Yeşim Kozanlı
Interior Architect
YKA&ID
Yeşim Kozanlı Architecture, which produces accommodation projects for international hotel chains and world brands, crowns its quarter-century of experience in the hospitality sector with award-winning projects realized in different geographies of the world. We talked to Interior Architect Yeşim Kozanlı, who prefers to create extraordinary new concepts by using different materials and colors together, as well as simplicity and functionality in design, about her working principles and approach to design, as well as the importance of natural stone material in her projects.
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What are the reasons that led Yeşim Kozanlı to the profession of interior design?
Actually, I always enjoyed drawing, or rather scribbling something. I grew up as a curious child who liked to draw and paint, without being fully aware of the concept of ‘design.’ Initially, around the ages of 10-11, I decided to become a fashion designer. During that time, I would sometimes draw fashion design sketches, sometimes black-and-white perspective spaces, and other times portraits. My family and surroundings weren’t involved in architecture, so I can say that my choices were quite instinctive. Around the age of 11-12, I told myself that I wanted to be an artist, but later on, one of my school teachers advised me to explore three-dimensional design. This led me to start creating my first imaginary spaces. One day, when I was in my first year of high school, brochures from architecture faculties arrived at our school, and I became certain that I wanted to pursue a career in architecture. I began taking perspective and drawing lessons and started preparing for the entrance exam. Mathematics was already a subject I enjoyed, and I found a great sense of satisfaction in combining it with a creative outlook.”
How and when was YKA&ID established?
The year 1994 marked the beginning of both my studies in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design at Bilkent University and the start of my professional journey. Even during my university years, I began working, and right after graduating, I launched my own design office with a small team. Our initial projects mainly revolved around offices and residences; however, over time, we transitioned towards more complex and challenging projects like hotel design, eventually becoming experts in this field.
Today, we operate as Yeşim Kozanlı Architecture & Interior Design, and we are accredited with numerous prestigious hotel brands on a global scale. As a team, we work with an average of 100 people, both within the office and on-site. While comprehending the complexities and challenges of working with such a sizable team is easy, it significantly contributes to the richness and versatility of our design process.
In each project, the collaboration of team members from diverse disciplines, offering various perspectives and skills, enhances the depth and diversity of our solutions. This is our greatest strength. Throughout both my personal journey and the evolution of our firm, our goal has always been to maintain quality and innovation in architectural and interior design.
What can you say about your working principles and design approaches?
We prioritize disciplined and intensive work principles. Because we believe that industrial design and interior architectural projects should operate in harmony and parallel, we design our own products and support local production. We exhibit a boutique behavior, even including larger projects, allowing us to create projects that establish stronger connections with the spaces. Within sectoral collaboration, we work with artists and craftsmen to integrate art and the artist into our projects, adopting cultural continuity as an approach. In design, our main goal is to create living spaces that remain deeply human-centered, touch emotions, and exhibit maximum harmony within the surroundings.
Your project portfolio is mainly composed of architectural, interior design, and concept development projects in the field of accommodations. How do you carry out versatile design processes in hospitality spaces?
Our process stages generally consist of research and analysis, concept development, design phase, detailed design and documentation, implementation, supervision, and finally, delivery stages.
We gather in-depth information about the client’s needs, expectations, and vision. We evaluate elements such as the target audience, competitor analysis, and location through market research. Additionally, we assess the opportunities or constraints presented by the project site and its surroundings. We create a theme and concept that align with cultural aspects and the target audience. A mood board is prepared to showcase colors, materials, textures, and the desired atmosphere. Effective zoning and planning are established for room layouts, public areas, back-office spaces, and more. Initial design ideas are presented to the client using 3D modeling and visualization tools.
Detailed solutions are developed for interior aspects such as furniture, lighting, artwork, etc. Comprehensive technical documentation is prepared before moving into the construction and implementation phase. The most suitable contractors and suppliers are selected for the implementation stage. We closely monitor the project from start to finish, and conduct quality control and supervision. After obtaining the final approval from the client, the project is completed. We evaluate our performance after the project is completed and learn for future endeavors.
Throughout this process, we maintain constant communication and embrace an interactive approach. Each project is unique, these steps are customized according to the project’s requirements. These details are crucial research aspects for creating versatile designs in hospitality spaces.
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By harnessing the inspiring and healing power of art, you aim to create smart designs that are modern, minimalistic, and respect the unique essence of each space. Could you elaborate on this approach?
