Akaretler Row Houses Restoration

Akaretler Row Houses were designed by Sarkis Balyan during the reign of Sultan Abdulaziz to generate revenue for the Maçka Aziziye Mosque, and with their composition across 66 parcels they became one of Istanbul's earliest row-house and mass-housing ensembles.

The exterior facades were consolidated in fidelity to the originals, while the interiors were restored to suit the new function without altering the load-bearing system. The first phase, Block A, was completed in 1998 by architect Münir Alpaslan. Following a further round of repairs in 2005, the Akaretler row houses now accommodate 56 residences of varying sizes, 34 shops across a total of 11,000 m2, 8 cafe-restaurants, and the W Hotel.