Istanbul Sapphire
Skyscraper located in the central business district of Levent in Istanbul
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Istanbul Sapphire, or Sapphire, is a residential skyscraper located in the central business district of Levent in Istanbul, Turkey.
| Istanbul Sapphire | |
|---|---|
A view of the tower from Büyükdere Avenue | |
 Interactive map of the Istanbul Sapphire area | |
General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Residential |
| Location | Büyükdere Avenue, Levent, Istanbul, Turkey |
| Coordinates | 41°05′06″N 29°00′21″E |
| Opening | 4 March 2011[1] |
| Cost | US$150,000,000 |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 261 m (856 ft) |
| Roof | 238 m (781 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 54 (above ground) 10 (below ground) 64 (total) |
| Floor area | 165,139 m2 (1,777,540 sq ft)[2] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Tabanlıoğlu Architects |
| Developer | Kiler GYO |
| Other information | |
Public transit |   4. Levent |
| Website | |
| www | |
| References | |
| [3] | |
It was Istanbul's and Turkey's tallest skyscraper between 2010 and 2016, and the 4th tallest building in Europe when its construction was completed in 2010.[3] Sapphire rises 54 floors above ground level, and has an above-ground roof height of 238 meters: the building has an overall structural height of 261 meters including its spire, which is part of the design and not a radio antenna.[3] Designed by Tabanlıoğlu Architects, it is a shopping and luxury residence mixed-use development managed by Kiler GYO.[3] It is also the country's first ecological skyscraper.
As of 2020, Istanbul Sapphire is the 4th tallest skyscraper in Istanbul and Turkey, behind the 284-meter-tall twin towers of Skyland İstanbul[4][5] located adjacent to Türk Telekom Stadium in the Seyrantepe quarter of the Sarıyer district, on the European side, and the 280-meter-tall Metropol Istanbul Tower[6][7][8][9][10][11][12] in the Ataşehir district on the Asian side of the city.
History and architecture
Istanbul Sapphire was designed by Tabanlıoğlu Architects as a high-tech structure which consists of 64 floors (54 above-ground and 10 basement floors), communal living floors, extensive parking spaces, a large shopping mall, and 47 floors for residential use.[3]
There are special floors with private gardens between every 3 floors, and every 9 floors are separated from each other by a communal living area or mechanical floors.[3] Design of the gardens are proposed with a number of alternatives and the consistency of garden maintenance is under the residence management company's responsibility.
Turkey's deepest excavated construction pit
The foundation pit excavated for the project – 42.5 meters deep – is the deepest foundation pit excavated for any structure in Turkey.
Construction work
Construction of the project began in 2006 and was completed in 2010.[3] The building's official opening ceremony took place on 4 March 2011.[1]
The project is built on a land plot of 11,339 m2 (122,050 sq ft) and has an overall total construction area of 157,800 m2 (1,699,000 sq ft), which includes a 35,000 m2 (380,000 sq ft) shopping mall.
Companies
The companies involved in the development and construction of the project have included thus far:
- Kiler GYO (investor and developer)
- Güney Turizm (Mustafa Tatlıcı, owner of the plot)
- Biskon Yapı (construction subsidiary of Kiler Holding and the project's main construction company)
- Demsar İnşaat (project's sub-contractor for the structural construction of the skyscraper)
- Tabanlıoğlu Architects (the project's architectural design firm)
- Ruscheweyh Consult GmbH (consulting firm with expertise in wind loads on buildings and structures)
Gallery
Istanbul Sapphire during construction
Istanbul Sapphire: View of the building's front facade from street level
Istanbul Sapphire: View of the building's rear facade from street level
View from the observation deck of Istanbul Sapphire
