Completed Project

Reconstruction of the Seven Climates Library

The lost annex building of the Mihrimah Sultan Complex was restored using a wooden frame system, based on historical documents and architectural traces, and thus brought back into cultural and literary life.

EmployerÜsküdar Municipality

LocationSelmanağa Neighborhood, Üsküdar

Type of JobReconstruction and Re-functionalization

Implementation Period2020–2021

SituationCompleted

Scope of the Project

A lost example of Ottoman civil architecture has been reconstructed, along with its historical context and cultural function.

The annex building located on plot 32 of block 503, adjacent to the Mihrimah Sultan Primary School in the Selmanağa neighborhood of Üsküdar, had not survived to the present day. The structure was revived by evaluating foundation archives, old photographs, the Pervititch map, traces of foundations and retaining walls found during excavations, and approved reconstruction projects.

On a 103 m² plot, the historical structure was reconstructed with a reinforced concrete basement, wooden frame upper floors, a wooden gable roof, traditional Turkish tile covering, profiled wooden facade cladding, solid wood doors, and guillotine windows. The interior spaces were arranged to serve as archives, a library, study areas, meeting rooms, and venues for cultural events.

Reconstruction is not merely a construction that imitates the facade; it is the integration of archival data, excavation findings, traditional woodworking techniques, and contemporary functional needs all within the same project.

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi'nin Mihrimah Sultan Külliyesi içindeki konumu

Documentation and Excavation

Traces of the structure on the ground were compared with archival documents to form the basis of reconstruction decisions.

After the removal of the modern remains on the plot, a controlled excavation revealed the remains of rubble stone foundations and retaining walls, as well as water pipes. The discovered traces were documented with photographs and drawings.

The building's plan, street and garden facades, floor heights, roof shape, window arrangement, and latticework were reconstructed using data obtained from the Pervititch map, foundation records, survey sheets, and historical photographs.

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi rekonstrüksiyonu öncesi parsel ve kazı alanı

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi tamamlanan ahşap sokak cephesi

From Plot to Historical Mass

The narrow plot, where traces of the structure were found, was revived with its original mass and facade arrangement.

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi temel ve arkeolojik iz araştırması

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi ahşap kaplama, giyotin pencere ve kafes detayları

From Trace to Detail

The foundation and wall traces are complemented by traditional timber facade, joinery, and lattice details.

Structural System and Facade

The reinforced concrete basement and traditional timber-frame superstructure have recreated the historical mass in a safe and functional way.

Technical spaces and storage areas serving current needs were located in the reinforced concrete basement. The body walls, partition walls, and floors on the ground and upper floors were constructed using a timber frame system.

The wooden gable roof was completed with tile underlayment, thermal and waterproofing, rock wool, traditional Turkish tiles, zinc gutters, and downpipes. Profiled timber cladding, cornices, corner moldings, solid wood joinery, and movable timber trusses were applied to the facades.

Wooden Facade

Guillotine windows, grilles, cornices, and profiled timber cladding have been reproduced in historical proportions.

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi geleneksel ahşap merdiven uygulaması

Wooden Staircase

The staircase connecting the floors, the handrails, and the turned columns are completed with a traditional architectural character.

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi iç mekânda korunan tuğla kemer ve ahşap tavan

Preserved Traces

The traces of the masonry and brick architecture in the interior were left visible, creating a balanced relationship with the new wooden structure.

Application Items

From the load-bearing system to the bookshelves, all manufacturing processes were considered within a single architectural framework.

During the repurposing of the building, heavy interventions that would obscure or imitate the historical architecture were avoided. Wooden floors and ceilings, doors and windows, plaster and paint surfaces, lighting, climate control, and fire safety systems were all designed to be compatible with the library's function.

Custom-made wooden shelving systems were positioned to allow for high-density storage of the collection while maintaining the scale and layout of the rooms.

Archival research, surveying, and documentation of building traces.
Controlled excavation and identification of foundation remnants.
Reinforced concrete basement and technical areas
Wooden frame body, partition and flooring system.
Wooden gable roof and traditional Turkish tile covering.
Thermal, water and moisture insulation applications.
Profiled wood facade cladding and moldings
Solid wood doors, guillotine windows, and grilles.
Wooden staircase, flooring and ceiling applications.
Preservation of brick and masonry architectural traces.
Mechanical, electrical and fire safety systems
Custom-made library furniture and shelving systems.

New Function

The restored historical building has become the library of Yedi İklim Magazine and a new venue for intergenerational literary gatherings.

The building has been transformed into a cultural center housing the publication archive of Yedi İklim Magazine and the book collection of Ali Haydar Haksal and his family. The collection, consisting of approximately 50,000 books, periodicals, and manuscripts, is categorized in study rooms, reading rooms, and archive sections.

The meeting area on the ground floor, the library on the upper floors, and the rooftop conversation room created a vibrant literary environment for young people, writers, and researchers.

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi giriş katı ve oturma alanı — Meeting and seating area on the ground floor

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi ahşap tavanlı toplantı salonu — Meeting and co-working room

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi kitap arşivi ve özel imalat raflar — Book archive designed for large collections.

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi çatı katı okuma ve sohbet alanı — Reading and conversation space on the rooftop

Interior Gallery

The wooden architecture blended seamlessly with the warm texture of the book and magazine collection.

Interior photographs show that the structure was not only physically reconstructed; it was also completed with function, furniture, lighting, and a sense of atmosphere for use.

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi çalışma odası ve tarihî yayın arşivi — Study room and historical publications archive

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi yoğun kitap raf sistemi — Custom-made wooden shelving system

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi kitap ve dergi koleksiyonu — Book and magazine collection

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi merdiven kovası ve küpeşte detayı — Stairwell, handrail and wooden steps

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi nadir eserler ve süreli yayınlar bölümü — Rare books and periodicals section

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi açılış günü ön cephe görünümü — Reintegration of the building into cultural life.

Yedi İklim Kütüphanesi ve Mihrimah Sultan Külliyesi havadan görünüm — The relationship between Mihrimah Sultan Complex and its historical environment.

Conclusion

The lost structure of the mausoleum brought together historical memory and living literary culture under one roof.

The project was completed in a holistic manner, encompassing excavation and documentation, reinforced concrete infrastructure, timber frame reconstruction, traditional facade, roof and joinery manufacturing, and technical and fixed furniture solutions required for the library's function.

The Seven Climates Library is one of Taksim Yapı's significant references, demonstrating its expertise in the scientific restoration of lost historical structures, implementation management on narrow and sensitive urban plots, and the repurposing of cultural buildings.

We are not only restoring historical buildings, but also bringing them back to life with their function and memory.

Taksim Yapı manages restoration and reconstruction processes holistically, from archival research to structural systems, and from traditional materials to contemporary uses.