Quartz Plaza by Salon Architects

Lithological Strata and the Dual-Skin Envelope as an Architectural Model Quartz Plaza is an office building in Istanbul that seeks to establish a connection with an enduring layer of the city, its geomorphology. Located at the convergence of two strata from the Miocene Epoch, the project derives its character from the site’s schist foundation, a metamorphic rock with parallel alignments, informing the algorithmic texture of the façade.

Inspired by quartz crystals within schist, glass is treated as a semi-solid material; angled panels refract light and merge reflections from different directions, coloring the interiors with daylight shifts. The northwest and northeast faces feature a double-skin façade that enhances thermal efficiency and acoustic comfort through operable vents controlling air circulation. The shaded core contributes to thermal mass, while open plan offices with textured glass partitions preserve flexibility and spatial continuity.