This chapter explores how the relationship between electric lighting and architecture evolved in Istanbul during the first fifty years of the Turkish Republic. It traces how artificial light moved from being a bold symbol of modernity to becoming an integral part of building design. It looks at the influence of modernism, the role of architects, and the rise of a more professional approach to lighting design. Through key examples like the Taksim Belediye Gazinosu and the Atatürk Kültür Merkezi, the chapter shows how lighting gradually shifted from a technical concern to a vital element in shaping atmosphere, aesthetics, and everyday experience. In the end, it reflects on how lighting became not just an add-on, but a central part of architectural thought and practice in Istanbul.

*the publication is in Turkish.