OPEN DOOR ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL – 14 OCTOBER 2025

Pera Palace Hotel
Time: 09:00

Opened in 1895, the Pera Palace Hotel stands proudly in Beyoğlu, defying the passage of time.

This unique building, signed by Alexandre Vallaury, is an architectural masterpiece combining Art Nouveau, Neo-Classical, and Orientalist touches. Room 101, where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk once stayed, is now open to visitors as a museum. You can also see Istanbul’s first electric elevator at Pera Palace.

Pera Palace is not just a hotel; it is the living memory of Istanbul.

Palazzo Corpi
Time: 09:00

With narration by Levent Albay...

Palazzo Corpi is a 19th-century Italian palace located in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, remarkable for its exquisite marble craftsmanship.

Built by Italian architect Giacomo Leoni, the palace’s high ceilings are adorned with frescoes depicting mythological gods such as Apollo, Dionysus, and Neptune, captivating all who visit. When the American government purchased the mansion in 1907, an eagle emblem was added to the entrance of the building. This magnificent Neo-Classical structure now serves as the Soho House Istanbul private members’ club.

The building will be toured under the hosting of Bilgili Holding, with narration by Ayça Kıvanç and Levent Abay.

Borusan Music and Art House
Time: 11:00

With narration by GAD...

Located in the historic Beyoğlu district, the new Borusan Music and Art House is a multifunctional space for exhibitions, events, rehearsals, and various cultural education programs.

While representing the cultural and artistic renaissance throughout the city, the Borusan Music and Art House also preserves Istanbul’s architectural heritage.

Designed by Global Architectural Development (GAD), the building retains and restores its historic shell typical of the façades along İstiklal Street. The building’s core has been completely removed to evoke a sense of openness. Through a clever design move, the “Box” appears to defy gravity within the surrounding masonry shell. The architectural symbiosis created by contrasting construction methods and materials produces a joyful tension between the past and the future.

The building will be toured with the narration of the Global Architectural Development (GAD) team.

Ankara – City Walks: Atatürk Forest Farm
Time: 12:00

In collaboration with Urban Walks Ankara, with narration by Cem Dedekargınoğlu and Cemre Gökpınar...

The remaining traces of the Atatürk Forest Farm, a valuable heritage of the Republic and the capital Ankara, will be explored on-site along with its founding stories, reflecting the agricultural, industrial, and social history of the era.

The tour will be held in collaboration with Urban Walks Ankara, with narration by Cem Dedekargınoğlu and Cemre Gökpınar.

İzmir – Village Institutes Memorial House
Time: 14:00

Located in the Konak district of İzmir and also known as the “Vakıflar Mansion,” the Village Institutes Memorial House is a memory space where the history of Turkey’s Village Institutes—so vital in the nation’s educational history—is presented using modern museology techniques.

The museum offers visitors a detailed archive on the Village Institutes, featuring materials related to the founders, students, and graduates of early Republican education.

Restored by TARKEM, the building bears the traces of the civil architecture of its period. Built mainly with stone and wood materials, it reflects the traditional mansion architecture of İzmir.