Project Overview

Located at the western edge of the Filyos Port in Zonguldak, Turkey, the new 35,197 ft² headquarters for Turkish Petroleum A.O.’s new headquarters is a stunning office space overlooking the Black Sea. Inspired by the surrounding environment and the significant historical and cultural importance of the site, Melike Altinisik Architects designed a visually striking structure whose aesthetic was made possible through the installation of more than 2500 glass-fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC) panels.

A Signature Structure

Turkish Petroleum’s new three-story headquarters was constructed on a transformed breakwater space. A section of the existing breakwater was converted into a 360-ft-wide, 98-ft-deep “interface space” that, according to the architects, “establishes a bridge between history, nature, and technology, where the borders become spatial and the relationships between spaces become blurred.” The breakwater was also raised from 15 to 30 ft, bringing the building’s highest elevation point to just under 56 ft.

Inside, the ground floor of the building offers a shared space for employees and visitors consisting of a main entrance, lobby, kitchen, and technical area. At the core of the headquarters is a two-story atrium that generates visual and circulative connections among all spaces. Above the atrium sits the facility’s primary conference room, which offers stunning views of the Black Sea and can accommodate up to 50 people. The building also includes open office areas, a cafeteria, additional meeting spaces, and more.

The use of precast concrete panels helped the architects achieve their vision for the new headquarters. More than half of the roof was manufactured using adaptive mold technologies. This approach shortened the construction timeline and decreased the amount of waste generated. As precast concrete was used, joints that would have interfered with the building’s signature curved aesthetic could be hidden. Additionally, due to the project’s location, the building’s façade is subject to significant environmental challenges, including saltwater and intense UV exposure. GFRC panels help mitigate the potential detrimental effects of the environment, offering a durable shell that is both visually mesmerizing and resilient.

Mason Nichols is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based writer and editor who has covered the precast concrete industry since 2013.

Owner:

Turkish Petroleum A.O., Zonguldak, Turkey

PCI-Certified Precast Concrete Producer:

Fibrobeton Yapi Elemanlari San. Ins. Tic. A.S., Istanbul, Turkey

Architect:

MAA - Melike Altinisik Architects, Istanbul, Turkey

Engineer of Record:

Werner Sobek, Stuttgart, Germany

General Contractor:

Saridaglar Ins. ve Tic. A.S., Ankara, Turkey

Project Cost:

$22.5 million ($2.25 million for the precast concrete)

Project Size:

35,197 ft²

Key Project Attributes

• Turkish Petroleum A.O.’s new headquarters is positioned at the intersection of the Filyos River and the Black Sea in Zonguldak, Turkey.
• The three-story structure contains open office areas, a lobby, a two-story atrium, an observation deck, and more.
• At the construction site, the breakwater was raised from 15 to 30 ft, bringing the building’s highest elevation point to just under 56 ft.

Project/Precast Scope

• More than 2500 GFRC panels comprise the facade of the new headquarters.
• The use of precast concrete brought many advantages to the project, including faster erection, less waste, and protection against the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation and saltwater.
• Erection of the precast concrete components was completed between July 2023 and January 2024.