Transparent Bulletin, Issue 1

What contextual and conceptual inputs initiated your design process for the JW Marriott Istanbul Marmara Sea project? What was the fundamental approach that formed the initial design idea, and which critical decisions determined the mass organization, spatial layout, and building-environment relationship?

The main concept of the project was shaped around the relationship that the hotel–residence structure, located at the heart of the SeaPearl complex, would establish with the city and the sea. Ataköy’s modern urban memory and its strong connection to the Marmara Sea constituted the most significant contextual input for the design.

The project, which combines high-quality residential living and upper-segment hotel services, was treated as two separate buildings that together create a single mass effect. It was conceived as a two-part setup in which one looks out at the Marmara Sea from between them, referencing Istanbul's two shores approaching each other.

The idea of bringing together this structure, consisting of two buildings with a magnificent lacework derived from a modernized Seljuk motif, evoking the fog that sometimes descends on Istanbul, became one of the project's fundamental conceptual decisions.

While aiming for a calm and powerful simplicity in the mass organization, a setup was created in which one encounters water from the first step at the entrance axis; this effect was carried into the lobby to maintain visual integrity with the sea.

In a project defined by a strong visual relationship with the sea, as well as intense sunlight and reflection conditions, how were the performance criteria of façade glazing—such as thermal and solar control and transparency—optimized to balance interior comfort and uninterrupted views?

The ambition to establish a strong visual connection with the sea and achieve near-total visual exposure necessitated extensive glazed surfaces. However, intense solar radiation and reflections from the water surface rendered façade performance a critical issue. Accordingly, the primary objective in glass selection was to maximize interior comfort while preserving uninterrupted views.

Thermal control, solar gain, and light transmission were evaluated collectively. High-performance solar control glazing was employed to ensure balanced daylight and thermal comfort throughout the day, despite changing light conditions.

How do you evaluate the relationship between high-performance glazing systems such as Şişecam Duosol T 70 One and the project’s water-inspired, refined-luxury architectural language?

High-performance glazing systems such as Şişecam Duosol T 70 One allow expansive openings to be articulated with a light and refined expression while preserving interior comfort.

The lace-like façade layer, conceived as the primary architectural element, operates in dialogue with the glazing to sustain visual continuity with the sea. Together, these elements establish a holistic façade language that complements a “magnificent yet understated” architectural approach with strong technical performance.

In this project, how was glass positioned as an active design tool beyond merely providing transparency—filtering natural light and managing the relationship with the view within the designed spaces?

In the project, glass was treated as one of the primary elements establishing visual continuity between the interior and the sea, particularly in the hotel lobby where it works in conjunction with the lace-like structure.

The encounter with water that begins along the entrance axis continues in the lobby through the light filtered by the lace structure and expansive glazed surfaces, ensuring continuity with the sea view.

The integration of the glass and the lace layer creates an interface that unifies interior and exterior atmospheres within a single spatial experience, keeping users in continuous visual contact with the water.

Considering the thermal control, solar shading, and energy efficiency capabilities offered by contemporary glass technologies, how do you think the glazing solutions preferred in the JW Marriott Hotel Istanbul Marmara Sea project provide an architectural and technical reference for future seafront and premium-scale developments?

The glazing solutions employed in the JW Marriott Istanbul Marmara Sea project offer a significant architectural and technical reference for seafront, premium-scale developments. In projects of this scale, the view is one of the fundamental values of the design; however, in order for this value to be utilized in a sustainable and comfortable manner, high-performance façade technologies are essential.

The glass systems selected for the project address energy efficiency, solar control, and user comfort in an integrated manner, supporting both operational performance and spatial quality. This approach establishes a strong benchmark for future hotel and residential projects in similar waterfront contexts.
How do you foresee the future role of glass in architectural practice?

I believe that in the future, glass will assume a smarter, more responsive, and more holistic role in architectural practice. Glass technologies with high energy performance, capable of managing light and heat and responding to user comfort, will become decisive from the early stages of the design process.

