The 18-month restoration of this yalı (waterfront house), on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus, began with the preparation of elevation drawings in August 2001, and the project was completed in February 2003.
This yalı, prior to its restoration, had deteriorated due to abandoment over the past decade. The woodwork of the doors, windows and exterior had been stolen, the plaster of the walls shattered, the wooden
framework of the building uncovered, the roof partially collapsed and a serious amount of decomposition was evident. Examination showed that the original structure was unlikely to support the building.
The riverbank which once ran down to the sea beside the house had been fi lled and turned into a dead-end street. The structure of the house was characteristic of authentic Turkish wooden architecture, with rubble stone walls and arched flooring on the ground floor, and timber framework, interior bagdadi plastering, and exterior weatherboarding on the upper fl oor. The entrance was covered with a roof separate from that of the main building. The restoration project has been prepared to meticulously restore the house to its original form
The entrance hall adjacent to the neighbouring building and the roof of the kitchen have been rebuilt in accordance with the particular character of the house, restoring the roof to its original form. The ground floor, which had sunk deep into the ground because of excessive road fi lling, has been brought back to street level. The eaves, windows, all exterior wood facing and ornamentation have been preserved and renewed, removing inconsistencies in the original building.
