Vedat Tek in the context of Ottoman architecture in the 19th–20th centuries

Ottoman architecture is an architectural style that developed under the Ottoman Empire over a long period, undergoing some significant changes during its history. It first emerged in northwestern Anatolia around the end of the 13th century and developed from earlier Seljuk Turkish architecture, with influences from Byzantine and Iranian architecture along with other architectural traditions in the Middle East. Early Ottoman architecture experimented with multiple building types over the course of the 13th to 15th centuries, progressively evolving into the classical Ottoman style of the 16th and 17th centuries. This style integrated the Ottoman tradition with influences from the Hagia Sophia, resulting in monumental mosque buildings focused around a high central dome with a varying number of semi-domes. The most important architect of the classical period is Mimar Sinan, whose major works include the Şehzade Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque, and Selimiye Mosque. The second half of the 16th century also saw the apogee of certain Ottoman decorative arts, most notably in the use of Iznik tiles.

Beginning in the 18th century, Ottoman architecture was opened to external influences, particularly Baroque architecture in Western Europe. Changes appeared during the style of the Tulip Period, followed by the emergence of the Ottoman Baroque style in the 1740s. The Nuruosmaniye Mosque is one of the most important examples of this period. The architecture of the 19th century saw more influences imported from Western Europe, brought in by architects such as those from the Balyan family. Empire style and Neoclassical motifs were introduced and a trend towards eclecticism was evident in many types of buildings, such as the Dolmabahçe Palace. The last decades of the Ottoman Empire saw the development of a new Ottoman revivalist style, also known as the First National Architectural Movement, by architects such as Mimar Kemaleddin and Vedat Tek. Since the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in 1922, the traditional Ottoman style has been imitated in the construction of many new mosques in Turkey and in some constructions projects beyond Turkey.

The First national architecture movement (Turkish: Birinci Ulusal Mimarlık Akımı), also referred to in Turkey as the National architecture Renaissance (Turkish: Millî Mimari Rönesansı), or Turkish Neoclassical architecture (Turkish: Neoklasik Türk Üslûbu), was a period of Turkish architecture that was most prevalent between 1908 and 1930 but continued until the end of the 1930s. Inspired by Ottomanism, the movement sought to capture classical elements of Ottoman and Anatolian Seljuk architecture and use them in the construction of modern buildings. Despite the style focusing on Ottoman aspects, it was most prevalent during the first decade of the Republic of Turkey.

The most important architects of the movement were Ahmet Kemaleddin and Vedat Tek, who pioneered the movement, as well as Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu and Ottoman-born architect of Italian descent Giulio Mongeri.

Ahmed Kemaleddin (Ottoman Turkish: احمد كمال الدين; 1870 – 13 July 1927), widely known as Mimar Kemaleddin (Architect Kemaleddin) was a Turkish architect, and one of the leading figures of the First National architectural movement, alongside Vedat Tek.