LONDON - Global construction consultancy Davis Langdon, an AECOM company, today announced that it has been appointed by Bio City Development Company BV (BCDco), as construction cost consultants and program managers on Bio Istanbul, Turkey’s first biomedical reseach park. Serving a significant population within the country and eastern Mediterranean region, and covering approximately 192 hectares of land, Bio Istanbul will include the country’s first state-of-the-art tertiary care children’s hospital, advanced biomedical research and development facilities, and complementary commercial, retail and residential clusters.
Davis Langdon has worked closely with BCDco throughout the initial feasibility studies and financial due diligence stages of the project, and this latest construction cost and program management appointment confirms Davis Langdon’s considerable involvement as the project moves forward. Operating out of AECOM’s Istanbul office, the project also involves AECOM’s engineering team, which is currently working closely with a leading international technology company that is designing and implementing the IT smart city infrastructure as well as becoming one of Bio Istanbul’s first flagship tenants.
Bio Istanbul is a US$2.2 billion joint venture between BCDco, the leading emerging markets’ healthcare infrastructure company, EPP, an affiliate of the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKI), and the Turkish Ministry of Urbanization and Environment. The facilities’ occupiers will include world-leading pharmaceutical, medical technology and biomedical informatics companies, helping to ensure that Bio Istanbul becomes the region’s main hub for biomedicine.
Designed to accommodate 15,000 residents and a further 35,000 working commuters, Bio Istanbul will be the first community in Turkey built to meet internationally certified sustainability standards (LEED/BREEAM). It will incorporate smart city infrastructure initiatives to ensure efficient use of energy and facilities, an integrated transport network with an intra-site public tramway and a comprehensive site security system.
Drew Carr-Ellison, Chief Operating Officer for Bio City Development Company, commented, “Bio Istanbul is an ambitious and exceptional project which will transform paediatric healthcare and biomedical research and development in Turkey and the surrounding regions. To take one example, the Turkish pharmaceutical industry today spends approximately $40 million per year on R&D. When compared with the $10+ billion spent in each of the major Western economies, the importance of the project to Turkey’s transition to a knowledge-based economy becomes clear. Bio Istanbul is the future home for the industry in Turkey, providing unique tax and infrastructure incentives for R&D companies. Of equal importance to everyone involved is that Bio Istanbul delivers a high quality of life to both its residents and workers. It will have a 21st century internal tram system, radiating from the project’s own municipal metro station. While there are great construction companies in Turkey that we will be engaging, having Davis Langdon’s expert consultants and their international experience on board will help ensure that we meet all of our goals in terms of quality, on-time and on-budget.”
Philip Hynard, a director in Davis Langdon’s healthcare team, added, “This is a truly innovative project that will provide the most advanced healthcare and research facilities for the people of Turkey. Having the opportunity to work on a scheme that transcends conventional boundaries, and one which will provide a new quality benchmark across the globe, is very exciting for the entire AECOM family.”
Stage 1 in the development of Bio Istanbul is due to begin in September 2011 and will see the masterplan for the site designed with construction due to begin on site in the summer of 2012. Davis Langdon is also working with BCDco on schemes in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
