ARCHITECTURAL & HISTORIC PRESERVATION

According to available documents (*) that describe contracts entered into by the Parma Family, Parma “Apartmanı” was designed in 1933 by architect Jan Tülbentçiyan on the same foundation of the first house commissioned by the Parma great-grandparents.

The masonry of historical “Parma Apartment House” was completed with Hasköy and Feriköy bricks, the stairs were mosaic, the entrance was marble, most of the ceilings were “papier-mache”, and the Austrian, “Stigler” brand elevator was Art Nouveau-style. The facade was designed in the same style with decorative plaster, along with iron railings, radiator covers and frames.

During the 30 years following the Parma Family’s departure from İstanbul, the units in their building were rented to various individuals and companies. The building started to fall into a state of disrepair at this time, until one day, when history enthusiast Mehmet Pir saw the building and decided to restore it. Mehmet Pir is known as a successful businessman who undertook similar restoration projects in the past. As a matter of fact, he entered into a working relationship with architect Nejat Yavaşoğulları after purchasing historical “Parma Apartment House” and in 2010, after a fastidious renovation, converted the 20-room building into a boutique hotel. Pir offered the management of this hotel to his friend and the owner of the Armada Hotel Kasım Zoto. This was because of the Armada Hotel’s emergence from the restoration of Barbaros Hayreddin Paşa’s timber sailor’s houses, and the organizations reputation for preserving Istanbul’s authentic lifestyle...

The Armada Team had no trouble coming up with a name for its new 20-room sister hotel: Armada PERA!

Five of the Armada PERA’s rooms are designed with distinctive Art Nouveau furnishings and decor. All of the rooms have the same type of chandeliers and sconces, marble bathrooms and oriental upholstery, which create an atmosphere that captures the European-Ottoman synthesis of the soul of Beyoğlu-Pera. The Austrian Art Nouveau-style Stigler brand elevator of the Parma Apartment, even considered as a cultural heritage by itself, was renovated and all of its special features can be experienced today.

At the Armada PERA’s entrance,  guests are greeted by a large , antique, tailor’s mirror. Likewise, on the entry level and exhibit space on the topmost floors, the Parma Atelier’s accessories, equipment and clothing, as well as Paul Parma’s silk tags that he sewed into clothing designed for the Sultan, also the Parma company’s letterhead and envelopes, and tailor’s notebooks are on display. 

Historical “Parma Apartment House” now welcomes inventive guests to very special rooms that will bring them new inspiration, in Istanbul’s most attractive historical quarter of Pera.

At the end of 2015, Armada has stopped operating Parma Apartment as Armada Pera Hotel because of a disagreement with the owner of the building about rent.