Mehmet Beşe Polatkan, Architect / YTÜ

Today, the rapid depletion of resources, the shrinking of the world and the fact that time has become more valuable than in the past have made it necessary to design fast, economical, functional, functional, operating - usage costs are minimised, and spaces with high aesthetic value in limited areas, in limited times, with limited costs. Minimalism, which is perceived as a fashion by many circles and which is actually a reflection within rationalism, one of the main principles of "Modernism", which has always been valid, is often consumed in our country in a Mannerist form (defence and application without knowing its real meanings and basic reasons) as if it were a brand new understanding and reduced to memorised slogans. In fact, this grave situation, starting from the last days of the Ottoman Empire and extending to the present day, not only in architecture but in all scientific and cultural fields, is realised by imitating imported popular objects or understandings without being assimilated or questioned. The following text summarises an interior architectural design and application that is tried to be created with a rational philosophy without exaggeration, by reconsidering an architectural problem within the framework of this understanding:

The 130 m2 office, located on the 12th floor of Block A.1, Block 12 in Istanbul World Trade Centre, was designed for Good to Great Consultant Group, a consultancy firm. The requirements programme was quite large for the size of the office; it consisted of (3m / person) entrance, reception and waiting, a meeting room for six people, a staff office for three people, a tea and relaxation area that allows users to rest after classes that can last up to 8 hours, and a training room for thirty people. The entrance-counselling area is reached through an inviting, side transparent entrance door that evokes an interior door and brings the lift hall and office relationship closer. The company logo was emphasised with point lighting and enriched with an information board, giving the space its function. In addition, a harmonious transition between the office and the lift hall, which is covered with artificial granite, was achieved by using ceramic tile, a hard coating material on the floor. The fact that the office and the training room can also be perceived from this space has been transformed with the concept of "transparency", which is identified with the functioning and working style of the company. The other floors after the entrance counselling area were covered with maple laminate flooring to create a warm and soft effect. The transparent gaps created on the wall separating the training room from the working room, to be opened during training sessions that do not require intense concentration, were provided with natural aluminium joinery double blinds, allowing the office, which is not very large, to be perceived larger than it is.

The training room, which constitutes the major part of the requirement programme, was changed to a linear plan in the inner part of the office away from daylight. The floor type fan coil system allocated to each office was not able to respond to such a loaded programme. Therefore, a ceiling type fan coil was installed only in the training room. The study hall and meeting room were designed to be open to natural light and views. The tea and resting area was added to the 3 m2 triangular area with sea view, which was close to the main installation shaft and which could not be utilised in any other way, and it was turned into a place where as many guests as possible could rest and have a drink during intensive trainings. In order to appeal to as many users as possible, it was supported with narrow burgundy counters that do not take up space. The walls, floor and ceiling were used as a backdrop with light colour tones, and dominant dark colours were used at the points to be emphasised, provided that they were not repeated too often. The staff seats were designed in dark burgundy, the seats in the training hall were designed in dark navy blue, and the tea and resting benches and stools were designed in vivid colours such as ochre and red.Wooden furniture was offered to the service of users by using light maple wood laminate coating that will not tire the eyes and make the spaces that are not wide feel even narrower. Working groups in the open office system are separated by 120 cm high office cabinets behind the desk. Suspended ceilings, modular and demountable, where full fire safety, air conditioning and electrical installations are hidden, were considered. Stone wool suspended ceiling with high moisture resistance and acoustic properties was applied in a way to facilitate revision and maintenance works in the installations. General lighting was provided with 4*18 and 1*18 Flouresant luminaires to save energy.