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    Totem-pole colonnade encloses Istanbul Airport restaurant

    A stone and glass fountain, totem pole-like columns and gilded arches characterise the Kaimakk bar and dining space by local studio Sanayi313 inside Istanbul Airport.

    The 600-square-metre space was created by Sanayi313 as a place of refuge from the bustle of the airport.
    “The challenge of this project was to create a place where people would feel secluded and relaxed in the hectic environment of one of Europe’s busiest airport terminals,” Sanayi313 founder Enis Karavil told Dezeen.
    Kaimakk is an Istanbul Airport restaurant designed by Sanayi313Two large, L-shaped serving counters with canopies above enclose the seating space inside. Between the counters, an archway with intricate metalwork gates leads to a “frozen” fountain at the centre of the project.
    The fountain was made from traditional travertine stone with individually made, mouth-blown glass pieces.

    A fountain made of stone and glass sits at the centre of the spaceCompleted in two stages, the fountain was first carved and assembled before contemporary Turkish glass artist Derya Geylani crafted the glass pieces to create the “frozen” expression.
    According to Kaimakk’s Lian Beraha, the fountain “took shape from the idea of life, joy, abundance and the eruption of cream”.
    Mouth-blown glass pieces were made by Turkish glass artist Derya GeylaniSurrounding the fountain, a series of tall archways are supported on sculptural, totem-pole-like  columns that form a colonnade enclosing the restaurant.
    “The studio stacked a variety of recurring forms into totem-like pillars with gold discs between them and placed arched blocks on top, as if playing with Lego,” Karavil explained.

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    “Each arched unit is equipped with built-in blinds made of translucent material to diffuse the light transmitted into the space at different times during the day,” he continued.
    “Coated in micro-topping, the four-metre-high structure pays homage to the architecture and stoneworks in the Turkish city of Mardin.”
    Large sculptural columns and arches are a recurring motif throughout the projectThis idea of drawing upon heritage was central to the concept behind the project, which, according to Beraha, “draws inspiration from the traditional Mesopotamian culture” of places in southeastern Turkey like Mardin, Diyarbakır and Gaziantep.
    “One of the key features of the project is the handcrafted mosaic floors incorporating an intricate geometrical pattern with stars,” Karavil described.
    “It draws inspiration from the One Thousand and One Nights – a collection of Middle Eastern folktales also known as Arabian Nights.”
    Sanayi313 used a colour palette of beige, cream and goldBuilt-in booth seating is positioned alongside barstools and a mixture of both round and rectangular marble-topped tables, with views out over the airport runway.
    Other projects in Istanbul include Renzo Piano’s Istanbul Modern museum wrapped in a facade of “evocative fish scales” and an Apple Store by Foster + Partners that is characterised by two travertine walls.
    The photography is by İbrahim Özbunar.

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    Chzon studio designs airport departure hall to reference Parisian life

    French design agency Chzon studio has added archways and fountains that reference iconic Parisian monuments to a departure lounge at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

    Chzon studio redesigned the boarding gate area in Terminal 2G with the aim of creating a dynamic representation of Paris’ design and history in a typically utilitarian area of the airport.
    The vast space is punctuated by white columns and sculptural installationsThe 1,300-square-meter space is populated by rounded seating in dark blue and green upholstery, which takes aesthetic cues from the 1960s and 1970s, arranged in benches, booths and pairs.
    To zone the space and instill privacy, the studio added partitions and expressive white sculptures by artist studio Les Simonnets, which double as alternative bench seating.
    References to Paris are made at varying scales throughout the spaceThe studio made reference to iconic Parisian monuments by installing archways that nod to the Arc de Triomphe, as well as a fountain that is reminiscent of the water feature in the Jardin du Luxembourg and surrounded by green metal chairs similar to those found in Paris’ parks.

    Rows of wooden tables have been inlaid with chess boards in another reference to the parks of Paris. Passengers can use these as workspaces, to eat at, or to play games on while waiting for flights.
    The miniature fountain is a focal point within the terminalAs well as designing some of the lighting for the interior in-house, the studio also sourced and installed antique lighting and other decorative objects from the city’s St Ouen flea market, including giant wall lights and aluminium sunshades.
    To keep the space relevant to its function, Chzon also made references to aeroplane design by employing metallic details, patterned finishes and reclining plane-style seats designed by Italian architect and furniture designer Osvaldo Borsani.

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    “[The design] dramatises the boarding lounge while keeping the passenger informed,” Dorothée Meilichzon, founder of Chzon studio, said of the interior design.
    “The departure lounge becomes a smooth transition between the Paris that we are leaving and the plane that is going to take off.”
    The mural is applied to perforated sheets and wraps around the walls above the windowsThe space also features a mural inspired by the work of French painter Sonia Delaunay that sits above the windows, which overlook the runways and allow views of planes taking off and landing.
    This fresco also references symbols used in airport signage and carries similar rounded motifs to the ones present in the retro-style seating and lighting.
    Rounded elements in furniture, lighting and decor reference the design of the 1960s and 1970sCharles de Gaulle Airport, also known as Roissy Airport, is the French capital’s principle airport.
    Other airport-related projects published on Dezeen include the cosy remodelling of an airport in Colorado, USA by Gensler and an airport that contains the world’s tallest indoor waterfall by Safdie architects.
    Images are courtesy of Chzon studio

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