Architects and the architectural profession in the Turkish context

Abstract

This article explores the social construction of the architectural profession in the Turkish context from a historical perspective. It investigates architects' views regarding their roles in society and their positions vis-à-vis their clients and users. The data from in-depth interviews conducted with twentyfour practicing architects demonstrate that both traces of elitism and the tendency to define their professional roles to affect people's lives through their designs have prevailed in architects' beliefs and actions to varying degrees.