Soyak Kristalkule | Finansbank Headquarters

Istanbul

Occupying an exceptional site at the heart of Istanbul’s new central business district, the Kristalkule complex integrates diverse components while engaging two very different urban contexts.

  • Headquarters & Office
  • Tall Buildings

Facing the burgeoning CBD, with its cluster of highrises, the 35-story glass tower anchors the east end of the site and animates the skyline with a distinctive prismatic form. The upper levels house a soaring sky garden and event space; at street level the building is fronted by a generous entry plaza on one side, while on the other it is joined to an extensive stone-clad base that supports, at the opposite end, a twelve-story office block. With a travertine stone curtain wall and punched windows, the smaller tower reflects the scale and materiality of the adjacent lowrise neighborhood. The base serves as the unifying element, creating cohesion between the two distinct forms.

Stats

  • Site

    Istanbul, Turkey

  • Components

    90,000 m2 / 970,000 ft2 gross area; 170-meter-tall tower, 3-level office complex with a lineal garden, multi-use auditorium, restaurant, cafeteria, and parking for 1,100 cars.

  • Client

    Soyak Construction & Trading Co. (base building); Finansbank (interiors)

  • PCF Services

    Architecture, exterior envelope, interior design

  • Sustainability

    LEED Silver

A series of geometric operations yield a dynamic tower form.
Tower plans

The podium roof is planted with lush greenery while its length is punctuated by an array of indoor and outdoor public spaces, bringing natural light into the interior. Amenities include a conference center, retail spaces, dining options, and meeting areas, all situated above five levels of parking.

Awards

  • Skyscraper Award (#7)
    Emporis, 2014
  • International Architecture Award
    Chicago Athenaeum / European Centre, 2016
  • Design Award of Honor
    Society of American Registered Architects, 2015

Project Credits

  • Associate Architect

    Has Architects Ltd., Istanbul

  • Structural

    Thornton Tomasetti, Inc., New York

  • Mechanical / Electrical / Plumbing

    Jaros Baum & Bolles, New York, NY

  • Mechanical

    Dinamik Proje Engineering and Consulting Co., Ltd., Istanbul

  • Electrical

    Enmar Engineering Ltd., Istanbul

  • Images

    Fernando Guerra, PCF Architects, Soyak Construction & Trading Co.