GRAPHISOFT > Case Studies > Revitalizing Workspaces: The Akbank Academy Recreation Center Case Study

Revitalizing Workspaces: The Akbank Academy Recreation Center Case Study

Technology Category

Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

Applicable Industries

Buildings
Education

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Building Automation & Control
Smart Campus

Services

Testing & Certification

About The Customer

Akbank is one of the largest banks in Turkey, with a campus located on the eastern periphery of Istanbul. The campus houses the Akbank Academy Recreation Center (AARC), which is designed to improve the quality of life for the bank's employees. The AARC is a mixed activity program that includes sports, culture, recreational facilities, and a mini market. The center is an integral part of the campus's green areas, with most of its activities concealed underground. The park includes outdoor sports venues, hobby gardens, and an outdoor amphitheater, while the indoor areas include a conference center, lecture halls, bazaar, fitness center, cafeteria, social recreation areas, and an underground garage.

The Challenge

The Akbank Academy Recreation Center (AARC), located on the Akbank Şekerpınar Campus on the outskirts of Istanbul, was faced with the challenge of revitalizing the existing bank headquarters. The goal was to create a mixed activity program that would make office work more attractive for the campus's 2,800 employees and improve their quality of life. The program was to include a variety of activities such as sports, culture, recreational facilities, and a mini market, which were otherwise difficult to accommodate in the immediate environment. The project was prestigious for Akbank, but it was also fraught with challenges. The design phase was under a tight schedule, and the architects had to deal with constant revisions, negotiations with numerous decision-makers, and obtaining permissions from local authorities. These issues persisted even during the construction phase.

The Solution

TeCe Architects, using Archicad, were able to overcome most of these challenges. They used Teamwork and worked on a single file, which minimized clashes and facilitated collaboration among the engineers and consultants. The client also required updated visuals on a regular basis. The architects tackled this by linking the Archicad file with Teamviewer, enabling them to make quick presentations to the client. The new building complex was designed to be an integral part of the campus's green areas, rather than a conventional block addition. Most of the activities were concealed underground, expanding the usability of green spaces. The park, with an open green area of over 17,000 m2, includes outdoor sports venues, hobby gardens, and an outdoor amphitheater. The indoor areas include a conference center, lecture halls, bazaar, fitness center, cafeteria, social recreation areas, and an underground garage for 350 cars.

Operational Impact

The Akbank Academy Recreation Center project was a success despite the numerous challenges faced during the design and construction phases. The use of Archicad and Teamwork by TeCe Architects facilitated collaboration among the engineers and consultants, minimized clashes, and allowed for quick presentations to the client. The result was a building complex that was not a conventional block addition to the campus, but an integral part of the green areas. The design concealed most of the activities underground, expanding the usability of green spaces and creating a unique and attractive workspace for the employees. The project also demonstrated the efficiency and effectiveness of using Archicad as a main platform for architectural design and collaboration.

Quantitative Benefit

The project was completed in 2 years despite the challenges and scale of the project.
The park includes an open green area of over 17,000 m2.
The underground garage can accommodate 350 cars.