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Editor's Picks: Design Highlights below. For the full collection click here. Barriers Made of Concrete and Oyster Shells Mitigate Erosion and Offer Alluring New Habitats on Australia's Coastline Lidar-Derived Aerial Maps Reveal the Dramatic Meandering Changes in River Banks Over Millennia Elaborately Detailed Illustrations of Japanese Hotel Rooms by Kei Endo Highlight Architecture and Ornament Go Behind the Scenes to Glimpse the Exacting Process of Creating Tiffany-Style Lampshades The Adorably Whimsical 'Deer Train' Transports Visitors to Japan's Famed Nara Park Matt Stevens Digitally Conjures Acclaimed Movies Into Hyperrealistic Vintage Paperbacks See the rest of the Collection >> Design History #architecture #birdhouses #birds #Turkey The Ornate Bird Palaces of Ottoman-Era Turkey July 28, 2017 Kate Sierzputowski [house-4] Several photos courtesy of Caner Cangul An important element of Ottoman architecture in Turkey was the addition of birdhouses affixed to the outer walls of significant city structures, a safe space for regular avian guests to nest outside of mosques, inns, bridges, libraries, schools, and fountains. The birdhouses were not simple concrete structures, but rather elaborate feats of miniature architecture that ranged from one-story homes to multiple-story bird mansions. Each was designed with a similar design aesthetic to the country's larger buildings, simultaneously providing shelter to sparrows, swallows, and pigeons while preventing bird droppings from corroding the walls of the surrounding architecture. In addition to providing shelter, the birdhouses fulfilled a religious vision. They were thought to grant good deeds to those that built the tiny homes. Through their abundance and care, the structures encouraged a love of animals in the Turkish public, citizens who adopted several nicknames for the homes over the years including "kus kosku" (bird pavilions), "guvercinlik" (dovecots) and "serce saray" (sparrow palace). Only some of these bird mansions remain today, however their place is firmly rooted in Turkish history. Nearly every city in the country contains examples of the bird homes, the oldest example, a 16th-century house attached to the Buyukcekmece Bridge, still surviving in Istanbul. (via Jeroen Apers) [house-5] [house-3-1] [house-2-1] [house-8] [house-7] #architecture #birdhouses #birds #Turkey Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. You'll connect with a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, read articles and newsletters ad-free, sustain our interview series, get discounts and early access to our limited-edition print releases, and much more. Join now! 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