Mrs. Müge Günel, General Manager of Letoon Architecture, answered our questions

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 began to provide services in the restoration sector, which is one of the main subjects we specialize in. Since we are a practice-based company, during the projects we worked on, we started to research 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 long-lasting surface protection special product groups and companies which can offer specific solutions according to their position of use/application. With our expert technical staff, our work discipline and commitment to excellence, we try to continue and are always striving 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 restoration architect, there is no doubt that the projects that our company carries out in this area have 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 work that you have studied has hosted many different civilizations, represents a value belonging to our country and a legacy to be left to future generations. I cannot recall the exact number but in 10 years, our company had the chance to work on many projects, small or large. Some of the projects we have worked on, where 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 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 professionals who will work in industry.

Letoon Architecture, Turkey distributor of many special products, 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 on many monumental and civil architectural works, has 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 cooperating with IBIX, an Italian manufacturer of Micro-Blasting Systems. The surface cleaning works in restoration can appear simple from the outside, but if done incorrectly, 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, under the supervision and control of restorers and architects 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 fire,

VOC free, breathable, hardly soiled/easily cleaned, does not peel because it penetrates the cross-section, does not discolor, is an ecological and sustainable product.

silicate paints. With its durable and wide product range, KEIM, a 140-year-old company, has helped to preserve the values of our historical artifacts and transfer them to future generations. In addition, in the construction sector, we had the chance to work on special projects, especially on protecting the character of gross concrete surfaces. I would like to explain briefly. We are able to offer perfect solutions with the concrete repair and protection products of KEIM brand in order to eliminate the problems on gross concrete surfaces, which are one of the big problems that architects encounter and complain about. Gross concrete must be accepted as it was when removed from the mold and it is difficult to repair it without losing its unique characteristics. After repairs, the concrete lost its original appearance. Most of the time, concrete was not repaired, but was directly plastered to cover the defects. On 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 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 facilities 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 we have worked on 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 is the biggest enemy 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 sector. 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 is UV resistant, does not require primer and provides long term protection against corrosion. Rustbullet is a paint which can be applied directly on rust, requires little or no surface preparation and thus reduces surface preparation costs completely or in half. 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 dielectric 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 that do not require renovation and can be described as "apply once and forget".