Dynamic, Prestigious, Comfortable: AKYAPI OFFICE | Gonye Design

The Akyapı Office, designed by Istanbul based Gonye Proje Tasarim, is prioritizing comfort but at the same time providing a modern working environment to the users with its functional setup.

Architect Yelin Evcen and Interior Architect Gönül Ardal, founders of Gönye Proje Tasarım which has put its stamp on the interior design of outstanding branded residence and office projects in Turkey, have aimed at designing working environments in which comfort and functionality are prioritized, and where one can spend time with pleasure in an appealing atmosphere at the corporate office of Akyapı Company. Gönye Proje Tasarım achieved a modern and elegant style in the entirerity of the three floor office and made a dynamic design by taking into account the young average age of the company employees.

Gönye Proje Tasarım which undertook the interior architecture of Metro 34 office building which was constructed by Akyapı and the top three floors of which were being planned to be used as the company headquarters, designed each floor for different functions and created the spatial setup most suitable for the users. There are working offices, meeting rooms and a cafeteria on the first floor of the project, the second floor has been designed as the management floor with managers' rooms and the assistant and guest lobby and also a large meeting room. On the third floor there is a VIP room with a high ceiling where special customers and guests will be hosted, and also a kitchen at the service of this room as well as a gymnasium.

Venues enriched with the choice of materials used...

There are help desks on two floors of the Akyapı Office and Gönye Proje Tasarım has preferred to use three dimensional concrete materials and leather panels on the vertical surfaces of the waiting lounges. On the first floor they used exposed concrete next to wooden panels on the walls and wished to amplify the sculpture-like effect of the panels by use of hidden lights. Additionally, on a part of the back wall of the counter, a glass separator has been preferred in order to allow natural light inside.

In the cafeteria they have gone beyond the ordinary standards and an atmosphere has been created where the company employees can spend a pleasant time during lunch breaks, away from workplace stress. The colorful tiles on the floor have been used together with specially designed wall papers with images of city maps. The sofa fabrics are also specially selected in vivid colors with the aim of increasing the energy and by taking into account the harmony inside the location...

Functional and ergonomic working environments...

Gönye Proje Tasarım planned the workrooms of the company partners by taking into consideration their personal tastes and hobbies so that they can work in a functional and comfortable environment and host their guests with pleasure. They have designed a six-meter-long aquarium and a special cabinet integrated in it. Gönye Proje Tasarım has prioritized comfort and selected ergonomic designs for the office furniture and used natural leather, metal profiles and special fabrics in the furniture in order to create an elegant office atmosphere.

Gönye Proje Tasarım Founding Partner Architect Yelin Evcen has indicated that a special door design has been made on the management floor using guy lines between two glasses for the meeting room door which is sliding into the wall and she stated further: "In the meeting room the ceiling is also made of glass surfaces so as to allow more light inside. Motor-driven curtain systems with special fabric have been installed so that the sun light will not disturb people. Painted glasses have been used in order to create a deeper effect in the vertical in the waiting lounges facing the hall where there is the board meeting room. A library made up of different materials and in which managers can place their awards, books and documents, was designed in the corridor . Patterned natural stones and wood siding have been used for the surfaces of counters. Volacas marble was used on the other hand for the top and the sides of the counter. The embedded led strip lights on the floor will also be used for directing people. The restrooms for the guests in this location have been specially designed with an elegant style and for great comfort. The wood siding in the panel system next to the concrete material helped us to achieve a warm environment."

Gönye Proje Tasarım has allocated large areas for landscape and created green areas around the office with large botanic terraces. Large glass facades have been used in order not to interrupt contact with the plants and multiple exits to the gardens were built.

Prestigious VIP Room...

The VIP Room has been designed as a multi-purpose venue where the board meetings will be held, where the company managers will host their guests and have meals with them and also in order to rest.

Gönye Proje Tasarım used reflective glass to cover the lift which goes upto the VIP floor from the management floor, used steel construction in the lift area and used massive wooden floor for the steps. A prestigious and modern location has been created using exposed concrete panels and natural materials together with hidden lighting.

In the room which is surrounded by glass on three sides and the ceiling, there is a motor-driven curtain system to shade the light when desired. This venue has a high ceiling and in order to give it a warmer atmosphere the supporting steel beams and columns have been covered with wood siding and hard coal color lace to create contrast with the wood and supported with hidden lighting and spots. The ceiling is inclined in some areas so as to match with the architecture of the building.

Gönye Proje Tasarım Founding Partner Interior Architect Gönül Ardal explains that the black slit illumination used on the ceiling is also present on the vertical surface and was used as a functional wall lamp which also appears as a separate illuminated wall along with the space separating it from the coat room and she gives the following details regarding the choice of materials: "The natural stone wall coating which is used besides the door has been specially selected from the stone company so that it could be applied as a 'bookmark'. Massive parquet with a special pattern and rugs have been used on the floor so as to give both the managers and the guests a calm, quite and spacious working environment. Comfort factor has been taken into consideration in the selection of furniture."