Original subtitles

Oh God.

Carlton hotel.

Restaurant chair.

It's the hotel on the Bosphorus that was hit by a tanker.

I used to draw everything thoroughly,

down to the very last detail. Look at the screws!

Was it useful?

No.

This was built on the seafront in Marmaris,

on a hillside plot.

Do you remember the materials you used?

Well, it's written: "copper roofing".

Surrounded by trees,

with wooden terraces, a dance floor...

Nature-oriented.

It was all pretty...

showy.

In 1973, we had some revisions done, we amended the elevation levels.

Did you like designing holiday resorts?

For an architect, even a hut is stimulating.

Designing a place which serves a function,

which has its own characteristics, on which you can leave your imprint,

it's always exciting.

Just like you, when you hold a camera,

you feel the excitement of creating something.

It's the same for an architect when they design a place.

Ah, you opened old wounds.

Old memories are coming back.

I'd rather forget all that.

It's all gone.

Hello.

Who is staying here?

They aren't villagers.

- Some tourists. - From out of town.

Sunday, 6 June 1994.

It's 9 in the morning.

The view of Akbük village from a distance.

It's the best view of the village.

That's true.

I'm against the light.

The luminosity's perfect.

- Look at that! - Amazing.

Ertil?

I'm listening.

Don't forget to film the lake.

Whatever we do, the building is in shot.

Well, it'd better be!

Have you seen this room?

I hadn't seen its last state.

It's well under way.

How did this story start?

There are a lot of so-called bargain hunters on the market.

They spot well-located buildings, on street corners as such,

enticing a few of the owners in these buildings.

They lure them with modern projects,

saying their home won't survive an earthquake,

that the municipality will demolish it.

They promise the redevelopment of their building,

which may eventually become smaller but modern, spanking new.

That's how they entice them.

They make deals with local authorities as well.

Having two bonus floors as their incentives,

they then sell these to make huge profits.

How did they come to you?

Two weeks ago,

I received an envelope from a developer

containing a flyer with beautiful, colourful visuals

showcasing their upcoming building.

I looked at the project and couldn't believe my eyes!

No windows,

dark kitchens...

Twelve cars fit in the basement car park, but there isn't a single column!

You see right away that it's not feasible.

When I proved that,

people turned their back on me.

Take an elevation from here or there, it'll be different.

Levels change, of course.

We call this "grade elevation". It's not clear how they calculated it.

But they'll negotiate with the municipality, you see.

They'll negotiate and get the elevation value they want.

There are a lot of plans, but it's hard to say...

Look at these pictures!

I'll give you the file.

- You don't need to film. - Alright.

- The whole thing is a scam. - Unbelievable.

And there's more to come...

Here is what I wrote to the flat owners.

"Dear Süme Palas apartment owners.

"Before I make important warnings and provide information,

"I should introduce myself.

"My name is Ertil Ayaydın, I am a part-owner of flat 6.

"I graduated as a master architect from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts Academy

"and have been working as an architect since 1957.

"In Istanbul, 1.5 million out of three million buildings

"are now targeted by bargain hunters.

"To evaluate the seismic risks, they take samples of concrete,

"then send these for analysis to the municipality

"to obtain reports on structurally unsound buildings.

"We are currently waiting for the report regarding our building.

"Strangely enough,

"the developers, convinced that the building is unsound,

"did not wait to send us a flyer including a large number of plans,

- "with some charming pictures..." - Without scale and windows!

Why has this already been drawn?

Who drew that? We're still waiting for the report.

This is a swindle!

Floor areas aren't even identified.

Square footage isn't specified, no windows have been drawn.

Only doors placed.

If they add windows now, there will be too many!

Whatever...

Above all the technical aspects...

For example, take this sliding door,

I didn't want it, but Yükselen insisted.

She wanted it,

so it's precious to me, it cannot be destroyed now.

Yükselen did so many things in here.

From the ceiling to the bathroom, she did everything.

How can I decide to demolish it all?

Here it comes.

He's directing in quite a contrasting way.

Or is it what the speakers make it sound like?

Here is the melodic part.

This is the New World Symphony by Dvořák.

I'll throw them away.

I made these myself.

Adjustable squares.

This allows you to draw at any angle without moving.

This one, for example...

See?

Here I wrote only the primary angles.

It takes a lot of craft.

I wouldn't be able to do that so easily today.

It was a lot of hard work.

Today, with a single click, a computer can make it in no time.

Back then, it was far more painstaking.

