A Tour of Nokia’s New Istanbul Office

Finish technology company Nokia hired architecture firm Yalin Tan & Partners to design their new office in Istanbul, Turkey.

“A city that bridges two continents is the perfect location for an office which prides itself on the marriage of its minimalist brand identity and rich local culture. The brief was clear for architects Yalin Tan & Partners when they were asked to design Nokia’s new office: combine modern-day Istanbul with the brand’s Finnish heritage but do so with employee experience at the centre. To achieve this from the ground up and ensure that the build lived up to its own and Nokia’s sustainability standards, Yalin Tan & Partners worked with global flooring manufacturer and leader in sustainability Interface to find a flooring solution that made the right impression.

It was important for Nokia that the Scandinavian clarity on which its brand identity has been built did not make for a cold environment for employees. Protecting its teams’ health and wellbeing was a key concern for the company, and so the design team created a workplace with a diverse mix of zones for different types of work, which employees could tailor to their individual needs.

Scandinavian design has always favoured minimalist, clean aesthetics, and Nokia’s design philosophy is no different, consistently producing sleek, simple styles supported by powerful, innovative technology. The design team used this philosophy as the basis for the design and having such an understated backdrop would allow employees to add their own personalities and ways of working to the space.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to wellbeing in the workplace, as what might provide a sense of calm and focus for some could leave others under stimulated. Catering for diversity means offering people a choice of spaces, and making it clear what each zone is intended to support. The meeting and breakout spaces at the new Nokia HQ see a departure from global corporate styles to a more residential, Turkish-inspired aesthetic which allows employees to feel at home in their work environment.”