Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Metu Journal of the Faculty of Architecture, cilt.42, sa.1, ss.155-179, 2025 (AHCI)
In addition to maintaining the architectural understanding of the past in his works, Mimar Sinan reinterpreted and shaped the architectural forms of his period and inspired many buildings built in the following periods. Many innovations brought by Mimar Sinan, especially in mosque design, are still being tried to be understood and analyzed today using modern Technologies. Mimar Sinan reinterpreted both the physical and sembolic value of light in Turkish architecture extending from Central Asia to Anatolia in mosque architecture and created impressive examples. When the studies on the relationship between light and space in Mimar Sinan mosques are examined, it is seen that qualitative studies based on observation are generally focused on and objective studies are included to a limited extent. This study focuses on the analytical determination of the space-light relationship in Mimar Sinan mosques. For an objective evaluation, the research was limited to buildings in close proximity to each other with a similar plan and covering scheme; fourteen mosques in Istanbul with a central domed plan scheme, where Mimar Sinan Sinan exhibited his most important works, and the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, which is considered to be his pinnacle work, were examined. The study aims to determine the distribution of daylight entering the interior space and the parameters affecting this distribution in the fifteen buildings. Two different methods, in-situ light measurement and simulation analysis, were used in the study. Firstly, digital models of the buildings were created, then these models were transferred to Velux Daylight Visualiser, a natural light simulation program, and the lux values obtained were compared with the values obtained from in-place light measurement. All numerical data obtained were transferred to comparative analysis tables and space-light analysis was carried out in Mimar Sinan mosques using these tables. As a result of the study, it was seen that some of the qualitative researches based on observation about the relationship between light and space in Mimar Sinan mosques corresponded with analytical results, while some did not. In addition, according to the lux values recommended by the Commission Internationale de l´Eclairage (CIE) for religious buildings, it is understood that natural lighting is generally sufficient in these mosques. According to the findings of the research, it is thought that Mimar Sinan aimed to create spaces with a more homogeneous light rather than a quantitative diversity of light in mosque architecture, especially in the Selimiye Mosque, which is considered to be his pinnacle work, he aimed to provide the most balanced, smooth, equal and homogeneous space-light relationship.