Turkish Designers and Engineers
Since the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, we have been amplifying our efforts to bring attention to various charities and fundraising efforts to help those affected in the region. To continue the initiative, we thought it might be a nice idea to highlight some brilliant Turkish minds in the industrial and product design space. Loomia is now operating in Istanbul, which is why this blog is especially important.
Sule Koc
Sule Koc is an award-winning industrial, product, and spatial designer. She has helped several companies with designing furniture, transportation, and lighting. Currently, Sule is a part-time lecturer at Ozyegin University’s industrial design department. And, she is the owner of Sule Koc Design, a consultancy based in Istanbul.
Sule has won several awards for her designs, including the Red Dot Design Award, Elle Decoration’s Designer of the Year, and Design Turkey’s Superior Design Award.
Some of Sule’s works include a set of organizers made to support refugee women, an office divider that prioritizes privacy without sacrificing connection, and a smart switch that can adapt to its surroundings.
Yunus Emre Nalcioglu
Yunus Emre Nalcioglu is an experienced CAS (Computer-Aided Styling) designer and currently works as a designer at Ford Otosan. Emre’s main discipline is in automotive design, and he has worked on some projects that are particularly cool!
Among our favorite designs of Yunus’s are an electric rickshaw and an individual public transportation system called The Hive.
Yunus thinks freely, while maintaining a sleek style; two things that are much needed in the world of industrial design. He is one to watch!
Mehmet Doruk Erdem
Mehmet Doruk Erdem is a Turkish concept artist and designer based in London. His designs range from racecars to jet skis. Anything that moves, Mehmet is the master.
Mehmet’s style is a mixture of futuristic and downright otherworldly, and his work has been featured in several prominent publications including Yanko Design, Hypebeast, and the Los Angeles Times.
Our favorite works of Mehmet include a BMW motorbike that resembles a shark and a sci-fi vehicle that is straight out of a Star Wars movie. As manufacturers continue to modernize their vehicles, we expect to see more from this innovative designer.
Ayse Birsel
Born in Izmir, Turkey, Ayse Birsel is a large fixture in the industrial design community. She was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People and she has designed for several Fortune 500 companies including Amazon, Colgate, IKEA, and Toyota.
You have most likely used several of Ayse’s designs in your everyday life: a potato peeler from Target, a TOTO toilet, or a Herman Miller office chair.
Ayse’s book, Design the Life You Love, is a must read. It is an exceptional read for those who wish to build the life they have dreamed of, by utilizing core principles and practices in product design. You do not need to be a designer to find value in Ayse’s words, which is why we love her!
Ayse is currently the founder and director of Birsel Plus Seck, a product design firm based in New York City.
Ezgi Ucar
Ezgi Ucar has been a valued member of the Loomia team since the beginning, and we cannot wrap up this blog without giving her a mention!
Ezgi was born and raised in Turkey, and studied industrial engineering at Middle East Technical University. Shortly after, she received her MFA in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design.
Her educational background is not the only impressive thing about Ezgi. Her work has been featured in exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, SXSW, and the NUMA innovation hub in Paris, France. Aside from the Loomia Electronic Layer, Ezgi has worked on several other multi-sensory and interactive projects. One of our personal favorites is Photon Ecstasy Sound Reactive Costumes. This is a performance project that integrates elements of sound and science fiction. This was created alongside composers Melissa Grey and David Morneau and is a textbook example of how wearable technology can extend beyond smart watches.
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