AÇEV Offices

2022, İstanbul, Türkiye

Completed in less than 60 days, the new offices for Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV) is Studio Pines’ second major design and built work. Built within very tight budget constraints, the project achieved to provide a fine spatial quality while staying within affordable costs. In order to overcome the budget limitations, some existing office furniture was transported to the new HQ instead of replacing them with brand new ones.

The aim of the project was to introduce flexibility to the workspace which had always been a missing element in the previous office. Thus both long tables and high tables were placed in open offices to accommodate different working options as well as different working ergonomics.

A mix of shared tables, lounge seating, and window-side workstations supports different working styles, while reused and reconfigured furniture and partitions give the space a warm, resourceful character.

The long tables provide a desk for hybrid workers; the lounge sofas come with more comfort and less formality while the high table offers an alternative working environment by the windows, providing a view of the city along with more natural light.

The existing low-height storage units were repaired and covered with brand new countertop and sides to give them a fresh and warmer look. Executive desks are also salvaged from second hand furniture, repaired and modified before transporting to the site. A similar strategy was implemented on glass partitions; due to changes in the layout certain glass partitions were demounted, carried to their new positions and re-installed. All these operations required craftiness and dexterity both on site and on paper.

The open and semi-open terraces function as flexible extensions of the office, supporting informal meetings, work, and breaks rather than serving as passive outdoor areas.

The terrace space, which is divided into both open and semi-open terraces, is one of most important premises of the project, second only to open office areas. More than mere coffee-and-cigarette-break joints, these areas are the most flexible space of the layout thus can be used for many activities. For example, the defining elements of the terraces – the picnic tables- act both as informal meeting tables and lunch spaces while the comfortable rocking chairs could be used both for resting and zoom meetings.

AÇEV Offices

2022, İstanbul, Türkiye

Interior, Completed, 535 m²

Client

Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV)

Team

Volkan Taşkın, Özge Meriç, Lalegül Okçu, Gülce Atan

Collaborators

Site Manager

Ömer Savaş

Electrical Works

CMT Elektrik

HVAC and Sanitary Works

Atölye Mekanik

Joinery Works

Konak Mobilya

Office Furniture

Nurus