Crowne Plaza Laleli (Harikzedegan) Interior Design Project

Interior Design Project

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Project Facts

Project: Crowne Plaza Laleli (Harikzedegan) Interior Design Project
Office and role: Hande Tozun Design Studio / Junior Designer
Year: 2008
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Project type: Hotel Interior Design
Software: Cinema4D, Allplan, Photoshop

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Historic facade of the Harikzedegân (Tayyare) Apartments converted into the hotel

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Designed Areas

Guest Bedrooms
Lobby
Bars
Restaurant

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The First and Most Historic Step of My Career

My journey into luxury hotel design began in 2007 with this unique historical project when I stepped into Hande Tozun Design Studio as an enthusiastic intern who had just finished his 3rd year of university. Among the many luxury hotels and international cruise ships I have designed throughout my career, Crowne Plaza Laleli will always hold a very special place in my heart as my first professional touch to the industry. Thanks to the trust of my mentor, Hande Tözün, I took an active role in the core of the design process, from architectural surveying to building the 3D mass models. With her superior design vision and guidance, we created an interior concept perfectly suited to the soul of this historic structure.

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The Legacy of Mimar Kemaleddin: Tayyare Apartments

The building we were working on was no ordinary structure; it was the Harikzedegân Apartments, one of the masterpieces of Mimar Kemaleddin Bey, the pioneer of the First National Architectural Movement in Turkey. Built for the victims of the Great Istanbul Fire, this complex holds the title of being the city’s first reinforced concrete mass housing project and the first buildings in Istanbul to have indoor running water. Later transferred to the Turkish Aeronautical Association and colloquially known as the “Tayyare (Airplane) Apartments”, participating in the restoration and transformation of this iconic building into a hotel taught me at a very young age how to design modern functions while deeply respecting historical heritage.

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Construction Site Experience and the Presidential Suite

During the implementation phase, I regularly visited the construction site to observe how our design drawings were becoming physical reality. The conversion of this historic building into a luxury hotel presented unique challenges — every structural decision had to be carefully weighed against the preservation of Mimar Kemaleddin’s original architectural detailing. Coordinating between preservation engineers, Crowne Plaza’s brand standards team, and our own interior design vision required constant communication and on-site problem solving.

The project’s crown jewel was the Presidential Suite — a space where we pushed the boundaries of what was possible within the building’s historic shell. Drawing from the building’s Ottoman architectural vocabulary while delivering five-star amenities expected by international Crowne Plaza guests, this suite became the synthesis of everything the project represented: respect for heritage, technical precision, and contemporary luxury. Designing it as a junior architect, under the mentorship of Hande Tözün, was one of the defining experiences of my early career.

* Note: The photographs in this gallery, reflecting the final state of the project, are sourced from the web.

Crowne Plaza is an IHG brand; this was the first project I worked on for an international hotel brand. For my other hotel work in the city see hotel interior architect in Istanbul.

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