Mert uncovered his interest and passion for discovering new places, cities, and architecture during two summer-long camping trips around Europe in his childhood. He enjoys architecture for its ability to change how people feel and interact with each other and their surroundings. Believing that architecture and design can be inspired from anything around us, he enjoys pulling sources from art, photography, movies, popular culture, and daily experiences.
Born, raised, and educated in Istanbul, Mert's training informed his respect for the social and cultural contexts of places as well as his prioritization of the buildability, feasibility, and usability of his projects. Mert became interested in sustainability and ecology during his M.Arch program at UVA. For his thesis research, he extensively studied coastal, urban, and resilient solutions that temper climatic disasters through energy production and community development.
Digesting the projects he works on by perceiving and presenting them as a story, he currently enjoys the inviting environment of Charlottesville and VMDO, where he works in the Higher Education studio. As the USA Country Reporter for the World Architecture Community, Mert shares his perspectives on design and American architecture with WAC's global audience. He participated in AIA Virginia's 2020 Emerging Leaders in Architecture program.
Education
Master of Science in Architecture, University of Virginia, 2018
Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey, 2018