Selected Designers
Aslı Eylem Kolbaş
Ayça Yılmaz
Deniz Koldaş & Nazlı Mutlu
Deniz Yenidoğan
Gürcan Bulut
Öykü Üner
Studio Yellowdot
Aslı Eylem Kolbaş
Aslı Eylem Kolbaş is an artist and an architect. She completed her bachelor degree in architecture at Istanbul Bilgi University. She then started studying her master in the Architectural Design program at Istanbul Technical University. She finished her master of architecture degree at KU Leuven, Belgium. Meanwhile, she co-founded an art and architecture collective named Manhappen Collective in Brussels. In her master thesis, she embarked on drawing a graphic novel, based on her research interests; namely, architectural typologies of the recent past and storytelling. This graphic novel has been exhibited in Mamut Art Project ’20 and GEMMS ‘21. Afterwards, she worked in the Netherlands as an architect and focused further on the typologies of the recent past.
Based in Istanbul, she now employs drawing and various storytelling tools to investigate the anthropocene and the urban phenomena, whilst looking into architectural typologies. She works with the existing environment to re-contextualize the fantasy with new micro-narratives that include the ‘more-than-human’ as shifting subjects.
She is currently working as an instructor and giving several courses at Istanbul Bilgi University whilst venturing on her research and graphic novel.
Ayça Yılmaz
I'm Ayça Yılmaz, born in 1993, I grew up in İzmir, a city that makes me feel the freedomness. I studied Industrial Design in Anadolu University and during my education I was an exchange student in L'ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique in France. After my graduation, I've done several internships at companies which are located in Turkey and also in The Netherlands to improve my skills and knowledge. In my professional life, I designed products for brands through a multidisciplinary perspective. I still continue to design innovative and functional products though vital and environmental dialectics.
Deniz Koldaş & Nazlı Mutlu
Nazlı Mutlu received her bachelor degree in interior architecture from ITU in 2020. Since then, she has been working at Şevki Pekin Architecture while continuing her MA in Design at Kadir Has University. After her bachelors, she produced a research project called "Kamuspotu" on informal spatializations in the streets of Istanbul with AURA. She produced a fictional video work on social spaces that are temporarily established. Video work questions the concepts of space and place as fluid terms that change according to the context. Since her first semester in masters, she has been studying on expanding the traditional conceptualization of the term ritual through street practices and bodily representations. She continues to produce video performance works and literary works within her research.
Deniz Koldaş is a graduate of ITU interior architecture and continues her master's degree in interior architecture at Istanbul University, where she works on the social-theoretical aspect of space. After her undergraduate studies, she produced her work called 'Ev Gezmesi' on the spatial manipulation creations of individuals on the street as part of her research project in AURA Istanbul. She has worked at LaKrea architecture office for a year. She now continues her academic career, which she started as a research assistant at Nişantaşı University. She produces her current works by writing, drawing and constructing through three-dimensional physical representations.
Nazlı and Deniz met during their undergraduate study. After graduation, they produced their own wooden furniture in the workshop in order to experience the creative process holistically while researching experimental materials in design. During this period, they have also participated in many design competitions. They are interested in the theoretical aspect of space, yet passionate and excited about designing and producing. They are curious about digging and exploring beyond the accepted understanding of things and have been the active members of 'Poedat' for two years.
Deniz Yenidoğan
He was born and raised in Kadikoy, Istanbul in 1994. in 2012, he started study Industrial Product Design at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. As a result of the degrees he received in various competitions, he continued him postgraduate studies at the NABA academy in Milan with a study abroad scholarship in 2019. in 2020, he was selected for the “Guiltless Plastic” project organized by Rossana Orlandi and participated in the exhibition at the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum of Technology. In 2022, he took part in the 2022 Salon Del Mobile with the exhibition Mistakes organized by Fake Authentic gallery. He carried out thesis work with Prof. Mario Trimarchi about the blurring of the border between art and design. He conducts experimental studies that give priority to expression in the design, which can establish a dialogue between the object and the person. At the moment He is working both as a designer at Fabio Novembre Studio, and he continues his individual projects.
Gürcan Bulut
Gurcan Bulut is an interior designer currently living and working in Istanbul. After a Bachelor in Interior Design, Marmara University, Faculty of Fine Arts in 2006, he accomplished several commercial, restaurant, spa, and residential projects for more than a decade until he founded Studiotimtim in 2018. He mainly focuses on furniture, lighting, and artisan objects besides interior design projects. In his design language mainly his enthusiasm for geometric forms and playful stylization vision stands out. His works have been included in various selections. He has been awarded by 'Of International Design Awards' in 2022 with both 1st and 2nd prizes for outdoor furniture collections 'Bobo' and 'Crinco'.
Öykü Üner
Öykü Arda Üner completed her Bachelor’s degree education in Bahcesehir University and received her master’s degree in Architecture and Urban Design program at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) by completing her degree with the distinctive degree. Since 2013, she has taken part in projects varying from interior design to urban masterplans and take part in national and international awarded projects. In 2020, she founded Around as an exploratory oriented design practice in furniture, spatial design and art. With her focus on materiality and sensibility she strives for sensory relevance and cultural value in detail and in bigger scale. The physical expression of incorporating a language that oscillates between sculptural and functional, creating unexpected atmospheres by interpreting traditional techniques and rational forms with an innovative perspective, explains her method.
Studio Yellowdot Dilara Kan & Bodin Hon
Yellowdot is a design studio & creative consultancy based in Hong Kong & Istanbul founded by designers Bodin Hon & Dilara Kan since 2017. Through a collaborative spirit, embodying an optimistic yet exploratory approach combined with a sustainable ethos, their work has resulted in an diverse portfolio that encompasses products, lighting, furniture & retail design – taking in collaborations with a diverse client base across industries and categories, from mass-produced electronics, home appliances, lighting, technology, eyewear to handcrafted objects and furniture, often bringing their understanding of one process to their work on another. Since their meeting at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan, their ability to combine their diverse backgrounds and skills has enabled Yellowdot to work coherently across multiple disciplines and develop its own distinctive expression and to translate meticulous and fantastical design ideas to the context of production.