Typescript letter signed 'Emin Onat', sent to the Dean Architectural Department Ccolumbia University, NY, US.

EMIN ONAT, (Turkish architect of 'Anitkabir' [i.e. Mausoleum]), (1908-1961).

Original Typescript Letter., [1957], Ist.

Original typescript letter (TLS) signed by Emin Onat, sent to the Dean Architectural Department Columbia University, NY, US, with the letter's first draft including Onat's autograph corrections on the paper. 30x20 cm. Written in a tissue paper. 1+1 pp. Text in entirely English. The letter signed under the title 'O. Prof. Architect Dean of the Architectural Faculty of the Technical University, Ist., Turkey' by Onat. 20 lines. Text: "Allow me to introduce the bearer of this letter, architect Dr. Mukbil A. Gökdogan Professor of Architectural construction in our Faculty. He has been selected by the council of our Faculty, to work in the united nation's buildings and also to study, while in your country, the problems of housing and the methods of prefabrications. Visits to your institutes of constructions and architectural education would also be of great interest to the Dr. I wish to thank you in anticipation for all the valuable help and many suggestions which I am sure you will offer Prof. Gökdogan. Would you please give your teaching staff the sincere compliments of their colleagues in this university. With my kindest regards. Sincerely yours...". was a Turkish architect and former rector of Istanbul Technical University. Onat was born in Istanbul in 1908. He entered Istanbul Technical University in 1926. Then, he was sent to Zurich Technical University. Onat was one of the architects of Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. His architectural style was formed at ETH. Emin Onat learned to experiment, interpret, and search for modernism from his teacher Otto R. Salvisberg, a well-known, experienced practicing architect. Despite getting under the Anitkabir's shadow, he has a unique architectural style. Onat's architectural talent blossomed at Zurich Technical University, where one of his fellow students was Otto Rudolf Salvisberg, who later went to become one of the best architects of his time. Onat completed his studies in Zurich and returned to Turkey in 1934. Within a year, he had become an assistant professor in the Department of Architecture at the School of Engineering. He held the post for a couple of years that were marked by strenuous relations with the other members of the faculty, owing to the novel methods of teaching Onat introduced. In 1944 Onat became the first dean of the newly established Faculty of Architecture at the Istanbul Technical University. Anıtkabir's design refers to antique mausoleums, so it causes a lot of discussions. The most significant and important characteristic of Anitkabir is that compatible with Rasartepe's topography. It has a horizontal silhouette. It has two perpendicular axes and it opens to the city from 4 ways. It has a bond with the city and this bond makes a design unique for a place, but the monumental look of it distinguishes Anıtkabir from the city. Monumantalizing the design makes it a conceptual object. Anitkabir visualizes its symbolism even in its ornaments.