Experience Azerbaijan Karaköy

Completed in Karaköy in January 2026, Experience Azerbaijan was designed as Azerbaijan's first tourism promotion office in Türkiye. Conceived to introduce Azerbaijani culture to domestic and international tourists visiting Istanbul and to provide information for their travel plans, the space was approached less as an office than as a cultural experience. Brick arches, uncovered while preserving the original fabric of the historic building, create natural transitions between spaces and guide visitors from one section to the next. The black-framed shopfront establishes a strong connection with the street, making the interior legible from outside. The backbone of the interior is a wooden bookcase wall displaying elements that represent Azerbaijani culture. Backlit niches of varying sizes bring together traditional textiles, objects, images and digital screens, offering visitors a layered narrative. Set within this wall, a shebeke panel made of coloured glass brings a characteristic detail of Azerbaijani architecture into the space through light. The screening room, where promotional films can be watched, stands apart from the bright main space with its red curtain and dark atmosphere, offering visitors a more focused experience. One of the most striking design elements of the space is an arch-shaped wooden panel adorned with traditional Azerbaijani motifs. When closed, it reads as a cultural display wall; when opened, it reveals a kitchenette. A single element thus becomes a multi-purpose, transformable surface that serves both display and service functions. Light-coloured flooring, wooden surfaces and plain white walls are balanced by exposed brick, patterned surfaces and orange-toned furniture, creating an atmosphere that is both contemporary and deeply rooted in culture.