The entrance is this way. Following this path, there's a courtyard,

you access the houses via these overhead footbridges

and go down these stairs. All the houses are connected.

Each one has a balcony.

A green balcony, covered with ivies.

At first, we added garden fireplaces, then we gave it up.

I didn't know you founded a company with Grandma!

Well, well.

Our first office was called A2.

Two A's, as in "Ayaydın", it was Yükselen's idea.

"A2".

Do you still have projects made with Grandma?

- Models or sketches? - Of course not! It's far too old.

We're talking about projects dating back to the 1960s and '70s!

It's a miracle we still have these.

URBAN TRANSFORMATION DEPARTMENT

"Old Turkey, 1935." You see Atatürk surrounded with women.

What a regression!

In the early days, there was a period

when the headscarf was banned.

My grandpa was a police captain and he was told off,

"What about your mother?"

He said, "Don't you worry."

Once at home, he told his mother,

"Either you'll take this off when you go out,

"or you keep it and won't go out anymore."

He forbid it. She stopped going out.

We have gone through such times.

Look, my grandpa!

Everyone was posing for the photo,

but I couldn't get away from the gramophone.

My grandpa was calling me,

and I said, "I'm waiting for the record."

Upon hearing that, grandpa thundered.

I immediately ran towards them,

but grandpa's still looking furious!

What kind of music were you listening to?

Tangos were popular.

I discovered music thanks to Turkish tangos.

I remember this blue record we had...

It enthralled me.

It was in French.

This is my mum, reading a newspaper. My dad must have taken this picture.

I remember this piece of furniture.

Which year was it?

19th May 1938.

I was already born.

"One, two, three, four, five..."

Names are written there.

My father is number three. It must be saying "Abdullah".

- Did he know the Arabic alphabet? - Sure he did.

- What about you? - I don't.

Europeanization started gradually during the Ottoman period,

Atatürk comes from that current.

He replaced many Arabic words with their Turkish equivalents.

He had the Koran translated so that everyone could understand it.

Even the call to prayer used to be in Turkish.

Until the late 1930s, many reforms took place.

And Atatürk initiated them all at once,

not even over the course of years.

He was like a prophet.

How did the society receive these reforms?

It was all natural.

How did they experience this period of transition?

I did not experience it myself.

I can't think about anything.

I was born into the Republic.

I did not witness the old regime.

According to the court, the building is at no seismic risk

and needs no reinforcement work.

Alright, dear. That's good.

Tell them it's the court's verdict, the building is safe and sound.

It's been proven.

A panel of experts confirmed it.

Yes.

- It's secure. - Alright.

I don't know what they are after, they want to make profits.

But don't worry.

- Things have to be clarified. - Yes.

They cannot file another request,

but they might still try to get the majority.

Or else they'll try to get rid of me.

The developers visited me. They wanted to talk.

"About what?" I asked.

"Come, let's have a coffee,

"but you won't convince me. I'm against the demolition.

"Whatever you intend to offer me,

"I won't accept.

"Once I'm dead,

"you'll do whatever you want."

What if they entrust you with the project?

I can't do it.

There's nothing to do.

This project is great!

"Do you think people are all fools?

"Look how you botched it!

"What do you mean by 'we forgot that'?"

How can one forget the structural structure of a building?

It's the key component.

We're talking about the engineering, it's not a painting!"

I need to know if the columns have enough reinforcement in their sections

to support the building in case of an earthquake;

otherwise, I cannot say yes to that.

This is the building.

No, it's locked.

Look...

The elevators are just there.

We should have called them before...

Here is our site manager!

- I have documents for you. - Very well.

I'm coming, Hakan.

I will fax these and come back, sir.

Alright, I'm waiting here.

- It's urgent. - OK.

Thank God I filmed these.

It's done hastily... but at least...

we have something.

When I think of all those crazy things I did...

I wouldn't do them today.

These balustrades are very special.

Each part was designed meticulously.

Look, each one is different in its arcs and diameters.

Good heavens, Ertil!

How I've racked my brain over it!

How I had to stay and supervise

to make them build these.

I liked these fireplaces, I had them installed everywhere.

Even at our place.

The balustrades, the living room...

The corridor leading to the bedrooms.

Architecture is like a melody.

If you stand still, you won't feel much.

But if you start walking, you begin to hear it.

It can be pleasant or not, it's up to you, really.

Therefore, the variations in space should affect people

like music does.

This must be an eleven-storey building.

