In the 1950s, modern apartment buildings began to dominate the skyline of Nişantaşı, particularly the renowned Valikonağı Street. At the end of this street stood the Yapı Kredi Bank building, co-designed by leading architects Doğan Tekeli and Sami Sisa as part of a 1972 architectural competition. The building quickly became the most iconic of its time, and today it forms the foundation of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Istanbul.
Located on the Valikonağı Street, the project is placed in a single block that offers a sense of seclusion away from the street’s bustle. Each of the units and common areas at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Istanbul benefit from the landscape and light, an infusion of life reflecting the dynamic energy of Nişantaşı. The architects’ design philosophy tells the story of life as it is lived inside the building. This approach is evident in the flexible layout of the apartments and has transformed the building into a vibrant display of Nişantaşı living.
The redevelopment project designed by Tanju Özelgin, owner of TO Design Studio, as a contemporary interpretation of the design spirit of the 1970s. The interior concept designed by Mahmut Anlar’s firm Geo_ID.
One key requirement of the project was that the structure not disturb its surroundings. Instead, a natural extension of the existing structure was developed to meet residents’ needs both today and tomorrow. The building’s dark facade eases its mass and maintains harmony with the surrounding structures, making it a solemn, respectable overseer of the city below.
“The basic design principle of the project can be perceived as transformation—a natural transformation of the old. In other words, it’s the same family, but a new generation, like the grandfather-grandchild relationship. The same concept is valid for the sculptures designed for the project. The transformation of a form into another form: both making each other stronger, neither existing without the other.”
– Tanju Özelgin
In the 1950s, modern apartment buildings began to dominate the skyline of Nişantaşı, particularly the renowned Valikonağı Street. At the end of this street stood the Yapı Kredi Bank building, co-designed by leading architects Doğan Tekeli and Sami Sisa as part of a 1972 architectural competition. The building quickly became the most iconic of its time, and today it forms the foundation of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, İstanbul.
Located on the Valikonağı Street, the project is placed in a single block that offers a sense of seclusion away from the street’s bustle. Each of the units and common areas at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, İstanbul benefit from the landscape and light, an infusion of life reflecting the dynamic energy of Nişantaşı. The architects’ design philosophy tells the story of life as it is lived inside the building. This approach is evident in the flexible layout of the apartments and has transformed the building into a vibrant display of Nişantaşı living.
The redevelopment project designed by Tanju Özelgin, owner of TO Design Studio, as a contemporary interpretation of the design spirit of the 1970s. The interior concept designed by Mahmut Anlar’s firm Geo_ID.
One key requirement of the project was that the structure not disturb its surroundings. Instead, a natural extension of the existing structure was developed to meet residents’ needs both today and tomorrow. The building’s dark facade eases its mass and maintains harmony with the surrounding structures, making it a solemn, respectable overseer of the city below.
The basic design principle of the project can be perceived as transformation—a natural transformation of the old. In other words, it’s the same family, but a new generation, like the grandfather – grandchild relationship. The same concept is valid for the sculptures designed for the project. The transformation of a form into another form: both making each other stronger, neither existing without the other.
– Tanju Özelgin
