Not only does the wooden-slotted and staggered design of this Istanbul apartment complex make it look aesthetically awesome, but they keep the complex cool without the need for wasteful air conditioning units.

Like many countries in the Middle East/North Africa region, Turkey is undergoing rapid expansion and that’s not necessarily a good thing, especially since so many developers are perpetuating an archaic building model that involves a lot of concrete and glass and often completely disregards the need to preserve existing vegetation or plan for climatic concerns.

But in Istanbul, Alataş Architecture & Consulting has taken a slightly different approach with the new 25 Ipera Apartment in complex. Concerned to respect the surrounding architecture but also create a comfortable, low-energy environment for residents, the Turkish design firm clad the building with four columns of protruding timber louvers that filter the sun.

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