Architect (B.
1908, Istanbul- D. July 17, 1961, Istanbul). After graduating from Beyazit
Numune School and Vefa School; he was enrolled in Engineering School (1926),
and he was sent to Switzerland upon the condition of becoming a lecturer upon his return. He
was the student of Otto Rudolf Salvisberg in Zurich Polytechnic School, who was
the pioneer of new ratşonalism in architecture. He completed his architecture
training and returned to Turkey. He was appointed as assistant lecturer at High
Engineer School, Department of Architecture in 1935. He became a professor in
1938 and the head of Architecture Department. He became the emeritus professor
in 1943. When the High Engineering school was transformed into Istanbul
Technical University in 1944; he became the first dean of new Faculty of
Architecture. After conducting this duty for two terms, he became the rector of
ITU. He was Istanbul deputy between 1954-1957; then he returned to his duty at
the university.
Onat was always
active in architectural works since his years as a studenti and until 1939-1940
his works were part of modern architecture. He participated in Istanbul Theater
and Conservatory Project Contest with the nickname "Funktionelli". Hans
Poelzig won the first prize; but Emin Onat's style of open plan was remarkable. Onat showed the
same characteristics in the projects Yürük
Ali Plajı, Belediyeler Bankası and
İstanbul Yolcu Salonu projects to which he participated with Prof. Sabri Oran. In 1940s-1950s, his works
concentrated on local architecture studies. He participated in Istanbul Court
of Justice Contest in 1951 and he stated a modern expression under the impact
of national architecture. The most succesful and biggest work of Emin Onat is
the Anıtkabir project he had prepared with Prof. Orhan Arda. This project had
the first prize in the international contest; and it is one of the first
examples indicating that Turkish architecture was at a level to be recognized
by all foreign architects.
Onat was
selected as the communications member of Royal Institute of British Architects
(1946). He received a honorary doctorate from Hannover University (1956). He
has established the Turkish branch of Union internationale des architectes
(International Union of Architects) and participated in the general council
meeting at Lausanne, representing Turkey (1948).
WORKS:
Yıldız Teknik Okulu Binası (1937), Hamidiye
ve Mahmudiye, Kepirtepe Köy Enstitüleri (with Leman Tomsu, 1941-1942), İstanbul Göztepe Villa Meral (1941), Anıtkabir (with Orhan Arda, 1942-1953), İstanbul Moda Emin Onat Evi (1944), İstanbul
Üniversitesi Fen ve Edebiyat Fakülteleri (with Sedat Hakkı Eldem, 1944), Bursa Vali Konağı (1945-1946), Bursa
Uludağ Sanatoryumu (with Leman Tomsu, 1946), Bursa Yapı ve Kredi Bankası (1948), İTÜ Taşkışla Binası değişim ve onarımı (with Paul Bonatz, 1950), İstanbul Emin Onat'ın Annesinin Evi
(1951), Ankara Kavaklıdere Cenap And Evi
(1952), Ankara Zafer Meydanında Gazino
(1952), Ankara Çankaya Cumhurbaşkanlığı Sekreterlik Binası (1953), İstanbul Taksim Mete Caddesinde Apartman
(1955), İstanbul Sanayi Kalkınma Bankası
(1955), İstanbul Nişantaşı Yüksel
Apartmanı (1955), Ankara Hayat Apartmanı (1956), Ankara Emniyet Sarayı (1956),
İstanbul Moda Sporel Apartmanı (1956-1957), İstanbul Moda Marmara
Apartmanı (1956-1957), İstanbul Moda
Deniz Kulübü (1956-1957), İstanbul
Gümüşsuyu Büro Binası (Devres Han)
(1961).
REFERENCE: Suut Kemal Yetin / Türk Mimarisi (1970), Türkiye Ansiklopedisi (c. 3, s. 1142, 1974), Metin Sözen / Cumhuriyet Dönemi Türk Mimarlığı (1984), Ana Britannica (c. 17, s. 114, 1986), Büyük Larousse (c. 14, s. 8845, 1987), M. Kadri Atabaş / Türk Mimarları (2000), Afife Batur - Z. Ayşe Akyıl -Cengiz Can / M. Emin Onat Yapıları Rehberi (2009), İhsan Işık / Ünlü Sanatçılar (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 5, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013).