Han Tümertekin

Han Tümertekin

Architect Han Tümertekin carries out his architectural activities within the framework of Atelier Han Tümertekin, which he established in Strasbourg, in addition to Han Tümertekin Design and Consultancy offices in Istanbul.

Having completed his architectural education at Istanbul Technical University, Tümertekin has worked on historical preservation at Istanbul University. In addition to his professional work, Tümertekin has also contributed to architectural education since 1992, and was a visiting professor at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture-Paris. He is one of the founders of Istanbul Bilgi University Architecture Master’s Program, and now teaches in Istanbul Technical University as a visiting professor.

Many international architectural publications have included Tümertekin’s works. In addition, selected projects have been published as a monograph by Harvard University Press. Tümertekin has realised projects in Turkey, Italy, Netherlands, Japan, United Kingdom, France, China, Mongolia and Kenya.

The ‘B2 House’, for which Tümertekin, who was deemed worthy of various national and international awards, won the Aga Khan Architecture Award in 2004. The building was registered by the Ministry of Culture as a Cultural Heritage to be preserved in 2016. Tumertekin, who took part in the 2007 Aga Khan Architecture Award’s Master Jury, was a member of the steering committee of Aga Khan Architecture Awards between 2007-2016.Han Tümertekin was deemed worthy of the Mimar Sinan Grand Prize at the 19th National Architecture Exhibition and Awards in 2024.

Alongside of his contemporary architectural practice, Han Tümertekin also works on adaptive reuse projects such as Maiden’s Tower, Casa Botter, Former Ottoman Bank Headquarters (SALT Galata, Silahtarağa Power Plant (SantralIstanbul) and Topkapı Palace’s Imperial Mint.

Tumertekin, the first architect from Turkey to be invited to the Venice Architecture Biennale’s Main Exhibition, took part in the exhibition with his work “Side by Side” in 2021. The Venice project provided Steps in Arsenale. This spatial intervention enabled a break, a stopover in the circulation of the Biennale and invited the visitors to be side by side on the water’s edge offering various alternatives: vista and relaxation area on top, shaded area underneath. The installation will be installed soon in the Golden Horn,Istanbul.