serter karataban

Was it your dream to be an architect?

No, in fact, I wanted to be an engineer just like my brother and to study at İstanbul Technical University, but back in the day, we would decide and select our universities to attend before taking the exam. The last evening of the preference list making, after I went to bed, my father had added the department of architecture under mechanical engineering on my list. I didn’t have a vocational goal yet but my aim was to get 520 points in the last year of high school and I got exactly what I aimed. Mimar Sinan University was included in my preference list and I got in with my points. Sometimes your family knows you better than you and now I can say that I have studied at that school and fortunately I have become an architect. Serter Karataban, in his office © Emrullah Çakmaz

So how did you react?

It was fine by me, actually. It was a fortune that I did not become a mechanical engineer. But let me tell you something, even if I was a cleaning officer, I would try to be the best, I thought about the differences, I would try to create a social benefit. I would try to communicate at a high level again, I would look for ways to understand people. In my belief, everyone should do whatever they desire; but do it in the best way they can. I do not fancy people doing their jobs just because they have to. How was your student years? Were there any people you followed especially in those years?

In my time, we were not aware who was a good and who was a bad architectin Turkey. In my freshman

year, I started to work with a valuable teacher and as soon as I learned computer-aided softwares I worked for almost each teacher who work outside school. I was also a strict fan of Álvaro Siza. I still love him; he has a respectful, uncluttered and simple architectural approach. I also think Peter Zumthor has contributed so much to the architectural community. My aproach to the architecture is about simplicity based on still and linear lines. Orginised but seen as if it was unintentional. That is why I like Álvaro Siza. In fact, I sent him a portfolio at the end of the 90s. I also got accepted; but I could not go. So it had to be. Why?

I am a very domestic man, I could not leave my mother, father, girlfriend. My static teacher was mad at me for not going. In fact, when I told my teacher in 2001; “I am going to buy a house, could you check if there is any problem statically?” then really he did not help me. He said, “No, you must be a world person, do not chain yourself.” Well, now I understand what he means exactly; but I am inside the ‘world’ here also. You said, “I started off in the construction site as a freshman intern, left as a senior student.” Where was the construction site you mentioned, what did you experience?

There is a very important man in my architectural life; Nihat Gök. The construction site was in Çatalca. But at first, I could not distinguish the nail and screw from each other. I worked there for 7 months; all summer and sometimes even for a while in winter by leaving my courses. Ataturk have seen architecture, military and medicine, similar to each other. “The best commanders grow up at the front” he said. If you do not go on the field, you would not understand much of architecture. It was true that I learned much more in 7 months, than I did in 4 years of college. At the end of the fourth month, a set of adz, handsaw and a toolset, everything a mold maker needs, were their gifts for an 18 year old boy. Because I was working with them. You cannot learn this job in any other way. As an instructor, what do you think about the architect candidates? What are the things you find missing? What do you see when you compare your own time with today? First of all, you are luckier than us; because the technology has developed. I first met with the computer in college. But a device could not provide a soul for a project. When extracting something in your mind into a computer, results are not as good as hand sketches. I believe in the importance of hand drawing. The technology that can transfer the image in my head, into 3D instantly, may exist one day tomorrow, but not yet. Benefits of technology has actually become the disadvantages for both the architect and the candidate. Therefore, a cosmetic architecture arised. This is what I say the most to students. Today we have so many populer names; but all they do is dressing the buildings. The buildings do not have a system, there is a little thought put for their functions; but they are good for photos and people talk about them in months even years based on them. We used to create the idea, write the story, then draw the project. Now, the projects are drawn accidently and then the story comes anyway it fits. They are published everywhere you look, on the magazines. Those who read them, actually believes the story. When students see those, they think they are not as lucky as others are, they disappoint and part ways with architecture. Visualization is important for architecture, but the conceptual and intellectual side is more important. Understanding the problem, approaching with a calm mind and looking for the right solution are almost outdated. So what should be done?

I guess now there are 161 architecture departments in total in Turkey. Approximately 8 to 10 thousand people graduate each year. It is not an environment to be a skilled architect in Turkey. All this graduated people each year, what are they gonna do? If you ask me, architecture faculties should be refined; this will inevitably bring quality. Considering the current situation, you would be like “we are architecture students, what are we going to do?” But if you are going to be an honest architect, you will wonder and make an effort, you will question everything, you will stay away from any kind of imposition. In addition, you should acquire your own information with your own effort. While you know the computer well, you will develop your hand skills very well, you will sit and draw constantly. Maybe you will take drawing lessons. Research a lot, but try to get to the core of the job.

