Transformation of the architect's role: a reading of architectural education in Turkey through the Mimarlık journal (1963–2000)

Abstract

Purpose This study investigates the transformation of the architect's role as portrayed in written texts by analyzing discursive practices concerning architectural education in Turkey between 1963 and 2000. Design/methodology/approach The research employs critical discourse analysis (CDA) to examine selected texts published in the Mimarlık journal, representing the Chamber of Architects of Turkey. By embracing M. Bakhtin's “dialogism” approach, it aspires to foster new discussions on architectural education and establishes a “dialogical landscape” showcasing various voices and arguments. The research supplements its methodology by mapping the dialogical landscape, illustrating the relationality of discursive practices. Findings The paper contends that alterations in the missions, goals, and priorities of the architectural discipline significantly impact architectural education. Rather than focusing on individual perspectives, the creation of new dialogical platforms, emphasizing the interplay of diverse and conflicting viewpoints, offers more comprehensive pathways to guide the future of architectural education. Originality/value Debates and conflicts regarding the architect's role are central to architectural education. This article offers a novel perspective on the history of architectural education in Turkey by analyzing shifts in the definition and role of the architect as expressed in the Mimarlık journal. By integrating the principles of dialogism into the study of educational discourses and revealing the relationality between material-discursive practices, it aims to enrich the discourse and contribute value to critical studies on architectural education.