Melkan Gürsel (Int’l. Assoc. AIA) studied architecture at Istanbul Technical University. After graduating in 1993, she attended Polytechnic University of Metropolitan Catalonia for her Master of Architecture. She joined Tabanlioglu Architects as partner, in 1995; based in Istanbul with branches in Dubai, Doha and London with more than 200 architects. Approximately 60% of the team members are women. Practicing architecture in a city with 10.000-year urban culture, Melkan’s projects reflect the time they belong and the place they are located, aiming to develop innovative, yet efficient and economically viable design alternatives for residential buildings, offices, industrial facilities, shopping malls and transformation projects considering the uniqueness of the “place” and the individuality of “requirements”.
Several projects of the office have been granted national and international awards including RIBA International, AIA Europe, WAF, The Plan for a wide range of building types, such as Loft Gardens, Bodrum International Airport, Astana Train Station, Yenikapı Transfer Point and Archeopark, Tripoli, Sipopo and Dakar Congress Centers. The project of the office has been selected as one of the 11 finalist for Japan International Design Competition for New National Stadium in 2012. Besides many other awards, Melkan has been selected as one of the “Europe 40 under 40” for 2008 and as “Fifty under Fifty: Innovators of the 21st Century”, in 2015. In 2010, together with Murat Tabanlıoğlu, Melkan selected as “Architect of the Year” by Big Project Middle East Awards.
Melkan gives lectures at various national and international platforms and serves as jury member at several programs, one of her latest contribution being RIBA Annie Spink Award for Excellence in Architectural Education. She has co-curated an exhibition at London Design Festival 2015 with French artist Arik Levy. She is the designer of the coming “Istanbul Light Exhibition” and co-designer of the installation at V&A during LDF 2016, London.