Brought to the agenda of ERA when private enterprises for sugar refineries were allowed in Turkey, Balküpü Sugar Refinery is located on a 2,200,000 m2 of land on Aksaray-Konya highway. The function was the main determinant factor in the settlement of the refinery on the land. On the other hand, we designed the overall architectural concept with paying attention to make it apparent from the Konya-Aksaray highway and to avoid the possible wall effect of the tall buildings settling on a flat terrain.

Main manufacturing building, as the essential structure of the refinery, is a place where sugar production continuously proceeded for 24 hours within the season. Thus, we created horizontal and vertical openings on the façade in order to receive an optimum level of daylight and to give the building a different character at night. Considering the harmony between the façade system and buildings around the main manufacturing building, we created the silhouette of the façade looking over the highway. 

While working on how a sugar refinery should be, we visited some refineries abroad and noticed that some refineries can be bought with all its equipments. Our client agreed with a firm to disassemble and reassemble strategy, after deciding on a refinery put up for sale in Spain. Just like an archaeological excavation, we revisited the process design of the production line and controlled the processes of enumerating and disassembling the parts. Renewing some and reassembling others in Aksaray with a team of 38 engineers and architects on the building site, we managed to complete the structure in 18 months. Having used 35,000 tonnes of steel, Balküpü Sugar Refinery was realized with prefab reinforced concrete load-bearing systems.




Project Information

LOCATIONAksaray, Turkey
CLIENTKeskinkilic A,s,
PROJECT DATE2004
BUILT DATE2005
SITE AREA2,200,000 sqm
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION AREA600,000 sqm

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