The highest I built.

Eleven floors.

Oh! I just realized!

It got excited!

It'll come soon.

First, it comes closer and looks through the window.

Checking if someone's there.

Then, it comes.

- It came. - Did it?

What a beauty!

Come on, my precious!

In the morning, I have breakfast with them.

They wait for me.

I give them seeds and we eat, looking at each other.

I wake up at seven.

Then, I exercise.

It takes me an hour.

I wouldn't be able to take part in the Olympics otherwise!

Then, I go to the office.

I sit at the computer and start drawing.

I assign myself projects.

Poor me!

I don't want people to think that it's an elastic bow tie,

so I tie it crookedly, but today it's perfect!

"Students, in architecture, the project is the most essential.

"Obviously, its implementation is equally important.

"Sadly, the reality of the market is sometimes different.

"What kind of surprises await us, Professor?"

"Well, be prepared to build first and draw the project afterward."

Such an excellent satire!

The cartoonist is also an architect himself.

These things are so precious to me.

They won't mean anything to anyone after I'm gone.

So...

They will...

They will end up in the trash.

They took a core sample of the concrete

to test its compressive strength.

During studio critiques,

my nickname was "Master of complications".

I would always focus on details.

While the professor focused on basic concepts,

I occupied myself with the details of the stairs.

She was telling me, "Forget the stairs now,

"think about the overall plan of the building."

"Come on then, Master of complications."

- I'll come soon. - Whenever you wish.

Let's take a section.

From here.

With a light coming at a 50-degree angle.

Why not...

Let's see.

It's quite loaded, because I draw every single detail.

Even the details of the door handles.

That's why the project becomes so loaded.

The mosque has a courtyard.

Let's see the ground floor as well.

This courtyard serves as an open-air prayer space

and for funeral services as well.

This is the ablution corner.

The sinks.

Here.

Here is the fountain and its pool,

with water running all around.

The idea is to introduce nature

into the mosque.

Instead of the calligraphic Arabic writings,

I place the plants here.

In the prayer room,

I did not align the rows of rugs.

Here is the prayer room.

Usually, one prays behind the other.

But when someone bows, their soles spread out

and as the one behind bows,

he finds himself putting his head close to the other's feet.

This is why I am misaligning them.

Where would you like to build this mosque?

A mosque can be built anywhere.

Obviously, not on top of a mountain. Then, nobody will be able to come.

It has to be easily reachable.

The one they built on Çamlıca hill, it's a publicity stunt.

With its huge dome and everything, it's for the image.

But apart from those living there, who's going to visit this mosque?

A mosque should be a gathering place.

So...

What did I write here?

Among the most beautiful mosques, we have, in Turkey,

"the Süleymaniye and Selimiye mosques built by Mimar Sinan

"as well as the Sultanahmet mosque.

"None of the new ones in Turkey enters this ranking,

"they are all mere copies, not original works.

"But they are proud of them anyway.

"The architect of the Çamlıca mosque, the greatest project of our time,

"summed up the situation quite clearly:

"Our mosque will look like an ancient Ottoman mosque,

"like any mosque built by a Sultan.

"Thus it will be a new project designed in a classic style.

"After all, one cannot design a mosque without domes and minarets.

"Well, I designed one. It's actually feasible.

"See the 3D project opposite."

I wrote that!

God is the greatest

There is no divinity but God

to worship...

Here's a perfect example of eclectic architecture.

What a shame! That's an architectural disaster.

How can they allow this,

despite the disapproval of the Chamber of Architects?

Damn it!

Are you doing this on purpose?

It doesn't even say that there is no entry!

Let's go back, I don't know this place.

Is this the building we can see from your place?

Exactly.

The new one.

Look at the surroundings. How can they approve such a project?

It goes completely out of tune.

But if you have the money, you get the permit.

That's corruption.

I asked them to bring the report, there's no report!

How they lost their face...

Because the concrete is of high quality.

The sample they took...

It was made with river sand, not with sea sand.

Anyway...

Still, nothing's certain. The power of money...

In Turkey, if you have money, you can do anything,

you can buy anything.

They could buy a report stating that the building is unsafe.

Knowing that,

nothing's assured.

One cannot say that justice is properly working in Turkey.

On the contrary.

- Ertil, dear brother, how are you? - Fine, thank you, dear.

You'll have to get your land title.

But how will I get it...

Just go and ask for a copy.

What shall I ask?

- Your land title! - Yes, I got that.

But to get the certificate, what shall I bring them?

