I am immensely proud to have led such an amazing project, made possible with the guidance of invited Fulbright Specialist Prof. Dr. Charlie Hailey, who facilitated the workshop. The workshop was organized by the ISBE-Center of EMU Faculty of Architecture, emphasizing experiential learning and a constructivist approach.

After 8 intense days, 31 students from EMU Faculty of Architecture have successfully completed the Design&Build Workshop! As part of the project, our students designed and built an ‘outdoor learning module’ for ecological literacy, which has been donated to Yeniboğaziçi Primary School as part of Faculty of Architecture’s social responsibility mission.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to EMU Rectorate, Faculty of Architecture Administration, Technical Affairs Directorate, ISBE-Center members (Pınar Uluçay, Eliz Erdenizci, Yonca Hürol), especially center chair Kokan Grchev, Architecture and Interior Architecture Administrations, the Principal of Yeniboğaziçi Primary School,colleagues, research assistants, Green Bracelet Project (for inspiring us!), the US Embassy Cyprus, and, most importantly, our students!

Design and Build Workshop

Research Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Built Environment (ISBE),  Faculty of Architecture, Eastern Mediterranean University

With invited Fulbright Specialist: Prof. Dr. Charlie Hailey

The School of Architecture, University of Florida, USA

Project title: Experiential Learning: Public Interest Design

Project leader: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceren Boğaç

This workshop based on public interest design, which refers to the practice of using design to address social, environmental, and economic issues in order to benefit the broader public. Public interest design seeks to create inclusive, sustainable, and equitable solutions that improve the quality of life for individuals and communities while also addressing systemic challenges and promoting social justice. To achieve this, we conducted a design/build workshop focused on creating outdoor learning spaces and resources for eco-literacy in a primary school.

The design/build workshop is an educational program that aligns with EMU Faculty of Architecture’s priorities of providing practical, hands-on learning experiences to our students. By participating in this workshop, our students had the opportunity to apply their design skills and knowledge to real-world projects, fostering a deeper understanding of the design process and its impact on the community.