Particularly in projects that establish a strong relationship with water, glass will continue to be one of the most important design tools in maintaining the delicate balance between view and comfort. In architecture, the role of glass will evolve beyond that of a mere façade element, strengthening its position as an active design component that simultaneously shapes spatial experience and advances sustainability goals.

Şişecam Product Used in the Project: Şişecam Duosol T 70 One

Although glass selection is often perceived as an aesthetic or ambience-driven decision, it is in fact a highly technical matter shaped by building function, user requirements, and climatic conditions. Within this framework, glass can be specified with a wide range of performance characteristics tailored to differing needs, as each parameter directly determines the overall performance of the glazing system. Let us examine how this technical differentiation manifests across five fundamental building functions.

1- Commercial Buildings

When referring to commercial or rentable buildings, the first typology that comes to mind is high-rise office buildings located in Central Business Districts. In these structures, corporate transparency is important, as such as energy control, representation, and security are equally prominent. In other words, the glazing systems used in skyscrapers are not just transparent surfaces; they are complex engineering systems designed to respond to extreme conditions such as:

• Wind loads acting on the façade,
• Seasonal temperature differences,
• Safety, security, and noise control requirements,
• Energy efficiency.

In modern office buildings, tempered safety glass units are commonly used on exterior façades to provide resistance against wind loads and thermal breakage. Solar Low-E glass ensures effective solar and heat control while minimizing glare. In interior spaces, laminated and acoustic laminated glass solutions (such as Şişecam SafeProtec and Şişecam SoundProtec) enhance safety and acoustic performance. Advancements in glass technology now make it possible to address these diverse requirements in a holistic manner.

2- Transportation Buildings

Airports, bus terminals, and high-speed rail stations are among the most prominent examples where glass plays a defining role in transportation buildings. Similar to commercial structures, effective energy control, safety, and security are primary considerations in these projects. 

For instance, the Temperable Solar Low-E Glass (Şişecam Duosol T 58) used in the façade glazing of Istanbul Airport provides both thermal insulation and effective solar control through a single coating. This dual performance enables savings in heating and cooling costs, while also regulating the daylight entering the interior through expansive glazed surfaces, thereby controlling glare and visual discomfort. The use of laminated glass in both exterior and interior glazing applications addresses safety, security, and noise control requirements. At the same time, these high-performance glazing solutions contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by improving overall energy efficiency.

3 - Educational Buildings

In educational buildings, the use of glass prioritizes increased productivity through natural daylight, along with safety and noise control. In this context, glazing becomes a performance-driven element that directly influences the quality of the learning environment.

Natural daylight positively affects students’ attention span, reading comfort, and overall cognitive performance. For this reason, educational facilities typically prefer glass with high light transmittance, effective glare control, and high color fidelity.

In addition, glass plays a critical role in ensuring safety and acoustic comfort (e.g., Şişecam SafeProtec and Şişecam SoundProtec). Laminated safety glass has become standard practice, while acoustic laminated glass (e.g., Şişecam SoundProtec), thanks to its specialized interlayer structure, is preferred to limit sound transmission between classrooms, corridors, and shared spaces, thereby providing an effective solution for noise control.

4 - Healthcare Buildings

In healthcare facilities, the use of glass goes beyond meeting conventional requirements and assumes an almost therapeutic role. The level of interior comfort is determined by parameters such as light transmittance, solar and thermal control, acoustic performance, unobstructed views, and safety and security. According to research conducted by Glass for Europe examining the relationship between human health and buildings with access to natural daylight, patients in healthcare environments receiving natural sunlight have been found to recover in a shorter period of time and require fewer painkillers.

Because it is critical in healthcare settings that glass maintains its integrity rather than shattering in the event of breakage, laminated safety glass (Şişecam SafeProtec) plays a vital role. In addition to safety, acoustic laminated glass (Şişecam SoundProtec) provides enhanced control over increasing urban noise levels—particularly in patient rooms—thereby contributing to improved interior comfort.When these parameters are implemented to a high standard, glass transforms into an environmental factor that directly supports the healing process.

