local building techniques. The house features a simple yet highly earthquake-resistant structure. The east and west facades boast a striking tripartite composition consisting of two reinforced concrete elements flanking a central stone wall.

The B2 House won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004 and was officially registered as a cultural property requiring preservation by the Ministry of Culture in 2016. Its official registration just fifteen years after its construction is a remarkable testament to how a contemporary building can achieve monumental heritage status.

Contribution to Istanbul's Architecture

Han Tümertekin's profound contribution to Istanbul should not be sought in a singular landmark building, but rather in the highly consistent method he applies across structures of varying scales and historical eras. This architectural methodology spans from late 19th-century Levantine architecture (SALT Galata) to early 20th-century industrial facilities (Silahtarağa), and from 18th-century Ottoman military complexes (Rami Barracks) to one of the Bosphorus's most iconic silhouettes (Maiden's Tower).

The unifying thread across these projects is that the historical building is treated not as a mere theatrical backdrop, but as vital data that directly shapes the new function. At santralistanbul, the massive turbines remain untouched while a modern viewing route is woven around them. At SALT Galata, the historical patina is celebrated and preserved. At Rami, new mezzanines are engineered as a cohesive system unified with the bookshelves. In the Bilsar Tünel building, the strict limitation on intervention evolved into a brilliant design decision that visually opens the ground floor to the street.

Tümertekin's portfolio in Istanbul predominantly features buildings dedicated to culture, research, and public utility. Consequently, his architectural heritage becomes a tangible part of the spaces citizens interact with daily. The fact that the "Side by Side" installation—originally designed for the Arsenale at the 17th Venice Architecture Biennale—is now installed on the shores of the Golden Horn (Haliç) serves as a contemporary continuation of his ongoing dialogue with Istanbul.

Surviving Architectural Legacy

A substantial portion of the historical buildings Han Tümertekin has revitalized in Istanbul remain fully open to public use today. SALT Galata operates as a premier research and cultural center, while santralistanbul thrives as both the vibrant campus of Istanbul Bilgi University and a vital industrial museum. The Rami Library functions as a monumental public library under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Maiden's Tower endures as an iconic monument open to global visitors.

The architect's output has also secured official recognition in the rigid field of heritage conservation. The registration of the B2 House as a cultural property and the Rami Library's placement as an Aga Khan Award finalist demonstrates that two vastly different projects—separated by nearly two decades—successfully passed through rigorous evaluations with entirely different criteria. One is a newly built rural residence; the other is a historical urban barracks. Yet, the profound respect for the site and the existing context unites them perfectly.

Han Tümertekin's architecture is rooted in making the inherent qualities of a building visible, rather than imposing a flashy, newly invented form. A simple house constructed of raw stone and concrete in the Aegean and a modern library nestled under the ancient arches of a barracks in Istanbul are both born from the exact same question: What is already here, and how can it be granted a new life with the absolute minimum of intervention?

The answers to this definitive question can be read across Istanbul—in Karaköy, along the Golden Horn, in Rami, and rising from the middle of the Bosphorus. Tümertekin's enduring works offer concrete, masterclass examples of the relationship contemporary architecture can forge with a historical city. In these spaces, urban memory transcends being a static past to be preserved; it is embraced as a dynamic, living environment sustained through adaptive reuse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Han Tümertekin?

Han Tümertekin is a prominent Turkish architect born in Istanbul in 1958. He graduated from Istanbul Technical University's Faculty of Architecture in 1982 and established his own architectural office in Istanbul in 1986. He is widely celebrated for winning the 2004 Aga Khan Award for Architecture with the B2 House.

What awards has Han Tümertekin won?

Tümertekin received the National Architecture Award in both 1998 and 2000. He achieved global recognition by winning the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004 for the B2 House in Ayvacık, Çanakkale. Most recently, his design for the Rami Library was named among the finalists for the 2025 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

What are Han Tümertekin's major works in Istanbul?

His primary projects in Istanbul include the adaptive reuse of the former Ottoman Bank building into SALT Galata, the santralistanbul Energy Museum, the transformation of the Rami Barracks into the Rami Library, and the Bilsar building in Tünel. He also served as a critical consultant in the recent restoration of the Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi).

Which architect renovated SALT Galata? The renovation of the former Ottoman Bank building—originally designed by Alexandre Vallaury and opened in 1892—into a modern cultural institution was executed by Mimarlar Tasarım under the leadership of Han Tümertekin. The building officially opened its doors as SALT Galata in 2011.

Who is the architect of the Rami Library?

The Rami Library, created through the adaptive reuse of the 18th-century Rami Barracks, was designed by Han Tümertekin's architectural office. The project is celebrated for its minimal intervention approach, meticulously preserving the original spatial qualities of the historical structure.

What is Han Tümertekin's most famous building?

Internationally, his most recognized work is the B2 House, which won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004. Located in the village of Büyükhüsun in Ayvacık, Çanakkale, this two-story residence was officially registered as a cultural property in 2016. In Istanbul, SALT Galata and the Rami Library stand as his most prominent public projects.

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