The construction of Sheraton Hotel Levent, located in Levent—one of the most important business and commercial centers of Istanbul —started in 1999. It is one of Fibrobeton A.Ş.'s first high-rise building cladding projects after Metrocity, it stood out as one of the rare high-rise buildings in Istanbul that has been fully precast coated until that day. The project was completed and opened for use in early 2002 and became has become one of the important reference projects in the sector, especially with its facade cladding.
It was initially planned and opened as Mövenpick Hotel, and after serving as Mövenpick Hotel for many years, it has been continuing to serve as Sheraton Hotel since 2018. The hotel consists of a single 24-storey block with a height of 95 meters. The building, consisting of 246 rooms with its 32,000 m2 of floor space, is located in the main traffic axis of the city in an effective but narrow space between the headquarters buildings of various companies, which were constructed in different styles. The aim was to create a warm, smaller-scale structure, which presented a compact solution without compromising on any functional or comfort requirements.
The project was owned by Makyol Insaat, which was one of Türkiye’s leading contracting companies. The project was designed by Turgut Alton Architecture, which was a company known for its local and international large-scale works. The façade cladding was executed by Fibrobeton.
Architect Turgut Alton made the following statement regarding the project:
“In the project, which we have had the opportunity to collaborate, we have envisioned that cladding the façade with a material, which suits the dignified identity of the hotel, is minimally affected by urban pollution, and offers advantages in terms of application and performance. Accordingly, we have found glass fiber reinforced concrete panels with thermal insulation properties suitable. Fibrobeton has implemented this product successfully with a design and application which has been appropriate with the characteristics of the project.
This project also served as a valuable learning and experience ground for young engineers and technical teams.Our company's Marketing Manager, Mr. Beni also initiated his first professional career with this project, which offered him with the opportunity to gain important experience in terms of technical expertise and field applications.
A rustic look was targeted in the facade design. A total of 9,000 m² of facade cladding and more than 1,200 facade elements were used in the project. To ensure the surface to fully comply with aesthetic and technical requirements, more than 6 months of experimental work was implemented. During this process, more than 200 m² of samples were produced and and a special aggregate selection was made. Large-scale surface retarder applications were tested for the first time in this project with a special aggregate larger than silica aggregate.
Sheraton Hotel Levent is the second high-rise building to be cladded with FIBROFOMBETON®, patented in 1997. Today, FIBROFOMBETON® panels, which are widely preferred cladding and wall materials for prestigious buildings due to the flexible application of all kinds of forms, details and sizes, provided A1 class fire resistance, thermal/heat and sound insulation to the project. By using floor-to-floor and windowed panels, the functionality of the building was increased and a long-lasting system, which reduces operating costs thanks to its lightness, durability and ease of installation, was created.
All these features have made the building an exemplary project that offers durability, aesthetics and functionality together. This building, cladded with FIBROFOMBETON® panel systems, has taken its place as one of the pioneering projects in the sector thermally insulated façade solutions It is still considered as one of the most valuable buildings of 4th Levent district, which still stands out in Istanbul’s skyline and in the center of the main arteries today.