Standardization of Domestic Space in Printed Media in Early Republican Period Turkey

Abstract

This study aims to analyse how Western efforts on standardization of domestic life reflected on home sphere and women’s role in the household in Early Republican period Turkey (1930-1950). Transformation of domestic space was a central discussion within the modernization agenda of the Early Republican period in Turkey. In parallel, women had a crucial role at home, as the maker of a well-functioning and “rational” space and daily life. Therefore, popular media and architectural magazines targeted women and gave examples of a new house to be organized within this regard. These journals mostly published household goods, furniture or scenes of interiors from Europe and the U.S, which were far from the traditional meaning of the house in Turkey. The proposed house was divided into sections and standardized, “comfortable” and “simple” were the keywords, and women were the administrators of “order” and “science” in the rationalization of domestic space. This study, as a method, evaluates the standardization studies about domestic space with examples from architectural or popular media and aims to reveal the reflections Western modernization efforts in Early Republican period Turkey.