Set in the heart of Istanbul’s historic Asmalimescit district, Casa Foscolo is a transformative design project that reimagines a 19th-century structure as a boutique hotel, art gallery, and café. This reborn, history-rich space is a place where art, culture, locals, and guests interact, creating an experience that is both timeless and forward-looking. Emphasizing Istanbul’s historical heritage, the design allows guests to immerse themselves in the culture-rich Pera area through the lens of history. The building’s neoclassical architectural elements, including spacious high ceilings, original stone walls, and period-specific details, were meticulously restored to provide an authentic Beyoglu experience. Warm pastel tones, marble, tile mosaics, and decorative ceramics enhance the historical ambiance, while the blended use of brick and travertine stone highlights the structure’s elegance. Handcrafted ceiling motifs in the lobby and rooms add unique character, and the hotel’s walls double as an exhibition space, showcasing various artworks. Casa Foscolo blends tradition and modernity, preserving heritage while embracing contemporary design.
Bio I-AM is an experience design agency, founded in 1997, with five studios in London, Istanbul, Dubai, Riyadh and Jakarta. Believing in the principle that brands are built through a combination of image and human experience – with a 360 degrees view at the core of our work - we are in our element when digital and physical worlds come together. We’re fascinated by people, how they think, act, react and buy and we believe that our people inspired approach helps us design brand experiences that resonate with consumers on a more emotive level. We describe what we do as Life-Led design.