After finishing the architecture department of Mimar Sinan University, you have studied philosophy. As a second major, when you could have chosen another department under architecture. In fact, you mentioned that this has been very effective on your projects and your life. What effects are you talking about and how did you decide on this?

I still keep reading. First, it teaches questioning. It keeps you away from dogmas; developing your decision making, feeling others’ decisions, empathizing, your gut... Because architecture is already a profession with no boundries, I am not talking about spatial constraints, but a profession that we do not want intellectual constraints. When you get stuck in something, you cannot create comfortable design. Maybe this is the reason why I preferred philosophy. Keep listening; I started to do more analytical, more scientific, and much more free and free architecture. So if you ask me, it helped a lot in my life; because architecture is such a profession that when you are doing a project, you have to make instant decisions about whether the idea is correct or not. You should not be subjective in that direction. We do not want to use the instructions such as “It felt good to me, it was beautiful, I liked it…” You have to find the most correct one among the mechanics of that project. Because there are endless alternatives. Even in the same program, you make completely different drawings. I think philosophy helped me to understand this the most. In 1997, you established the TeamFores architecture office at the age of 22. Do you think a certain qualification is required for this?

Yes, I started working as soon as I entered school. So it was quicker for me to open an office and discover my entrepreneurial side. Being with the right people, I learned how to treat others. Ask for the truth, you will be in the right place. That’s why we started an office with heavy pressure on my entrepreneur side. If I had my thoughts of today, I would not have been so brave. Can you explain foundation of your office? How was the proccess?

We were two friends at first and then crowded came along. At the time, we could not plan everything. A place was found, we made all the furniture with our own hands. We made everything on our own; sofas, tables, libraries. Of course, we had no employers, we entered small contests. The architectural world was not contaminated at the time, we started with what we earned and then slowly got our name heard. And now here we are. In 2002, one of your projects received 3 different awards.

First of all, do not mind the rewards at all. They spoil your mind’s clarity, but they also prove that you are on the right track. Still, the important thing is, you doing your best, and making the most of your effort. One of those competitions was the “architect’s first structure” and the summary of the jury report was as follows; “In their early construction, architects often try a lot of excitement, but this project was quite refined, very stable with little material.” When I look at this day, I think it was a building that could even be called bad, some aspects still disturbs me. In contrast, it was calm, determined, very functional and very comfortable. For example, a hotel project of mine once selected the best B&B hotel of the year in Turkey, with the votes of long-term customers. If you ask me, it’s the best reward. Because it is the users who voted, and at the end of the day, it is an architecture centers around human, so this project was successful. Congratulations, it has been one and a half year for this place.

Yes, almost two years. Both the area and our building are very beautiful, we are lucky. There is a small library upstairs, from time to time my students even do their homework here. This was a living place, so I love it too. 5 small floors but an active 5 floors. Lean, warm, dynamic; I like how it lives. I guess we do not know how the foundation period has passed. We were drawing for competitions, and on the other hand, I was going to the construction sites because of the necessity of making money. So it was a natural process; it was founded, no hard feelings. If you say do you recommend it, I don’t recommend it to young people right now. I think you should continue training first. How did you establish your team? What things did you considered when setting up your team?

I wanted to work with people who can express themselves correctly and who use Turkish correctly. When we look at resumes and portfolios, the incomings

are almost a thousand per year and I read them all. I reply to most of them. Maybe if I am uncomfortable with them, I may not answer. I try not to evaluate those who has no photos. If it is not well written, I do not read it. Apart from that, the school is effective. What was your first project when you established your office? Were you excited?

It was twenty-two years ago. One is the post-contest drawing work, and the other is the facade design from an acquaintance. You are excited of course, but the important thing is not the excitement, it is the fear of whether you will do it properly or not. That situation prevents you from sleeping at night anyway. But it is

a good fear; because that kind of stress actually takes people to the good. It may sound strange; I still feel the excitement of the first day. People are getting old on everything, they do not get old on that. Even if each new project has been repeated before, it is an opportunity to meet someone new and learn something new. When we think like this, it is already exciting enough. Even when designing a tiny place, this may be a club, you may encounter a problematic person. Architecture is just like that; someone comes to you with a problem. They have a spatial problem. Something needs to be done, and the excitement of being able to really solve that problem well. And trying to solve it, that is something else.

In 2002, you designed a showroom building belongs to Kuyubaşı Nursery. What do you think that made your success in that project? Did you think that you would achieve such a great success while you were designing it?

