Category: Infrastructure / Cultural
Type: Factory / Cultural Center
Location: Merkez, Silahşör Ave. Birahane St. Şişli
Date: 1890-1892 / 2015
Designer: Krikor Aznavur
Period: Ottoman Empire
Photos: İbrahim Özbunar
The Bomonti Beer Factory, established in 1890 as the first modern brewery of the Ottoman Empire, stands as a premier example of late nineteenth-century industrial architecture in Istanbul. Its design, which historical records link to the prominent architect Krikor Aznavur during the initial phases, follows the European industrial standards of the era characterized by monumental red-brick facades, high arched windows, and functionalist towers. Throughout the early twentieth century, the complex expanded into a multi-layered industrial campus before being nationalized and eventually decommissioned in the 1990s. In 2015, the site was revitalized through a collaborative adaptive reuse project by GAD Architecture, Han Tümertekin, and SANALarc into the cultural hub known as Yapı Kredi Bomontiada. This transformation successfully preserved the factory’s raw industrial aesthetic and monumental scale while introducing contemporary art galleries, performance venues, and social spaces, ensuring that the district’s industrial heritage remains an active part of Istanbul’s modern urban fabric.
