Muharrem Hilmi Şenalp | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957 (age 68–69) Konya, Turkey |
| Alma mater | Istanbul Technical University Yıldız Technical University |
| Occupation | Architect |
Muharrem Hilmi Şenalp (born 1957 inKonya, Turkey) is a Turkish architect. His work is often inspired byOttoman architecture. He has been called Turkish presidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğan's "court architect", and is a close friend of the president. His company, Hassa Architecture, specializes inneo-Ottoman style. Şenalp takes inspiration from 16th century architectMimar Sinan, who worked forSuleiman the Magnificent.[1][2]: 56–57 [3]
He attended high school inKonya, and graduated from theIstanbul Technical University in 1981.[2]
His work include the newTokyo Mosque in Japan,[4] theErtuğrul Gazi Mosque in Turkmenistan,[2]: 62 theŞehitlik Mosque in Berlin,[2]: 56 and theDiyanet Center of America in Maryland, U.S.[5]
Kishwar Rizvi, professor of Islamic art, says "Hilmi Şenalp's mosques are a signature of Turkish identity, exported throughthe diaspora as reminders of the home nation, and built in foreign lands as diplomatic gifts of brotherhood."[2]: 66 [6] She states that the mosques, sponsored by the Turkish government, seems to equate ethnicity with religious identity, and compares him withVedat Dalokay, who designed theFaisal Mosque inIslamabad. Şenalp says "The mosque is the heart of our civilization, Turkish-Islamic civilization."[2]: 28, 199 ASETA Foundation publication says "Beyond doubt, the architectural designs of Şenalp, whether traditional or contemporary, is a deliberate manifestation of a quest for identity of its architect and of its sponsors. This approach reinterprets the traditional forms in such a way that it is related to the past, history and memory."[7]
Other projects include theMimar Sinan Mosque inAtaşehir, Istanbul, one of Erdoğan's residences and a monument commemorating victims of the2016 Turkishcoup d'état attempt.[8][9][10][11]