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new member | IDEALIST interior architecture association (türkiye)

09.05.2025 Announcements

ICoD is pleased to announced the New Member İDEALİST Architecture Association (Türkiye) an independent professional organisation committed to advancing interior architecture in Türkiye—from education to practice—through international standards, ethical values, and innovative approaches.

ABOUT

Founded in 2019 in Istanbul by 77 respected and accomplished professionals in the field, İDEALİST Architecture Association (Türkiye) İDEALİST plays a leading role in advocating for professional rights, improving sectoral policies, and building bridges between academia and practice. The organisation focuses on raising quality standards, supporting vocational education, and promoting collaboration in national and international contexts. By developing original projects and strategic partnerships, İDEALİST seeks to enhance the global recognition of Turkish interior architecture.

Operating from its headquarters in Istanbul, İDEALİST serves as a hub for knowledge-sharing and professional development. It organises public workshops, talks, and events that bring together students, educators, and practitioners, and aims to disseminate contemporary design approaches to a broader audience.

With four working commissions and a growing network of over 140 members, İDEALİST continues to shape the future of design culture in Türkiye by fostering communication, collective engagement, and interdisciplinary exchange. In 2025, a meeting was held between the İDEALİST Board and the ICoD Board of Directors. This meeting served as an important foundation for building mutual understanding and exploring potential future collaborations. It also marked the beginning of İDEALİST’s commitment to contributing to the global dialogue on design and professional practice.

PROFESSIONAL DEPARTMENTS

As an independent professional organisation rather than an academic institution, İDEALİST operates through four core commissions, each addressing a key area in the advancement of the design profession in Türkiye. These programme areas function similarly to specialised departments and focus on education, ethics, collaboration, and international development:

Professional Rights, Quality and Ethics Commission
This commission raises awareness about legal and ethical standards in interior architecture. It provides members with legal consultation, organises seminars on professional rights, and works to align national practices with international quality standards. The commission also promotes material and service standards across the sector.

Education Commission
Focusing on design education at both secondary and higher education levels, this commission supports alignment between academic curricula and real-world practice. It collaborates with institutions to advocate for internationalised, updated teaching approaches, and hosts seminars, workshops, and mentorship initiatives to foster practical learning.

Sectoral Collaboration and Solidarity Commission
This group fosters cooperation between İDEALİST members and national/international institutions, municipalities, and civil organisations. It also works to establish a professional database to support human resource development across the design sector in Türkiye.

International Business Development and Cooperation Commission
This commission works to strengthen the visibility and participation of Turkish interior architects in the global design scene. It supports members’ access to funding, participation in international events, and inclusion in global networks through strategic partnerships and resource-sharing initiatives.

Through these thematic commissions, İDEALİST offers a broad-based, practice-oriented programme structure that supports both the advancement of the profession and the development of its members.

PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES

İDEALİST stands out for its unique position as an independent, member-driven design association that bridges education, professional development, and sectoral collaboration. Located in the heart of Istanbul at addresistanbul, the İDEALİST Centre functions as a dynamic hub where design professionals, students, and institutions engage in ongoing dialogue through a variety of events.

Signature programmes include the İDEALİST Talks—a public seminar series exploring intersections between design and other disciplines; the Summer Workshops, where students and professionals collaborate on hands-on projects; and One-on-One Business Meetings, which connect design offices with leading brands to foster collaboration.

The association also runs thematic training programmes such as Biophilic Design and Acoustics 101, designed to equip participants with specialised skills relevant to the evolving needs of the design industry.

Through its cross-institutional partnerships, open-access educational activities, and commitment to ethical and high-quality practice, İDEALİST offers a distinctive, community-oriented platform for advancing design culture in Türkiye.

VISION

İDEALİST aims to strengthen design culture in Turkey by building collaborations with public institutions, universities, and local governments, focusing on interdisciplinary design literacy and the promotion of ethical standards.

In the near future, the organisation plans to expand its educational activities through new certificate programmes and open-access courses in areas such as sustainability, accessibility, and digital production.

İDEALİST is also developing a digital resource archive to provide designers, students, and decision-makers with access to publications and sectoral data. This initiative aims to position the organisation as a key reference point in the fields of interior architecture and design in Turkey.

By connecting design more closely with society, İDEALİST seeks to enhance the social value of design and its contribution to public life and urban resilience.