Located between major highways near one of Istanbul’s international airports, this LEED "Gold"-rated project transforms the decontaminated site of an industrial-chemical factory into a technology campus for Turkey’s Garanti bank. The crystalline volume of its four identical office floors sits on several organic, sedum-roofed "hills" housing, among other facilities, two auditoriums, educational meeting spaces, cafeterias, bridge lounges and a data centre. The client initially demanded separate four-storey blocks, but the area requested was excessive and they are happier with the freedom of movement and access to external areas that the final design provides. The "floating" volume incorporates suspended bridge structures and glazed screen walls over 30 metre spans - the widest cantilevers supported by rooftop composite beams. The building is cooled via a Variable Air Volume system providing 100 percent fresh air for the offices, while glazing types were selected to respond to the needs of climatic conditions, reducing heat gain.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
