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Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk has opened a "Museum of Innocence," named after his novel. It is located in Cukurcuma, one of the oldest quarters in Istanbul, which has changed dramatically in the last few years. Two young Germans experienced these urban developments and set up the unusual museum.
For many years, Cukurcuma was home to Greek and Armenians in Istanbul. But since the 1980s, more and more people from Anatolia have moved into the neighborhood. Many of them are craftspeople and sell knickknacks in local shops.
Narrow, twisted streets and ornate wooden houses characterize the hilly neighborhood. Although many of the houses are landmarked, they frequently fall into disrepair. Only a few are restored, the others are replaced with new buildings.
The centrally located quarter is still a popular location in Istanbul. More and more galleries and cafes are opening in Cukurcuma and artists and musicians are setting up their studios. That means the cost of living is also rising, and those who have lived in the neighborhood for a long time will soon not even be able to afford their own apartments.
Orhan Pamuk's Museum of Innocence is contributing to these local changes. Thirteen years ago, the author bought a run-down corner house and had it carefully renovated. Its dark red color pays homage to the bygone wooden villas on the Bosporus. The houses here are typically very narrow and tall.
Product designer Carlotta Werner and artist Johanna Sunder-Plassmann spent three years renovating and designing the museum. For the two Germans, it was their first major project abroad.
The three-story house, originally built in 1898, was reconstructed with the help of historical blueprints and photographs. Old sliding windows were put in and creaking wood floors were laid. The original steep, narrow staircase was kept intact.
The German team worked together with Turkish craftspeople, nearly all of whom came from the local neighborhood. The design was inspired by Turkish architectural styles and forms. One example is the elliptical terrazzo floor in the entry, which can often be found in finer Istanbul homes.
For product designer Carlotta Werner, the details were crucial in setting the tone in the museum - from the texture of the fabrics to the dimmed lighting. She had the challenge of keeping an overview of the construction schedule while planning the minuscule details of the display cases.
The museum intentionally recalls a comfortable living room, which Pamuk describes in his novel, rather than a cool, modern exhibition hall. There are 83 display cases, one for each chapter of the book.
In Pamuk's novel, "Museum of Innocence," a wealthy resident of Istanbul falls in love with a clerk and collects all the objects she touches. These items - originals from the 1970s - can now be seen in the museum. Orhan Pamuk found them all himself at flea markets, from friends or in his own family's archives.
A number of newspaper clipping and historical photos can be seen in the exhibition. They tell of increasing military dominance in Turkey and the leftist student unrest of the 1970s. As in the novel, Pamuk paints a detailed portrait of the Turkey of that time.
A newly opened museum in Istanbul recalls Orhan Pamuk's Turkey of the 1970s and 80s.
