Sabancı Center Conference Hall
At KM Designworks, we completed one of our most comprehensive projects for Sabancı Holding — one of Turkey’s leading industrial groups — between 2024 and 2025. This large-scale renovation covers a total of 5,000 m², including the main entrance lobby, conference center, and tower entry areas of the iconic Sabancı Center, originally built in 1993 as one of Istanbul’s tallest twin towers. The project was carried out in line with LEED certification standards, focusing on sustainability and contemporary design.
The main entrance has been entirely redesigned with a 12-meter-high green wall and maximized use of natural daylight, creating a welcoming and functional environment for users. Acoustic Barisol stretch ceiling systems were integrated to combine aesthetic and functional acoustic performance. The flooring predominantly features “Palezzo,” a special white cement compound supplied by Sabancı Group’s Çimsa — itself another KM Designworks headquarters project. Local marble, glass, and stainless-steel mesh complement the material palette. Most materials were sourced locally, while a significant portion of the building’s energy is now supplied by Sabancı’s solar panel farms.
The conference center’s layout was completely reconfigured with a dedicated entrance artery and a clear circulation plan tailored to its functions. Four meeting rooms, divided by four-meter-high sliding panels, can host up to 800 people when opened into a single space. On the upper level, a 650-seat auditorium has been entirely refurbished, including bespoke acoustic and lighting systems.
In the conference center foyer, a dedicated gallery space was created to exhibit works by emerging artists from Sabancı University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, turning the area into a cultural platform as well.
At the heart of the project, the long-unused central “Otağ” glass atrium has been transformed into a lush social space through dense landscaping and a complete interior refit.
Additionally, a dynamic “storyboard” façade was introduced — a movable panel system designed by KM Designworks — showcasing Sabancı Holding’s major national-scale investments through the years in chronological order.
For this project, KM Designworks once again partnered with London-based graphic studio Gmethod, ensuring that all environmental graphics and corporate communication elements were redesigned in harmony with the architectural concept. This collaboration allowed us to achieve a holistic integration between spatial and visual identity throughout the project.
