TERSANE İSTANBUL / TERSANE LIVING

Architectural Air Distribution Solutions for İstanbul’s Historic Golden Horn Waterfront

Located on the waterfront of İstanbul’s Golden Horn, Tersane İstanbul is a major adaptive-reuse and mixed-use development transforming the historic Ottoman shipyards into a contemporary destination while preserving the architectural and industrial heritage of the site.

Developed by Rixos Group with architectural design by Tabanlıoğlu Architects, the project brings together residential, hospitality, cultural, retail, dining and public spaces within a large-scale waterfront development.

Within the project, Tersane Living / Tersane Apartments represents the residential component, combining contemporary living spaces with hotel-level services and the wider social and cultural infrastructure of Tersane İstanbul.

For a project where architecture, interior detailing and preservation of the visual character of the spaces are fundamental design criteria, HVAC components needed to provide the required technical performance while remaining fully integrated with the architectural concept.

Architectural Integration with NEXUS

For the air distribution system, Gerhman supplied NEXUS Plaster-In Slot Diffusers, specifically selected for areas where the visual integration of HVAC terminals into the ceiling architecture was a key requirement.

NEXUS is designed for direct integration into plasterboard ceiling systems, allowing the diffuser frame to become concealed within the finished ceiling construction.

Once installed, the visible element is reduced to a clean, continuous linear air slot, providing an architectural appearance without conventional exposed diffuser frames.

This made NEXUS particularly suitable for Tersane İstanbul, where mechanical services needed to remain visually discreet within carefully designed interiors.

At the same time, the diffuser provides the required engineering performance in terms of airflow distribution, throw characteristics and occupant comfort.

The result is an air terminal that functions as part of the HVAC system while visually becoming part of the architecture.

Controlled Airflow with CAV

Gerhman CAV – Constant Air Volume units were incorporated into the HVAC system to maintain the required airflow rates within designated zones.

The CAV units provide controlled and stable air volume distribution independent of normal variations in duct-system pressure, supporting the design airflow balance across different spaces.

This is particularly important in a large mixed-use development where residential, hospitality and public areas operate under different occupancy and ventilation requirements.

The combination of controlled air volume and correctly selected air terminals supports stable room conditions, effective air distribution and overall HVAC system balancing.

Fire Safety with FBC4 Fire Dampers

The Gerhman scope also included FBC4 Fire Dampers as part of the building’s passive fire-protection strategy.

Installed at required fire compartment penetrations within the HVAC ductwork, the fire dampers provide automatic isolation of the duct system in the event of fire, helping maintain the integrity of fire-rated compartmentation and limiting the spread of fire through ventilation ducts.

Their integration allows the ventilation system to operate as part of the building’s overall fire-safety concept while meeting the mechanical requirements of a complex mixed-use development.

Engineering Meets Architecture

Tersane İstanbul required an HVAC approach in which technical systems could be integrated without compromising the architectural identity of the project.

Gerhman addressed three principal requirements through complementary product solutions:

Architectural Air Distribution — NEXUS Plaster-In Slot Diffusers
Seamless integration into plasterboard ceilings with discreet linear air distribution.

Airflow Control — CAV Units
Controlled constant airflow for stable system operation and effective air balancing.

Fire Compartmentation — FBC4 Fire Dampers
Passive fire-protection integration within the HVAC ductwork.

Together, these systems provide an integrated solution combining air distribution, airflow control and fire safety, while maintaining the architectural integrity required by one of İstanbul’s most distinctive waterfront developments.

Project Highlights

Project: Tersane İstanbul / Tersane Living
Location: Beyoğlu – Golden Horn, İstanbul, Türkiye
Project Type: Mixed-Use / Residential / Hospitality / Cultural / Retail
Developer / Investor: Rixos Group
Architectural Design: Tabanlıoğlu Architects
Site Area: Approx. 242,000–252,000 m²
Gerhman Products: NEXUS Plaster-In Slot Diffusers · CAV Constant Air Volume Units · FBC4 Fire Dampers
Air Distribution Concept: Architectural / Concealed Linear Air Distribution
Gerhman Scope: Architectural Air Distribution · Airflow Control · Fire Safety Solutions · Product Selection & Engineering Support