Sign of the City Awards (SotCA), the real estate industry's most prestigious competition, awards Turkey’s best projects in its 3rd year. Awaited with great excitement by the entire industry, the competition hands out awards to the winners in 22 categories. Organized to carry the construction and real estate industry to international norms and promote best practices, Sign of the City Awards was held at Hilton Istanbul Bomonti the other night. 

Aydın Doğan, Doğan Holding’s Honorary President, attended the event hosted by Vuslat Doğan Sabancı, Chairperson of Hürriyet’s Board of Directors. Other dignitaries and guests included Mehmet Özhaseki, Minister of Environment and Urban Planning, Çiğdem Karaaslan, AK Party Deputy Chairperson Responsible for Environment, City, and Culture, Kadir Topbaş, Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Ahmet Misbah Demircan, Mayor of Beyoğlu Municipality, Altınok Öz, Mayor of Kartal, Murat Kurum, General Manager of Emlak Konut REIC, Aziz Torun, Chairman of GYODER, Chairman of İNDER Board of Directors, İsmet Yıldırım, Kiptaş General Manager, Ercan Ecemiş, Chairman of Lineadecor Board of Directors, Hakan Ek, Hyundai Elevator Turkey’s CEO, Tunç Berkman, Marketing Deputy General Manager, Vestel and many prominent figures from the industry. This year Lineadecor supported SotCa as the project partner while Emlak Konut offered contributions. The event received Platinum Sponsorship from both Hyundai Elevator Turkey and Vestel. 

The jury of professionals and academics gathered under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Güzin Konuk, Mimar Sinan University, Faculty of Architecture, Manager of Urban Design Research Center, and Prof. Dr. Suha Ozkan, Founding President of the World Architecture Community, to evaluate Turkey's leading construction and real estate projects. The companies submitted 122 applications for 79 projects. In the assessment process, applicants had the opportunity to explain their projects and distinct aspects to the jury through live broadcast for the first time this year. 22 prizes found their winners at the ceremony. 

Prof. Dr. Güzin Konuk, Manager of Urban Design Research Center at Mimar Sinan University’s Faculty of Architecture, referred to SotCA’s increasing importance and the reputation it brings to the industry in her speech. 

''Increasing number of representatives from all real estate industry fields acknowledge the Sign of the City Awards on a year-to-year basis. And this year, we have witnessed an important novelty in the evaluation process: In the assessment process, applicants had the opportunity to explain their projects and distinct aspects to the jury through a live broadcast,'' said Prof. Dr. Güzin Konuk.

Prof. Suha Ozkan noted the significance of the night in his speech and added: ''The third SotCA organization this year has become an extraordinary event symbolizing the city.''

Ceylan Saner served as the Emcee of the ceremony which aims to take the construction and real estate industries to international norms and encourage best practices. On the other hand, the draw held during the night enabled guests to experience colorful moments. The lucky ones received surprise gifts as the courtesy of Lineadecor. The ceremony ended with the group photo of the award winners.

The competition identified the projects in the following categories: The Best Housing Projects, The Best Commercial Projects, The Best Services Construction, The Best Urban Design as well as the Architecture category, The Best Mixed Use Project, The Best Urban Transformation Project, The Greenest Building, The Best Marketing Campaign, and the Best Social Responsibility Project. Professor Hüseyin Kaptan, an architect and urban planner, received the Jury Honorary Award. The jury presented Special Awards as well.

''You, valuable players of the real estate industry, have had big dreams and changed our entire lives. First, we would imagine little cottages for our lives, now we are able to imagine starting a life on Mars. I think another significant development is that you have taken the concept of luxury from a handful of minority and democratized it. Also, you brought about comfort and technological advances while putting art into them. We held the first occasion of this event three years ago. I made a promise to you back then saying: At Hürriyet, we turn any initiative into a tradition. I promise that we will hold this event again and again. Now, we have reached the third year, and I wanted to remind myself and you of this commitment. We will continue to work together to make dreams come true and create more livable places. You will do that by building and us by rewarding,'' added Vuslat Doğan Sabancı, Chairperson of Hürriyet’s Board of Directors. 

See the full list of winners below:

Best Housing Projects Category

NEF Apartments Kemerburgaz, NEF. Image courtesy of NEF

Best Housing – Completed Projects

NEF Apartments Kemerburgaz 04-NEF

Awarder: Chairman of the Board of Directors, Lineadecor

Best Housing – Ongoing Projects

AND Pastel- AND Gayrimenkul 

Awarder: Chairman of the Board of Directors, Lineadecor

Manzara Adalar-İş Gayrimenkul Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş. Image courtesy of Manzara Adalar

Best High-Rise Housing – Ongoing Projects

Manzara Adalar-İş Gayrimenkul Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş.