5 - Residential Buildings

In residential buildings—at the very center of daily life—the use of glass fundamentally shapes the way people live. Although often evaluated primarily in terms of daylight and views, glass should in fact be considered a technical component that determines everyday comfort. In housing, glazing is expected to admit natural daylight into the interior while controlling heat loss in winter and preventing excessive overheating in summer. Accordingly, in colder climates, double glazing with Low-E thermal control coatings or triple insulating glass units incorporating Low-E coated panes on both interior and exterior layers are typically preferred. In hot or continental climates, double glazing incorporating Solar Low-E glass—capable of providing both thermal and solar control through a single coating—is commonly specified. Alternatively, triple glazing systems combining Solar Low-E on the exterior pane with Low-E thermal control glass on the interior pane are used to achieve balanced heat and solar performance. In hot climates and on façades exposed to intense sunlight, it is advisable to choose Solar Low E glass, which provides more controlled light transmission and more effective solar management.

Privacy and safety are also of great importance in residential applications. While large openings and floor-to-ceiling glazed surfaces enhance visual spaciousness, uncontrolled applications may pose safety risks. For this reason, laminated safety glass is recommended for glass balustrades and expansive openings. 

Since acoustic performance is another key determinant of indoor comfort, glazing solutions incorporating laminated and acoustic laminated glass make it possible to minimize unwanted exterior noise. In residences where the view is a defining factor, glass solutions with low internal reflectance, higher light transmittance, effective solar and thermal control, and enhanced safety and acoustic performance are often specified together to achieve a balanced and high-quality living environment.

Project designed by Yazgan Design Architecture is a renovation of the existing structure of the Amahoro National Stadium (Stade Amahoro, meaning "Peace Stadium" in Kinyarwanda) to increase its current capacity from 25,000 to a multipurpose stadium with a capacity of 45,000. 

New Amahoro Stadium will be the largest in Rwanda and is designed to host football and athletics events complying with FIFA and IAAF guidelines with international standards. It serves as a sports center but is also capable of hosting concerts and public events. In parallel with this new project, the existing Petit Stade and Paralympic Gymnastics Hall located southwest of the current stadium were also renovated.

Every country and city has its own distinct local texture and unique conditions; traditional architecture is a reflection of this identity. African vernacular architecture stands out through its use of local materials and its approach rooted in traditional techniques. The design of Amahoro Stadium is based on the geometric references of Rwanda’s local culture. “Imigongo”, which features spiral and geometric motifs applied to walls, pottery, and canvases, is one of the most significant of these references.

The facade of the renovated stadium in the project were designed using these patterns from this rich cultural heritage. Additionally, the facade of the multipurpose sports arena, Kigali Arena, located right next to the stadium with a capacity of 10,000 spectators, are also designed with Imigongo patterns. This integration of similar language, color, and texture in the facades of different-sized structures unifies the sports complex.

The Amahoro Stadium Project includes the following buildings and functions: 

• 45,000 spectators capacity Football and Athletics Stadium (National Amahoro Stadium) with a commercial area containing restaurants and sports stores. 
• Indoor sports hall and an enclosed area for Paralympic sports. 
• Parking areas for a total of 2,128 vehicles. These parking areas are located around the stadium and are intended for general spectators, 
• MIP, VVIP and VIP, teams, athletes, press, management, and Petit Stade usage.
• Football training field incorporating 4 athletics tracks and a warm-up area, along with 2 basketball and volleyball training courts.

Şişecam Product Used in the Project: Şişecam Duosol T 58

Project Information:

• Project Location: Kigali, Ruanda
• Architectural Office: Yazgan Tasarım Mimarlık
• Architects: Kerem Yazgan, Begüm Yazgan, Evrim Güven
• ProjectManager: Evrim Güven
• Employer: Summa
• Facade Consultant: CWG
• Photographs: Emre Dörter
• Construction Start Date: 2022
• Construction End Date: 2024
• Total Construction Area: 78.887 m²

Alan Kadıköy, a performing arts venue designed by BBMD | Bingöl Barka Architecture and Consulting.

