In the 1950s, the rational architectural approach that developed within the framework of the International Style originating from the West created a modernization dynamic extending from the center to the periphery in Turkey. Modern architectural practices concentrated in city centers began to show themselves in the periphery with the contributions of engineers and architects. The rational architectural approach that took shape in the West in the 20th century became widespread in Turkey, especially through public buildings. In this context, the question of how the center-to-periphery modernization process in late 1950s Turkish architecture was shaped constitutes the motivation of this study. Within the scope of the study, an educational structure in the periphery of Kayseri was selected in order to discuss the spatial reflections of this process, and its design and production processes were detailed. Pınarbaşı High School, designed by Civil Engineer Kamil Kundakçıoğlu in the Pınarbaşı district between 1959 and 1962, was examined in order to find the counterpart of modernization in the periphery by using qualitative research methods such as literature review, observation, documentation, and oral history techniques. The findings show that the structure shaped by modern rational principles differs with the use of local materials and regional dynamics. The results of the study offer a new perspective on the modernization process in Turkey in the context of center-periphery.

Keywords: Educational buildings, rational architecture, modernization, Pınarbaşı High School, Civil Engineer Kamil Kundakçıoğlu.