We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer about their original and creative design work. is an award-winning creative designer, that makes our world a better place with their original works.
("") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work . Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
: The design is a convergence of function and context, driven by the ideas of generative design. Rather than imposing a formal approach to the project, the design emerges from the design process.
: The brief was very dense with functions for a small site. It was therefore important to be able to offer a variety of public spaces and access nodes. The building needed to have its own character, while at the same time be comfortably contextual.
: The design sets forth a certain design vision for the University, which has a strategic growth ambition. We hope to carry on developing imaginative academic projects going into the future.
: The design process took about 9 months to develop.
: The design was commissioned after we had done some other projects for the university.
: Our interest in computational and generative design is well suited for imaginative and innovative institutions in the academic and technological sectors.
: We have an office design language which has been developed over 15 years. Our biggest inspirations come from nature.
: The target customer is the university board of directors, but our ultimate customer is always the user. Both researchers, teachers and students.
: A classic multi-storey classroom building is a vertically stacked program with public and external spaces limited to the ground floor level. The design exploits the challenging context proposing a morphed and weaved version of the classroom archetype. As it reaches to the ground the building open ups, bisects and expands. This creates multiple public and external spaces at various levels and configurations.
: The name of the project is the official name; YDYO stands for "Yabanci Di̇ller Yüksel-Oulu" or "Foreign Language Building"
: We used variety of digital tools.
: The most obvious formal aspect is the cantilever of the tall classroom block, a unique challenge in an earthquake zone.
: The project was a joint venture between AUDB, Ozlem Akin and Michael Young. Each brought a particular skill to the work. The result is an interesting fusion of the various skillets.
: Although technology and techno-theory is a fundamental driving force in the project, the aim was to minimise any obvious techno-aesthetics in order to better fuse the building into the context. Especially the internal spaces are very raw and industrial, which reflects some of the existing buildings on campus.
: Solar analysis algorithms were used at the start of the project to drive a layout that minimised solar gain. We try and use digital and information analysis in all our work. It is a core company ethos.
: The biggest challenge was the ambition of the original brief, which far exceeded the allocated space on campus. Through collaboration with the users, we were able to focus and streamline the brief.
: We were nominated.
: Every project is a learning experience which helps us grow as designers.
: The success of projects like these are usually based on the vision and drive of the client. With work we have been doing at Izmir University of Economics, we have been very fortunate to have an exceptional client in the Board of Directors.