Awarder: Vuslat Doğan Sabancı, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Hürriyet

Jardin Eden Çeşme, Pana Yapı. Image courtesy of SotCA

Best Detached Housing – Ongoing Projects

Jardin Eden Çeşme - Pana Yapı

Awarder: Vuslat Doğan Sabancı, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Hürriyet

Best Residence – Ongoing Projects

NEF Ataköy 22 - NEF

Awarder: Çağlar Göğüş, Chief Executive Officer

NEF Offices Kağıthane 11, NEF. Image courtesy of SotCA

Best Commercial Projects Category

Best Office – Completed Projects

NEF Offices Kağıthane 11 - NEF

Awarder: Zeynep Tandoğan, Executive Board, Hürriyet

Istanbul Tower 205, Metal Yapı Konut. Image courtesy of Metal Yapı

Best Office – Ongoing Projects

Istanbul Tower 205 - Metal Yapı Konut

Awarder: Zeynep Tandoğan, Executive Board, Hürriyet

Novada Park Şanlıurfa, Turkmall Yatırım ve Havacılık. Image courtesy of SotCA

The Shopping Mall with the Best Regional Center – Ongoing Projects

Novada Park Şanlıurfa - Turkmall Yatırım ve Havacılık

Awarder: Sedat Ergin, Editor-in-Chief, Hürriyet Newspaper

Dalaman International Airport New Terminal, YDA Group. Image courtesy of YDA

Best Industrial/Logistics Construction – Ongoing Projects

Dalaman International Airport New Terminal - YDA Group

Awarder: Sedat Ergin, Editor-in-Chief, Hürriyet Newspaper

Vadistanbul, Artaş & Invest Ortaklığı. Image courtesy of SotCA

Best Mixed-Use Project – Ongoing Projects

Vadistanbul - Artaş & Invest Ortaklığı

Awarder: Hakan Ek, CEO, Hyundai Elevator Turkey

Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital, Memorial Sağlık Yatırımları. Image courtesy of SotCA

Best Service Construction Category

Best Health Building – Ongoing Projects

Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital - Memorial Sağlık Yatırımları

Awarder: Aydın Doğan, Honorary President, Doğan Holding

Architecture Category

Bomonti Modern Palas, Extensa İstanbul Emlak Yatırım. Image © Cemal Emden

Best Architectural Design (Private Sector) – Completed Projects

Bomonti Modern Palas - Extensa İstanbul Emlak Yatırım

Awarder: Çiğdem Karaaslan, Ak Party Deputy Chairperson Responsible for Environment, City, and Culture

Univa Student Residence, Erkanlı Group. Image courtesy of Univa 

Best Architectural Design (Private Sector) – Ongoing Projects

Univa Student Residence – Erkanlı Group 

Awarder: Çiğdem Karaaslan, Ak Party Deputy Chairperson Responsible for Environment, City, and Culture

5. Levent - Torunlar GYO & Kiptaş. Image courtesy of SotCA

Best Urban Transformation Project

5. Levent - Torunlar GYO & Kiptaş 

Awarder: Kadir Topbaş, Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality

Gülnar Koru Evleri, Deneyim Proje Planlama. Image courtesy of SotCA

Greenest Building – Completed Projects

Gülnar Koru Evleri - Deneyim Proje Planlama 

Awarder: Ahmet Misbah Demircan, Mayor of Beyoğlu 

Other Categories

DKY ON Kağıthane, DKY İnşaat. Image courtesy of DKY ON

Best Marketing Campaign – Ongoing Projects

DKY ON Kağıthane - DKY İnşaat

Awarder: Tunç Berkman, Vestel Marketing Deputy General Manager

TAK Kartal, Kartal Municipality and Local Initiative Support Platform. Image courtesy of TAK

Image courtesy of sotCA

Image courtesy of sotCA

Best Social Responsibility Project

TAK Kartal - Kartal Municipality and Local Initiative Support Platform

Awarder: Murat Kurum, General Manager, Emlak Konut Gayrimenkul REIC

sign of the City Special Prize – GYODER

Awarder: Mehmet Özhaseki, Minister of Environment and Urban Planning

Jury Honorary Award – Prof. Hüseyin Kaptan 

Awarder: Prof. Dr. Suha Özkan, Co-chairperson of the Jury

Special Jury Prize: Milos Park Homes - Kıbrıs Developments

Awarder: Prof. Dr. Suha Özkan, Co-chairperson of the Jury

Special Jury Prize: Diyarbakır Ziya Gökalp Museum Restoration - Association of Turkish Travel Agencies

Awarder: Prof. Dr. Güzin Konuk, Co-chairperson of the Jury

Special Jury Prize for Socio-Cultural Construction Kazakhstan National Museum - YDA Group

Awarder: Prof. Dr. Güzin Konuk, Co-chairperson of the Jury

Top image: NEF Apartments Kemerburgaz, NEF. Image courtesy of NEF

> via Sign of the City Awards