Restitution process in conservation: Exploring the historical adventure of Derik former government building

Abstract

Derik Former Government Building, with its architectural structure, is one of the leading examples of civil architecture that reflects the local architecture and construction technique of Derik District of Mardin. The building was registered as the 1st Group in 2006 and is not being used today. It has been used in different functions by the local people until today and has taken its current form with the additions made in different periods. In the archive records scanning, no information or document was found that the restoration project was drawn. In this context, it is necessary to reveal the historical evolution of the building in order to ensure the sustainability of the building and to maintain its historical identity. The aim of the restitution research of the historical building is to determine the changes that the building has undergone until today, to find its original state based on scientific data, to find the periods it went through and to lay the groundwork for the restoration work. As a method in the study, comparative studies were made with examples of similar periods, and determinations were made about the structure in line with the existing traces in the building. In addition, oral interviews were conducted with the people living in the region in order to better understand the historical process of the building. In the results of the study, it was determined that there were two periods related to the structure. It is understood that the upper floor was built later, since the traces from the building, the door and window alignments, the construction technique and the wall alignments of the lower and upper floors are not in the same direction. It is not known exactly when the ground floor was built, but according to the inscription on the mosque next to it, it was built before 1846. It is estimated that the first floor was built at the end of the 19th century.