There is no such great success, let us say a happy result. Both the customer, us, and the visitors are happy. Maybe it is a success, but otherwise it is a little bit pretentious. It was my first architectural project, it took a long time to draw, and I drew each line, I worked for a very long time; I even slept on the construction site, got up. In a natural environment; there were a residence, small housing, a glass office and a showroom. What I can boast about it is that I have never cut a single tree during the construction. I try not to get on with projects like that, we even rejected such a project in Zekeriyaköy. This is of course also criticized; If we did, maybe we would find a way to do it by saving the trees. We contrasted with the customer there. The customer is always right, of course, we used our right of choice and did not go on with the project.

Is it always like this?

It has always been. Kuyubaşı Nursery is inside the forest and made entirely with a brutalist architectural style. Notwithstanding, it is a structure that is extremely respectful to nature. This is one of the most important things for me, and when I did it, I was 24-25 years old. Whatever my thoughts were back then, they are the same now with a little more in theory. I cannot say I am doing a better architecture, but I can say that I am the same me. Still, the same respectful and honest understanding of architecture is valid for me. I had planned some things back then, and now I am still saying the same things. Of course, the world is changing, people are changing; it is not possible to be doing the architecture twenty, thirty, forty years ago. But at least it is important to keep the same approach.

When was the most challenging period so far? How did you overcome this period?

This is the period that I had the most difficulty, we did not yet exceeded, but I hope we will.

Why this period?

The architectural community is very dirty. There are maybe thirty or forty of our architect friends, who are well-known in the market. We sit and talk to all of them, we stand face to face, we come together. I want all of us to speak the same language. But architectural ethics are not really where they should be. If a cost for something is five dollars there should not be people doing that for three. There is an interesting gap in the market. Customers have realized this and are using this situation. I choose not to be a tool. As such, you are out of the race. But this will change, nothing will go on the same. Compared to many of my colleagues, I am young, how many crises I have seen in this country. But even if we say this is the worst crisis, this too will pass. You have to be prepared for those days. In Einstein’s words, “It is not the skeleton nor the muscular system that makes people go on, but their principles and beleives.” I think we will continue to survive as long as we remain principled.

In an interview, you said “we are not involved in housing projects.” What is the reason?

Because I do not believe in the urban transformation in Turkey. Urban transformation is a project based entirely on enriching the numerous contractor lobby, bringing no benefits to the end user. That is why I did not want to be a part of it. Our office received many offers, we did not take any of it.

You have a certain principle; you prepare your projects faithful to them. How is this coming back to you?

There was not one who thought our projects were unsuccessful or made badly. But even if there was something bad I would be aware of it, it is not possible to say that we did not make a mistake at all; but truly, it never happened. Also, details are very important for me, especially if I apply something to interior design. It is my only stiffness in architecture, my insecurity. Generally, there is always a positive turn in the projects, I did not experience anything negative.

Serter Karataban’ın ofisi © Emrullah Çakmaz

Do you have any interests besides your job?

I have been playing the guitar for thirty years. Music comes first among the things that make up a person’s personality, and it is very related to architecture. With seven notes, you can create endless alternatives. These are things that will benefit you professionally. Because we are really doing something for the human.

They want a whole world from us, we need to be prepared for anything, right?

True, this has been such a period that probably your generation will save architecture in Turkey. So please work hard. I am a student, too. Architecture is a both-ways profession, and when I tell you something, I also benefit from it. One needs to think differently on this subject, and also architecture is not to be learn in one stroke. Mimar Sinan said on his deathbed, “God forgive me, how much remains to be learned.”

gentle monster

How can one design a glasses shop? While looking for an answer, the sense of seeing became the main concept of the project. As a result, what it means to see is questioned. The answer was to examine the details, have a look at every inch a bit, grasp the whole by a new look. That is why displaying glasses, is thought to be proper for the interior structure of the store, on the other hand allowing customers to discover for themselves. The basic aim was to create a shopping space which awakens the idea of an art gallery. There are mirrors sit opposite to each other to make the space seem like it is endless. When designing a store, another issue to be reminded is that what the incomer encounters when first stepping inside. In Gentle Monster, as the brand identity follows, monsters with different backgrounds are produced. The lightings on the ground are for seperating the visitors from the monsters, so that they feel safe inside.

Enter the store, find the monsters welcome you, continue walking, sit and take a breath, try on some of the products, when it is time to pay for the glasses, you will see a cracked wall behind the cashier, it is the work of the monsters...

publisher

In this project, designed for a publishing firm, the relations of the different units are considered and a function scheme is created. Avoiding long and dark hallways lie behind the angular partitions. This provided the space a new sense of depth, also creates a feeling to tour. This “touring instinct” which is created from the angular partitions, also continued on the design for the special furniture. Circulation areas were put in the first priority, as such new functions were given to them. Mostly being faithful to the ide of “open office” and equal distribution of the “personal spaces” were important.

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