Nothing, just ask for a copy of the title.

Tell them you lost yours.

Just give them your lot number. You know it, don't you?

For goodness' sake! I'll pay if I have to,

but let's have this affair settled!

It's only a certificate. That's not a big deal.

Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.

The court needs it, that's all.

My dear Yükselen!

You left this world.

This is me.

When I was young.

With my father-in-law.

And my mother-in-law.

It's close to the Carlton, next to Sait Halim Paşa's mansion.

I remember that moment.

I brought them to visit the hotel.

The construction was over.

My darling!

My beautiful wife.

She's gone.

Your grandmother joined us in the second year,

she was arriving from Germany.

She skipped the first year.

She had to take the exams, though.

She passed them and entered the second year.

She had a beautiful voice, she used to sing arias.

At the time, I played the accordion.

I would play and she would sing.

Simply.

We would often do things like that,

we would gather with friends.

That's how we met.

I admired her knowledge, her smartness...

She knew three languages, she was beautiful.

I had nothing!

I fell in love with her erudition, her maturity,

her modesty.

She didn't want to be put in the spotlight.

She had many great qualities.

There's this beautiful song...

you may know it.

If I could give you a tone with my violin

Do you know it?

If this tone could reach you It'd be worth a thousand worlds

Vast is the sea, alas Infinite is the horizon

Each day brings its share of pain

And tomorrow, tomorrow... Colours fade

Whatever I see, whatever I hear Everything brings seas of sorrow

Will this dull day ever come to an end?

My heart yearns for her

For heaven's sake, I forgot how to do it.

How can I rotate it?

I'm drawing a blank.

It's incomplete.

Where am I making a mistake?

"You too, Folly, you?

"I know that you will lay me low at last;

"Let be! Yet I fall fighting, fighting still!

"Yes, you strip from me the laurel

"and the rose from my heart..."

Sorry.

"You strip from me

"the laurel and the rose! Take all!

"Despite you, there is yet one thing I hold against you all,

"And when, tonight, I enter Christ's fair courts,

"and lowly bowed, sweep with doffed casque

"the heavens' threshold blue,

"One thing is left, that, void of strain..."

He falls down.

"... or smutch,

"I bear away despite you."

"'Tis?" Roxane bows.

Hoping that he'd say "My love."

He says, "My panache."

"One thing, void of strain or smutch, that I bear away despite you,

"my panache."

If you mistake pride for arrogance, you'll misunderstand the text.

Arrogance is showing off for nothing.

Pride is different. Pride is not showing off.

Not boasting, even when you have everything.

I've got a lot of memories, but they are fading away.

I forget.

This is the holiday resort in Marmaris.

It even attracted people from the surroundings.

They were coming to see the village, it made me proud.

It was something never seen before, in the middle of trees...

I was working with love.

It's all gone now.

What belongs to the past becomes precious.

One day... Wait, I forgot...

They called me about the entrance door.

The wooden pillars were rotten.

They asked if they should use reinforced concrete instead.

I said no.

It was part of the roofing, made with wood.

Reinforced concrete had no place there.

So, I told them to demolish it.

There's nothing to be done.

Yonca, do you want it? It was your mother's.

- Please, stop crying. - You're right.

I don't know what to say...

- Auntie Hülya? - Yes, here I am.

Our motto is, "The form follows the function."

In other words, the form serves the use.

If the form has no function,

then it's a sculpture, not an architectural work.

A beautiful sculpture, but not an architectural work.

Architecture has to call upon the eye and the sense of space.

Creating a space, a house,

is coming together with nature,

almost bedazzling it.

I live in it.

The height of the ceiling, the width of the corridor...

In your mind, you live in that space,

you design while living in it.

Sometimes I wake up at night with a problem in my mind.

I wake up with an idea and I start drawing it.

It's strange how it comes to me while sleeping.

I don't know how...

I would love to build a concert hall.

The walls are acoustically optimized,

adjustable to correctly reverberate music.

For a theatre play,

the voices shouldn't resonate; otherwise we won't understand.

In this case, you can make the walls rotate.

I've already drawn the project.

The orchestra pit can also be closed,

in order to have a vast stage for plays.

The stage can even reach the first row.

I've thought about all that.

I enjoy thinking about these things, designing and drawing them.

It's a pleasure, for me.

Everything else...

Will it be built or not... It doesn't matter anymore.

That's how it is.

OPERA-BALLET-CONCERT MUSIC UNIVERSE