Alan Kadikoy is a project of which design studies got started in 2016 due to the call of Municipality of Kadikoy for a contemporary cultural building at local scale. Theater building is a product of a long design process based on a wide participation focusing on definition of major principles of the project.

Main theme of the design was to create a building that is both flexible inside to adapt changes during time, and durable outside to resist effects of time. Briefly, the building will show a characteristic standing against time by its envelope and evolving with time in its interior.

The building has three floors both above and under the ground. There are 4 main components above the ground. Those are main entrance colonnade, two halls as houses, front of the house on one side and back of the house on the other side.

In brief, Alan Kadikoy can be described as a firm hangar structure commissioned by the local municipality for contemporary performing arts, that gives a great freedom for performance artists to organize theatric space and is equipped with a strong complex infrastructural system.

Şişecam Products Used in the Project: Şişecam Climax T 71, Şişecam SafeProtec Ultra Clear

Project Information:

• Project Location: Kadıköy, İstanbul
• Architectural Office: BBMD | Bingöl Barka Mimarlık ve Danışmanlık
• Architects: Özgür Bingöl, İlke Barka 
• Architectural Project Team: Merve Şen, Pınar Kılıç
• Employer: Kadıköy Municipality
• Photographs: Cemal Emden 
• Construction Start Date: 2018
• Construction End Date: 2020
• Total Construction Area: 8.291m²

When designing museums and art galleries, architects face a profound dilemma: How do you protect a priceless masterpiece from the ravages of time, climate, and human interaction, while simultaneously displaying it in its purest form, as if no barrier exists at all?

This exact challenge elevates glass from a mere building material into an active engineering component that safeguards the soul of the artwork. In modern museology, glass acts as an invisible shield against historical dust, UV radiation, and climate fluctuations, while seamlessly forging the building's inviting, transparent connection with the urban fabric.

Guardians of the Masterpieces: Interior and Display Systems

The specification of glass for museum interiors and display units revolves entirely around invisibility and security. The fundamental performance expected from an ideal display glass is to reflect the texture and colors of the artwork with absolute color fidelity through high light transmittance, while simultaneously blocking the harmful UV rays that cause pigments to fade.

Minimizing reflections to ensure the visitor's deep visual connection with the artwork remains uninterrupted forms the foundation of glass engineering in modern exhibition units.

Gateway to the City: Climate and Security in Museum Façades

Today’s cultural landmarks are not closed vaults storing artifacts; they are transparent, monumental living spaces that blend into the city's social fabric. The façade glass that enables this transparency must shoulder massive climatic and static loads. Against wind, snow, seismic movements, and intense solar radiation, these façades are fortified with high-performance, multi-layered, Low-E laminated safety glass.

Temperable façade glass solutions—such as Şişecam Climax T, Ecosol T, and Duosol T—deliver up to five times the structural resistance of standard glass. Furthermore, Şişecam Laminated Glass, engineered with a specialized PVB interlayer, guarantees that even in the event of a severe impact, the glass remains intact without shattering, securing both the visitors and the artifacts inside.

Touching Art Through Benchmarks: Istanbul’s Iconic Painting and Sculpture Museums

To understand how theoretical architectural requirements translate into practice, one only needs to look at Turkey’s most prestigious art destinations: The Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture and the Türkiye İş Bankası Museum of Painting and Sculpture. Both structures achieve high transparency, advanced safety, and precise climate control through Şişecam’s innovative product range.

To maintain the delicate climatic balance of the exhibition environment holding unique masterpieces, the Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture employs Şişecam Climax T 71, a temperable heat-control glass. This specialized coated glass provides the crucial thermal insulation the space demands, while its high light transmittance allows the artwork to be perceived with maximum transparency under natural light.

Where historical texture meets modern art at the Türkiye İş Bankası Museum of Painting and Sculpture, security is elevated to the highest level. The project utilizes Şişecam SafeProtec Ultra, which prevents the glass from shattering in the event of breakage, accidents, or physical intrusion, acting as an invisible physical armor for the priceless collections.

In cultural architecture, glass is far more than an aesthetic bridge enhancing the visitor experience; it is the technological guardian that carries history flawlessly into tomorrow.