Architecture Wednesday: Karakoy House

What’s the deal with Istanbul? I never thought of it as a hotbed of architectural brilliance, or even post-industrial, retro-punk chic, but there it is; and here it is.

Karakoy Loft is a 2,000 square foot penthouse in the heart of Istanbul, facing an old Armenian church. Karakoy had always been the heart of the commerce in Istanbul, but now the old neighborhood is getting more hip and active with many new art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and hotels. And this home; the penthouse is situated right in the middle of this hustle and bustle, but the design is based on the client’s love of the outdoors and nature.

The idea was to take a dark space and open it up to the light, with small windows along the front enlarged, and with new folding windows that slide the width of the building to transform the living room into a balcony; a large rectangular skylight was inserted just below the peak of the pitch to provide light and view to the mezzanine.

Since the home was designed for a bachelor, it was planned for a single person’s use; there was no need to divide the space into small rooms.

One wall was designed for storage, with a simple system designed with iron rods climbing two floors and running the length of the house. Various shelving units and accessories were designed to fit this system, such as a single shelf, double or triple story shelves, vertical separators or hanging units. The user may arrange and utilize this storing system however he likes; as a library, a woodshed, kitchen storage, or a wardrobe.

The other long wall facing this busy storage system was designed with the least amount of movement as possible to create a serene side; the wall was covered with natural stone in varied sizes and starts in the living room and continues all the way up and through the bedroom.

The flooring was with natural stone in an irregular angle to create a sense of casualness; only the guest room, which faces north, has a warm wooden floor. A sense of warmth was further created via the use of a ceiling and walls of iroko wood, which is also used to create a wide seating unit in front of the window.

Finally, the cast-concrete block surface which was created to form the kitchen counter framed in an iron structure, steps down and forms itself into a cantilevering dining table and ends up as a short plinth along the hearth, which also allows extra seating around the table.

It’s very retro-new-post-industrial-steam-punk chic … in Istanbul of all places!

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Architecture Wednesday: A Duplex in Istanbul

This duplex apartment in the Galata district of Istanbul can be yours for just $875,000. Sure, it’s one bedroom, but it’s in a small, boutique building with just eight other apartments and it’s old.

The stone foundation and walls date back to the 1800s; that’s enticing enough, that sense of history. But this 2,000-sqaure-foot apartment is also the only one with a private entrance: an original steel door, which has been restored and opens into the dining room. The floors on this level are original wide-plank wood, and part of the apartment has handcrafted Turkish vaulted ceilings. Beyond the dining room is a bridge, overlooking the lower level that leads to an open kitchen, terrace and master bedroom.

The kitchen has custom red cabinets and butcher-block countertops; appliances are stainless steel. A set of French windows off the kitchen lead to the small terrace, which also adjoins the master bedroom. The bedroom has a walk-in closet and a small half-bathroom.

Stairs off the bridge — crafted of original stones found on-site — descend to the lounge and living room areas, along with a large storage closet and full bathroom. The living room has a working fireplace carved into the stone walls, and built-in bookshelves, while the bathroom has a restored cast-iron bathtub and shower. Its rustic stone walls are accented with Turkish-style tile that also adorns the countertops.

Plus, plus, the apartment’s furniture is included in the asking price … and, if you’re so inclined, you can actually buy the entire building for a hair above $8 million. Who’s in?

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