Project Name: ATOLYE Istanbul Bomontiada

Location: Bomontiada - Birahane Sokak, No: 1, Bomonti Beer Factory, Sisli, Istanbul 

Client: Self

Program: Shared office, event space, seminar room, fabrication room 

Area: 700m2

Scope: Interior fitout (architecture + engineering + furniture) of an existing, core-and-shell renovation project. 

Timeline: April 2014 - October 2015 

PROJECT NARRATIVE

ATOLYE Istanbul is an interdisciplinary creativity and interaction platform, geared towards bringing together freelancers, startup companies and the wider public in an inspiring post-industrial setting within Bomontiada, Istanbul’s new emerging cultural hub.

The project’s foundational motivation is to create moments of serendipity and synergy by strategically programming the space to accommodate a wide range of uses: isolated work, group collaboration, rapid fabrication, exhibition and education.

In this project, four deliberate strategies are employed:

• Adjacency-based architectural layout: Visually neighboring yet acoustically

  separated areas for thinking, making, learning and sharing create fluidity within the space, allowing the individual to seamlessly pursue their creative journey without going into the more distracting urban condition of Istanbul.

• Future-proofed, high-performance technical infrastructure: H​igh-load-bearing ceiling superstructure, exposed beams, abundant plugs, visible electrical trays, high-speed fiber connectivity, moveable walls, dimmable lighting, high-capacity ventilation, locally controllable heating-cooling systems and real-time energy tracking systems all serve to easily modify spatial programs over time.

• Custom designed, locally crafted modular furniture: A new product line entitled CNVS, designed by the same team, utilizes locally-sourced, ecologically manufactured, natural materials such as FSC plywood, recycled chipboard and regional steel, coupled with ubiquitous wheels and adjustable separators to allow

  for maximum flexibility. Curved corners in most pieces accent the fluid nature of member circulation, whereas visible joints highlight the tectonics of construction. Whiteboards and natural uncolored felt expand use capacity by allowing writeable surfaces and pin-up walls for ideation along with acoustic absorption for event planning.

•  Incomplete Design: C​ybernetic feedback systems such as post-occupancy evaluation surveys, spatial timelapses, member workshops and the availability of a makerlab allow making a ‘self-learning’ system, with budget provided to realize new design interventions within 6 months after occupation. This way, occupants have a differentiated sense of belonging, affecting the space in an emergent manner. This strategy allows for iteration potential for built environment, a rare occurrence in most projects.

  Altogether, for ATÖLYE İstanbul, architectural design is a by-product of a larger system, an entrepreneurship endeavor that is focusing on a truly transdisciplinary design: from branding to interface, from furniture to space. Ultimately, the design acts as a tacit, yet influential body language of an emerging independent institution, one where the aspiration is to seed, nurture and witness new startups and design projects at all scales.