Tabanlıoğlu Architects is established in 1990 by Murat Tabanlıoğlu and his father, Hayati Tabanlıoğlu, and Melkan Gürsel (AIA Int.) joined the group as partner in 1995.
The istanbul-based architectural firm, with its long family tradition since 1950, started with Dr. Hayati Tabanlıoğlu, architect of Çankaya Mosque, Erzurum Atatürk University, Atatürk Cultural Center, İstanbul Atatürk Airport and Galleria ‘the first shopping mall of Turkey’. Spanning over six decades, the office demonstrates professionalism based on rigor and know-how.
Tabanlıoğlu Architects 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”. Tabanlıoğlu renders services of projects and counseling in architecture, urban planning, and interior design on national and international scales. The practice is currently engaged in significant assignments worldwide, from Dakar to Kazakhstan, Miami etc., in TA_offices Istanbul, NYC, Dubai, and Doha.
Tabanlıoğlu projects comprise a wide range of building types with various awards. Along with several prize-winning projects, e.g., RIBA International Awards in 2011 and 2013, respectively for Loft Gardens and Bodrum International Airport, Beyazıt State Library has been a finalist for Mies Van Der Rohe Awards in 2017 and for Aga Khan Architecture Awards in 2019 and several others. The quantity and quality of projects, awards, and publications endorse its solvency.
Searching for new efficiencies in terms of global and environmental needs and developments and respecting resources and existing values, the office aims high to benefit new technologies, envisioning the needs of people of our era of novelties and rapid changes.
Operating mainly in Turkey, the Middle East, Africa, and CIS Countries, targeting betterment, contemporary development, and content end-users, Tabanlioglu is keen to design high-quality urban space that attracts both local and international users/visitors through projects providing an immediate presence at its location as well as making a positive urban impact.
Murat Tabanlıoğlu (Founding Partner, RIBA, Chartered Member, Int’l. Assoc. AIA) studied architecture at Vienna Technical University and graduated in 1992. He founded Tabanlıoğlu Architects in cooperation with Dr. Hayati Tabanlıoğlu in Istanbul in 1990.
His projects comprise a wide range of building types; the award-winning practice is developing projects worldwide on four continents. Murat is responsible for several ongoing international projects, besides the critical sites in Turkey, like the under construction urban transformation project Tersane Istanbul (the historical shipyard). Following the two previously realized projects of Hayati Tabanlioglu, The New Ataturk Cultural Center in Istanbul has been the Architects’ third AKM project, completed and opened in October 2022.
Designer of the Pavilion of Turkey at Expo 2000 Hanover, in 2014, he was granted the honor of curating the first Pavilion of Turkey at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale. In 2015, he was the curator of the “Port City Talks. Istanbul. Antwerp.” exhibition at MAS Antwerp, a major event of Europalia 2015 Turkey. Curator of several exhibitions, he designed installations exhibited on international platforms.
Besides his ongoing class at Istanbul KHAS University, Architecture, and Urban Studies Graduate Program, he lectures at universities and various international platforms besides his atelier programs at Universities in Turkey. In addition to his national and international contributions as a jury member, such as at AIA and WAF, Murat served on the Master Jury for the 2013 Cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
Melkan Gürsel (Founding Partner, Int’l. Assoc. AIA) studied architecture at Istanbul Technical University. After graduating in 1993, she went to UPC, Barcelona, for her master’s degree in architecture. In 1995, she joined Tabanlioglu Architects as a partner, which today is one of Eurasia’s most recognized, award-winning architectural practices.
Along with several prize-winning projects, Melkan has been selected as one of the “Europe 40 under 40” for 2008 and in 2015, “Fifty under Fifty: Innovators of the 21st Century”. In 2010, 2013, and 2018, together with Murat Tabanlıoğlu, she has been awarded MEA- Middle East Architect Award Architect of the Year and “Architect of the Year” by Big Project ME Awards and announced 5th in the list of most powerful 50 figures who shaped the architecture of the ME. Melkan Gürsel ranked 2nd in “The Power List 2018” of ME Architect. Gürsel is the only Turkish architect to be included in the book “Frauen in der Architektur Women in Architecture”, which was prepared to draw attention to the achievements of female architects and includes 36 world-renowned female architects.
Besides her architectural work, she has designed installations at London Design Festival in 2015 and 2016; Milan Fuorisalone Interni Exhibition, London Design Biennale, and Dubai Design Week in 2018. She participates in national and international juries, such as the judging panel of Dezeen Awards.
Melkan Gürsel gives lectures and mentors the younger generation as part of her professional and social responsibilities. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul Technical University, ITU Development and ITU Technopolis Foundations, Istanbul Modern Museum, and of the Baksi Museum. Also, a partner of Istanbul’s renowned art gallery, Galerist, Melkan Gürsel writes for ArchUnlimited Magazine.
