Synthesis of Opposites

Typically defined as a bridge between East and West, Istanbul’s condition is more accurately described as the pivot point between four regions. In addition to the above noted Europe (west) and Asia (east), it is equally a link between the Slavic world (north) and Arab world (south). As the surrounding regions—along with Turkey itself - have evolved in the post-Cold War period, Istanbul has reemerged as a true crossroads of trade, capital, and ideas. With Istanbul’s population fast approaching 15 millions, there is pressure on the city’s aging and non-seismic-resistant building stock. Coupled with a young population (the average age is 29) and a generally vibrant economy, the overall conditions have been ripe for highrise development.

Istanbul’s rich and layered past is a backdrop to this growth and renewal. It is an ancient city that has served as the capitol of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. The city’s planning, monuments, and architecture reflect these periods. The late modern architecture in Turkey typically generated monotonous, systemized buildings, much of their form predetermined by highly restrictive codes. Adding to the mix and contributing greatly to its sense of place, is Istanbul’s natural environment: the landscape, the Bosporus and the Marmara Sea. Out of this milieu was born Allianz. A new 42-story office tower marking the eastern entrance office tower to the city, it was intended to be a singular, headquarters quality, high performance tower; simultaneously world-class and reflecting its unique locale.

Architectural concept: culture + climate synthesis
Istanbul’s Allianz draws its design from a cultural reading of place. The region offers a limitless territory of ornament and expression. The designers looked beyond superficial analysis of this fertile domain to the realm of deeper interpretation. The office tower brings together sculptural massing, which is rooted in place and landscape; a solar-responsive skin, which alludes to Islamic tradition; and numerous green spaces. Like Istanbul itself, the building is culturally specific yet internationally resonant; it operates locally and also within a larger field of worldwide architectural concerns.

Istanbul is divided by the Bosporus, a narrow strait. The Old City is situated on the western, European side; Allianz is on the Asian side, ten kilometers to the east, at the intersection of two major highways. It’s the first tall building that visitors to the city encounter from the east enroute from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to the city center. This condition as a regional marker influenced the tower’s “obelisk” form.

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Materials provided by FXFOWLE Architects
Photography by David Sundberg