A significant figure of Republican Turkish architecture, Turgut Cansever (1921-2009) is distinguished not only due to the quality of his built projects but also due to his texts revealing a characteristic theoretical discourse. Through a profound interest in philosophy and art history, Cansever synthesizes Western and Islamic concepts. He argues that architecture is a discipline loaded with existential meanings beyond the limitations of a technical profession. This study analyses the reflections of Cansever's theoretical discourse on the design of the Karakas Mosque in Antalya, Turkey. This project was realized during Cansever's late career, underlined by mature and systematic interpretation of traditional forms. Besides, this building is Cansever's only work in Antalya, his birthplace. Moreover, it is the only built mosque designed by the architect who refers to Islamic concepts frequently. Therefore, the conceptual analysis of the building's design decisions deserves scrutiny. Academic sources problematizing the relation between Cansever's conceptual arguments and his designs generally associate the architect's work with historicism and regionalism. Thus, this study departs from a general discussion of the relationship of Cansever's projects with these movements in order to establish a conceptual basis for discussing the design of the Karakas Mosque. Finally, the conceptual causes for the architect's decisions are discussed in terms of plan scheme, spatial organization, scale, construction materials and techniques.
