In our interview, Mrs. Müge Günel, General Manager of Letoon Architecture answered our questions. Günel gave information about the products and services offered by Letoon Architecture.
Can you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your educational background and your professional background?
I am a restoration specialist architect who have been working in industry for 15 years. I graduated from Eskişehir Osmangazi University and completed my master’s degree in Restoration at Gazi University. I am married and have 2 sons.
Can you tell us about the establishment of Letoon Architecture and its current structure?
In 2007, Letoon Architecture have begun to provide services in the restoration sector, which is one of the main subjects we specialize in. Since we are a company based in practice, during the projects we worked, we started to research on the products and topics which were absent and should definitely be used.
Now, we are currently working on Surface Protection Technologies and Material Consultancy, ranging from restoration to industrial sector.
At the same time, we are the Turkey representative of the long-lasting surface protection special product groups and companies which can offer specific solutions according to their position they are used/applied.
With our expert technical staff, our work discipline and amateur spirit we try to continue, we are always trying to be a good partner for the companies we work with.
In our country, which has hosted many different civilizations, many historical monuments exist. What kind of studies do you carry out in the field of Historical Renovation-Restoration which is a subject that requires expertise?
As a specialized architect of restoration, there is no doubt that the projects that our company carries out in this area, have a special importance for me. I always say, restoration should be done willingly. Everything that needs to be done must be done with accuracy, precision, awareness of the importance and difficulty of this task.
There is no room for error and in principle our company is really sensitive about this. It should not be forgotten that every piece of work that you have studied has hosted many different civilizations, a value belonging to our country and a legacy to be left to future generations.
I cannot remember exact number but in 10 years, our company had a chance to work on many projects, small or big. Some of the projects we have worked on, our products or consultancy services are used are;
Nusretiye Mosque, Nur-u Osmaniye Mosque, Dolmabahce Clock Tower, Alanya Castle Shipyard, Edirnakapi Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, Kuleli Alia Military High School,
Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque, Kilic Ali Pasha Bath, Sivas Gok Medrese, Pera Palace Hotel, Istanbul Consulate, etc. In addition, our company also organizes regular and continuous training seminars for future students who will work in industry.
Letoon Architecture, Turkey distributorship of many special products / distributor of doing, can you give detailed information about these products and features?
Our company mainly serves two main areas; Restoration and Industrial sector. I would like to inform you about our product groups for restoration and construction sector.
Our products for the industrial sector are especially special product groups showing resistance against corrosion, chemicals and it will be better to explain them under a separate title.
Our company, which has worked in the restoration industry for more than 10 years in many monumental and civil architectural works, has an experienced staff in this field.
Our company is known for its successful applications and training on surface cleaning with microblasting, which allows precise and controlled operation in historical works. In this area, for nearly 10 years in Turkey, we have been with cooperating Italian manufacturer of Micro-Blasting System, IBIX.
The surface cleaning works in restoration can be seen as simple when viewed from the outside, but if it is done wrong, it can create irreversible damage to the work and the material.
For this reason, it is important that these works are carried out by creating a special cleaning / repair / protection procedure for the work, with the care and precision required by the subject, in the supervision and control of the restorers and architects, who are known as competent.
Another product group that we have been representing for 8 years is KEIM Potassium Silica, which does not burn and does not release harmful gases during the fire,
VOC free, breathing, hardly polluted/ easily cleaned, does not peel because because it penetrates cross-section, does not discolour, is an ecological and sustainable product.
Silicate paints. With its permanent, durable and wide product range of products, KEIM, a 140-year-old firm, has helped to preserve the values of our historical artifacts and transfer them to future generations in the.
Besides, in the construction sector, we had the chance to work on special projects especially on protecting the concrete character of the gross concrete surfaces.
I’d like to explain in brief. We are able to offer perfect solutions with the concrete repair and protection products of KEIM brand in order to eliminate the problems on the gross concrete surfaces, which are one of the big problems that architects encounter and complain about.
Gross concrete has to be accepted as it was when it was removed from the mold and it was difficult to repair it without losing its unique characteristics. After the repairs, the concrete lost its original appearance.
Most of the time, concrete was not repaired, but it was directly plastered to cover the defects. On the new concrete surfaces, typical defects such as color differences and staining were encountered.
Now all of this is not a problem with KEIM concrete protection products. With its experience, reliability and quality with more than 40 years of experience in mineral architectural protection systems,
KEIM, acting with the motto of “mineral based protection for a mineral based material” is a brand that has proven itself in the renovation, preservation and design of concrete / fiber reinforced concrete structures.
In recent years, a large number of gross concrete projects, ranging from sports statues to airports, from museums to administrative and industrial buildings, from residences to radio and television towers, have been protected and / or designed with KEIM products.
KEIM is specialized in mineral building materials and especially in concrete minerals. Dalaman Airport, Harbiye Army House, Troy Museum, METU Research Center,
Lüleburgaz HEAŞ Temik Power Plant Cooling Towers, Gebze Center Hotel, Gaziantep Primemall Shopping Center are just a few of the many projects that we have worked with this product group.
As of January 2018, we have a new product group, which is Evonik Protectosil. For more than 60 years, Evonik Protectosil has been carrying out silane production, research and development activities. Many well-known structures in many parts of the world are protected by Protectosil® building protection products.
With Protectosil product groups, you can find the most suitable product or product combinations in historical and modern buildings for water repellency, delaying pollution and easy cleaning, corrosion control in concrete structures, anti-graffiti products and consolidation for all kinds of applications and materials.
Corrosion and corrosion are the biggest enemies of metal structures. Could you tell us about your corrosion and anti-corrosion work?
As mentioned before, the other industry where our company serves is the industrial. Our company, which specializes in anti-corrosion technologies in this industry, has a special, wide product portfolio.
I would like to give brief information about our product groups that we represent. Roval Cold Galvanizing product; is a cold galvanizing product that provides high anti-corrosion performance and allows on-site operation. It contains 96% pure zinc in dry film thickness.
Gladiator Thermoplastic Coating Systems is a system that is resistant to corrosion and chemicals, low temperatures and it is UV resistant, does not require primer and provides long term protection against corrosion.
Rustbullet is a paint which can be applied directly on the rust, does require little or no surface preparation and thus reduces the surface preparation costs completely or halve. This product, which has two patents in the American defense industry, is an environmentally friendly product.
It is applied directly to the rusty or clean metal surface by brush, roller or spraying method. It has superior bonding power. The final coat is not required unless requested. It can compete with many final coating products. It is non-conductive and has superior di-electric strength and chemical resistance. Its UV resistance is high.
AKS-Polymer Silicate Coating Systems; is another product group that we have been representing since the end of 2017. It has corrosion protection / long-term protection and resistance to chemicals in the range 0-14. It does not require primer and can be easily and quickly applied to concrete and steel surfaces.
This product group, which is a long-lasting solution for demanding areas, has been used in projects such as Kırıkkale Gunpowder Factory Reactor Floors, Çorlu, Tuna Aluminum purification channels and automation platform, İzmir-Hugo Boss Chiller Unit Renovation. All of our product groups that we represent in the construction /
restoration sector and in the industrial sector are durable products that provide economic benefits. In short, these are products do not require renovation and can be described as “apply once and forget”.
