Esas Aeropark / Tabanlioglu Architects

Curated by ArchDaily

Text description provided by the architects. The site is located at the Asian side of Istanbul, between two parallel roads, one being the highway to Istanbul’s second international airport Sabiha Gökçen. The main construction consists of 2 separate blocks with 7 and 9 floors, respective to the site topography. Besides the office and residential floors, the anchor of the building is Pegasus Airlines.

Above the Pegasus’ office, which has a direct entrance at the street level, there are office floors of the ESAS. The uppermost floors of the rear building are designed as residential units between 60 to 120 sqm, designed to be rented by airline professionals and long-term visitors. The facing building is let for other offices. Soft curves of each two building, location of spaces and their connection arcs create an elegant flow; the major reason of the form comes from the idea of breaking the strong north-east wind. Positioning of the two building is relative to the movement of the sun, and grant optimum daylight for both masses.

Curvilinear parallel facades of the two buildings produce a semi-sheltered, 20 meters wide pedestrian link that forms an integral part of the network of neighborhood connections. Small cafés as meeting places, not only for the direct users but also for local people, take place on the passage.

Beside balconies and terraces, each of the buildings has high atriums with open roofs that grant natural air and optimum daylight at interiors. At the ground floors, these atriums serve as patios to meet and relax. The roof of Pegasus is designed as a roof garden that is located in front of the communal area of the residential floors, housing gym and the spa. One of the attraction points of the modest complex is the “simulation zone” which is located below ground at the upper elevation; having transparent glass openings on top, the curious passer-bys are welcome to take a look at. Conceptually the building is a permeable and transparent workspace with the choice of visibility and interaction with the existing surroundings.