Atatürk's Planner Jansen's Ankara – Planned and Realized (1927-1939)

The book, written by Prof. Dr. Ali Cengizkan, sheds light on the unknown aspects of Hermann Jansen's Ankara planning efforts.

When Atatürk decided on Ankara's status as the capital on October 13, 1923, he put all his efforts into ensuring it was designed in the best possible way and would remain a living monument of the Republic for future generations. It was necessary to write a future for the city so that its rapidly increasing population could live in modern and contemporary conditions. The initial plans, commissioned to German architect and planner Lörcher in 1924 and 1925, would prove insufficient. The 1927 competition, opened with the support of the Directorate of Reconstruction, would bring Ankara its planner, Prof. Hermann Jansen, with whom Atatürk worked closely. Today, Hermann Jansen, remembered for his modern ideas, persistent design decisions, and foresight, is not only Ankara's planner but also Atatürk's.
 
Ali Cengizkan's book, which chronicles the history of Ankara's planning, illuminates the unknown aspects of Jansen's Ankara planning efforts. As we approach the 100th anniversary of the 1927 competition, it offers new interpretations based on existing documents, opening up different areas of study without repeating previous research. The appendices of the book include documents translated into Turkish for the first time, bringing Atatürk's and Jansen's views on Ankara's planning, albeit indirectly, into discussion for the first time.