With the development of a new airport in Istanbul, Turkish Airlines (THY) is building a next-generation campus to support their growing operations. Among these buildings is an industry-advancing operations center that centralizes a variety of functional groups and serves as the site headquarters. We worked closely with THY on the programming, planning, and design of this facility, the showpiece of their campus that will foster camaraderie among colleagues while setting a new standard in operational efficiency.
Housing multiple groups, the mixed-use facility integrates functions that are vital to airport operations, including a crew terminal, operations command center, office / conference center, and employee amenities. We worked closely with THY to sort out their programmatic requirements while being mindful of the interaction between teams who were previously dispersed across different facilities.
The two-level crew terminal accommodates strict security checkpoints, baggage screening, and customs and border clearance for pilots and flight crew navigating between the site's airside and landside zones. The terminal also houses dedicated areas for pilot and crew processing, meetings, dining, and lounging. A four-story office center provides a large conference facility that can accommodate up to 500 people. Our design strengthens the office center's flow through strategic placement of the ground-level offices, meeting room layouts, and an optimized arrival sequence. Set at the top of the building is the operations command center, equipped with customized wall displays for monitoring THY's worldwide flight operations.
Our design successfully synthesizes THY's goals of operational efficiency, sustainability, and security. The building's expression creates a dynamic sense of movement, reflecting THY's brand identity and growth into a truly global carrier.
