With the support of Kastamonu Entegre, the Arkitera Awards, which spotlight the projects and figures shaping the future of architecture in Turkey, were presented for the sixteenth time at a ceremony held at the Kastamonu Entegre General Directorate Building. At the event, which drew broad participation from the architecture, design and academic communities, visionary clients and innovative young architects were honored.
Organized by the Arkitera Architecture Center to recognize distinguished works in Turkey’s architectural scene and the people behind them, the Arkitera Awards found their recipients in its sixteenth year. Since 2022, the awards have been presented with the support of Kastamonu Entegre, the leading brand in the wood-based panel industry. The ceremony took place in the former Şark Sigorta building, signed by Sedad Hakkı Eldem and Hamdi Şensoy and now serving as Kastamonu Entegre’s General Directorate in Altunizade, Istanbul, where the winners received their awards.
The opening speeches of the ceremony, which saw wide participation from the architecture, design and academic circles, were delivered by Arkitera General Coordinator Emine Merdim and Kastamonu Entegre’s Manager of Architect and Designer Relations, Gözde Doğramacılar. Emphasizing that architecture is not only about designing spaces but also a powerful field of production that carries cultural bonds into the future and adds value to society, Doğramacılar drew attention to the fact that qualified projects can come to life only through shared effort and collaboration.
Arkitera Client Awards
Aiming to encourage investors who contribute to qualified architectural production, the Arkitera Client Awards—whose selection committee included Ayça Taylan, Doğu Kaptan, Melis Varkal Deligöz and Oğuzhan Aydın—were presented again this year in two categories: public and private sector projects.
In the private sector category, Eczacıbaşı Holding and Yazgan Tasarım Mimarlık were awarded for the Eczacıbaşı Sports Hall, while the Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV) and PAB Architecture received an award for the TEGV Van Nirun Şahingiray Education Park. In addition, the Selection Committee’s Encouragement Award in the private sector category went to Orlando Carlo Calumeno and KO-Arch for the Calumeno Mozolesi project.
In the public sector category, the Zonguldak Special Provincial Administration and BUDA Architecture were honored for the Üzülmez Culture Valley, and the Turkish Basketball Federation and Teğet Architecture were recognized for the Basketball Development Center.
Arkitera Young Architect Awards
Given to help young architects make their work and names known, thereby increasing their participation in architectural production, the Arkitera Young Architect Award—whose selection committee included Erhan Vural, Begüm Yılmaz Bilgin, Hande Ciğerli, Yusuf Burak Dolu and Jeyan Ülkü—also found its recipients. First presented in 2004, the award this year went to Cihan Sevindik, co-founder of Nous Mimarlık | Tasarım, and to Ali Derya Dostoğlu and Uğur Özer, co-founders of Per Se Mimarlık, for their innovative approaches and contributions to architectural production.
The Selection Committee’s Encouragement Award was given to Ediz Demirel, founder of EDWorks, and to Ece Avcı Kantarcı and Bahadır Kantarcı, co-founders of KAA Works, for demonstrating strong potential in architectural practice.
A sapling donation from Kastamonu Entegre in the name of every award winner
Believing that good architecture should improve not only space but also the world we live in, Kastamonu Entegre carried its sustainable future approach into the award program by donating saplings to the TEMA Foundation’s reforested areas in Hatay on behalf of each award winner.
The 16th Arkitera Awards ceremony concluded with the presentation of plaques to the jury members and a group photo.