by Shane Henson — March 27, 2013—HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm, will soon see its master plan for the Istanbul International Financial Center (IIFC) in Turkey come to life now that construction of this mega facility has finally begun. With 13.5 million people, Istanbul has the world’s second-largest population (tied with Mumbai) behind only Shanghai, when ranked by the size of the city proper. A February 2013 article in The Economist ranked Turkey’s economy as the world’s 17th largest, adds HOK.
According to HOK, the Turkish government’s goal for the landmark IIFC project is to establish Istanbul as a global center for finance. The IIFC, which is being built on a 170-acre site on the city’s Asian side, will house the head offices of the country’s financial market-governing bodies, state-owned and private banks, and related businesses. It will include approximately 45 million square feet of office, residential, retail, conference, hotel and park space.
HOK’s master plan for the IIFC creates four distinct districts focusing on culture, commerce, civic functions and governance. Strategically located between the Ataşehir and Ümraniye districts, the site offers easy accessibility and views to the historic center of Istanbul.
Major infrastructure improvements include a transportation system featuring a new subway line and station as well as new infrastructure for sustainable power, water, data and security. These systems are integrated into a podium that provides a surface for a new urban park, says HOK.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to plan a world-class financial center in Istanbul—a city that historically has been such a dynamic global center for commerce,” said HOK President Bill Hellmuth. “Our master plan provides a framework for developing a sustainable financial center in a way that blends human need, environmental stewardship and economic viability into a new global model of urbanism rooted in Turkish culture.”
Turkish construction company Akdeniz Group has begun excavation work on the site, and the IIFC is scheduled for completion at the end of 2016.
HOK’s other large-scale city master planning projects include the Dubai Marina in Dubai; the Lavasa Hill Station in Pune, India; and the KHED Special Economic Zone in Maharashtra, India.
