Zorlu Center Istanbul Revisited: 'an impossible dream' realised
Situated in Zincirlikuyu, on the European shores of Istanbul, Zorlu Center was Turkey’s first upscale mixed use development
Zorlu Center, opened in 2013 and brings together five separate, fully integrated functions in a single location with breathtaking views of the Bosporus and Princess Islands.
The site was acquired in 2007 for Zorlu Property, part of the Zorlu Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Turkey which invested US $2.5 billion to realise the dream of creating "a more beautiful Istanbul in an international Center of attraction which adds value to the city and will become a landmark that people will still be admiring a century from now".
Prime Location, Prime Amenities
The four-tower complex was completed in 2013 to a design by Emre Arolat Architects and Tabanlıoğlu Architects and is situated in a prime location within the central business districts of Levent and Maslak. The 615,885 m2 site is garlanded by extensive green spaces which includes 200 shops, 40 cafés and restaurants, 584 exclusive residences, the 185 guest room Raffles Instanbul Hotel & Spa, commercial office space, a helipad and the largest capacity performing arts centre in Turkey.
The entire project exemplifies a pervading attitude to achieve the 'best of everything' and the selection of the communications system to be employed to support facilities management at the Center was no exception.
KENWOOD NEXEDGE NXDN digital radiocommunications supporting first-class facilities management
The original Kenwood NEXEDGE NXDN digital system in place for the opening of Zorlu Center was supplied and installed by Avrasya Communications Systems Ltd of Istanbul and consisted of some hand-portable and mobile radios operating on a NEXEDGE NXDN four-channel, single site trunked network.
Since then, the system has been reconfigured to accommodate the 48 user groups, and in the most part, the devices upgraded to NX-3000 and NX-5000 Series radio devices which incorporate advanced worker safety features and enhanced noise reduction technologies.
Supporting operations
The radio system provides full coverage across all key areas of the site and is used extensively by the 48 user groups to ensure the secure and efficient operation of the complex, including:
• Parking management
• Enabling host services
• Coordinating cleaning services
• Managing maintenance inspections and works
• Security and Operations Management
• Flexible Resource Management
• Managing on-site events
System Details
• Single site Type-C trunked system
• UHF, 6.25kHz NEXEDGE NXDN digital protocol
• NX-3320E and NX-5300E hand-portables
• 42 base radios
• Mobile radio