Özyeğin University’s applied education model enables students to transform their theoretical knowledge into real-world practice, allowing them to crown their academic journey with hands-on projects even before graduation. Here is a closer look at some of these inspiring projects our students successfully brought to life across campus this Fall semester:
“Design Your Dorm Room” Workshop
In collaboration with the architecture firm Hatırlı Mimarlık, our Interior Architecture and Environmental Design Department hosted the “Design Your Dorm Room” Workshop on campus in November. The workshop brought together sophomore students registered in the INAR 201 and INAR 202 courses, who developed conceptual design proposals for the rooms and shared spaces of Dormitory 7, currently under construction on campus. Students worked on defining materials, color palettes, and spatial atmospheres tailored to both private and communal living areas.
Throughout the workshop, students had the opportunity to collaborate directly with a professional architectural firm, strengthening key professional skills such as teamwork, creative problem-solving, material selection, and atmosphere creation. Equally important, they actively participated in designing the very spaces they would one day use.
At the end of the workshop, nine projects were selected, with seven design proposals for rooms and two for shared areas. Shortlisted projects were open to a vote by all OzU students. One project from each category was ultimately chosen, allowing students to play a direct role in creating and selecting the designs to be implemented in Dormitory 7.
L’Atelier Bleu Renovation Project Competition
One of the strongest examples of interdisciplinary collaboration at Özyeğin University, the L’Atelier Bleu Renovation Project Competition brought together students from the Interior Architecture and Environmental Design Department at the Faculty of Architecture and Design with students from the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department at the Faculty of Applied Sciences. The competition offered Interior Architecture and Environmental Design students the opportunity to develop design proposals for a campus space scheduled for renovation, starting from the conceptual phase.
Through close collaboration between our departments, the project created a real-world design and implementation scenario that integrated both design and production processes. As part of this collaboration, Gastronomy and Culinary Arts students prepared detailed specification documents for L’Atelier Bleu within the scope of their GRAM 324 course. These specifications then served as the foundation for the design process, as Interior Architecture and Environmental Design students translated them into creative spatial design solutions. Participants developed comprehensive design proposals, including spatial organization, user flow, and operational diagrams, concept development, floor plans, elevations, sections, and detail drawings, 3D visualizations, and material, lighting, and furniture selections. Adding further depth to this experience, Interior Architecture and Environmental Design alumni were invited to serve as mentors for current students, strengthening the bonds of the OzU family.
Coordinated by Dr. Mine Arbay, the competition also included a site visit in December 2025, allowing students to experience the project area firsthand. The results of the competition will be announced on February 27, 2026.
Campus Wayfinding and Orientation Design Studies
In response to feedback submitted to the Campus Services Advisory Board regarding wayfinding challenges at the Çekmeköy Campus, particularly during high-traffic periods such as open days, commencement ceremonies, and orientation week, a dedicated working group was established within the Faculty of Architecture and Design.
In the initial phase, Associate Prof. Nevşet Gül Çanakçıoğlu and graduate students Beril Baş and Uygar Korkmaz from the Architecture Department identified key wayfinding points across campus using the space syntax methodology. Building on this analysis, wayfinding elements were designed during the 2025-2026 Fall semester by junior Industrial Design students under the guidance of Prof. Şebnem Timur and Dr. Emrah Özturan. A total of 18 design proposals were developed from which five projects were selected by the Faculty and presented to the Board of Trustees. Preparations for the next phase are ongoing, including consultation with Roger Klein, the original architectural designer of the academic buildings on campus, whose insights will contribute to the further refinement of the proposed designs.
