In the beginning, this question took some time for me to answer and I was lucky enough to be able to draw a professional line that enabled me to experience different disciplines and perspectives of design to find out where my real passion is. I started as an architect in the early nineties at a very young age in Turkey but then my job in New York as a creative director in fashion retail changed my perspective completely and brought the answer. I like to be in close up to human ergonomics and love to play with a much larger variety of materials, colors and textures. Lifestyle and its never ending evolution amazes me. I started with shop design in New York and have one project for a bistro in Ankara which became quite popular. However, the first residential design I finished after my return to Istanbul in 2001 convinced me that all aspects of my true passions in design can be found in interior architecture. Everything fell into place then and ever since I consider myself a lucky person and designer who could pursue his dreams full on.

I completed my bachelor of architecture at the M.E.T.U. in Ankara and have a masters degree and pre PhD studies on contemporary history of architecture and its interdisciplinary interactions with other fields of design in the same university. I practiced architecture in my own firm in the beginning of my career. This and my academic work combined gave me the technical and visionary foundation which I have been able to transfuse into interior architecture. Interior architecture is not just about decoration and its aspects. It is about spatial rearrangement, architectural components to be reconsidered and all types of infrastructure the operation requires. I always considered these and the second part of an interior project which is the decoration and texturing/coloring of the functions of a space, need to be synchronised for a successful result. I always followed this principal. 

Another thing which I did was not to “specialise” in a specific area (like residential or commercial) which I think is completely against the nature of contemporary design. A designer should have the educational and intellectual foundation to study, understand and develop different contexts and this is what distinguishes a designer from a mediator of a specific industry. Whether it is people or institutional, every client who comes to me have their unique identity and needs. I study it and work till I understand what that is and come up with solutions that are cohesive with the individual lifestyle of the people or the brand identity of the companies that come to me instead of “cookie cutting” as the famous term for the opposite approach is. This is a challenge which compels the designer to constantly evolve and innovate themselves but it also enables them to bring in evolution and innovation to their profession. This it is the dominant internationally accepted approach to interior design anyway and I fully appreciate it. 

It’s a whole new world! I did my best to get to know Australia with all its aspects in the prior three years. Re-establishing myself as an interior architect would only be possible after doing this. I was lucky and travelled a lot in the country to get to know its people and their way of life. I also made extensive research and contacts regarding my own profession to understand the differences and similarities and I am ready now. Australia is a whole new chapter for me professionally and gives me a large and beautiful range of inspiration which is an addition to everything I can bring with my own diverse experience. I am in love with its nature and its unique way of life still teaches me something every day.