We bring forth designs that focus on human emotions and cater to functions at a human scale, drawing heavily from the potency of art. For us, art is one of the most effective ways to trigger and evoke human emotions and sentiments. In our work, we first seek to understand the details that will influence people inhabiting the designed space, attempting to grasp the nuances that evoke new feelings. Our aim is to shape our creations to resonate with these emotions, making our products equally influential.
In this regard, inspiring works of art, aesthetics, emotional connection, and curation all play influential roles. We draw from the clean aesthetics and universality of art as part of our perception and design process. Every space has a distinct texture of its own. We aim to narrate and approach its unique identity and texture from this perspective. Right from the beginning to the very end, art serves as a nurturing and supporting tool throughout all phases.
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Could you please talk about the interesting innovations and current trends in the hospitality sector?
The hospitality sector is a rapidly evolving industry that needs to stay constantly up-to-date and innovative in line with human needs. In terms of approach, there have been prominent trends focused on in recent years.
Globally, due to reasons like high energy consumption and the global climate crisis, there’s a trend toward learning from these issues. Thus, topics such as energy-efficient systems, sustainable materials, and waste management in facilities have emerged under the umbrella of sustainability. In the ever-changing dynamics, creating modular and flexible spaces has become a new design approach, allowing the same area to be transformed for different purposes.
A return to our roots is marked by the use of local materials, craftsmanship, and authentic elements while respecting local culture. Rather than traditional concepts, there is a shift towards creating experience and sociability-focused spaces, infusing these areas with multidisciplinary features.
Lastly, designing spaces that integrate with nature and support ecotourism is a prevalent trend in today’s hospitality industry.
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You also have designs in the field of gastronomy. What are the key factors that guide architecture in restaurant designs?
The primary factor in restaurant design is the content and concept of the restaurant itself. For instance, our approach and storytelling methods differ when it comes to Turkish cuisine versus Italian restaurants. When we consider the desired atmosphere alongside the restaurant’s functionality and practical aspects, the concept takes shape physically. Atmosphere, local characteristics, sustainability, and customer flow profile are the fundamental elements that we consider as the challenges to address.
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Regarding the material selections, which are one of the most crucial elements of interior design, what can you say?
The material selection for each project has its distinct features and requirements. Therefore, when designing a city hotel or a villa by the seaside, the criteria change accordingly. As much as possible, we lean towards using materials that align with their natural function. Suitability to the environment, quality, and durability of the material remain the most significant factors in shaping our preferences. When selecting our partners, we ensure that they support the concept and creative process. The sustainability of material quality, product delivery times, production capacities, extensive product libraries, and technical expertise are also criteria for choosing our suppliers. We prefer to establish sustainable long-term relationships with our solution partners.
What is the significance of stone materials in your designs? As an interior designer, what is your perspective on stone?
Natural stones and materials are structural elements that we frequently prefer and emphasize in our projects. The inherent aesthetic value of these organic materials adds a genuine and warm ambiance to the project. These characteristics make them a highly important component in the design process.
In the broad spectrum of architectural applications, the use of natural stone varies project by project, depending on its nature, geographical location, and design language. With its versatile nature, natural stone offers the opportunity to create different surfaces and spatial solutions, thus leaving a unique mark on each project. Just like with all other materials, locality and regionality play a significant role in the selection of natural stone. Being specific to the region it’s sourced from adds authenticity and meaningful value to the project.
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In which parts of your projects do you prefer to use natural stone and with what priorities?
Natural stones offer a wide variety and flexibility, allowing them to adapt to various usage areas. For example, in spa designs, I often prefer to use marble types with water-absorbent properties. These marbles stand out with their resistance to water vapor and humidity, helping to create a natural and durable atmosphere in the space.
In flooring designs, it’s possible to present an impressive aesthetic by using the striking patterns of natural stones. This type of application is a significant choice, particularly in our hotel projects. Additionally, to ensure safety, we apply various technical solutions to make marble floors slip-resistant, which is one of the technical challenges in our hotel designs.
Furthermore, through specific treatments applied to the surface of natural stones, we can achieve various surface textures and colors. This gives us the ability to create different atmospheres. Lately, I have a special interest in marble types like Amazon Green and Rainforest, which stand out with their natural colors. These marbles add a natural and luxurious touch to spaces.
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Which projects are currently ongoing on your desktop?
Currently, we have numerous projects in progress, both domestically and globally. One of our ongoing projects is a 5-star hotel located in Prague, affiliated with a hotel chain. This particular hotel project involves the transformation of five old buildings into a complex, creating a unique space. Additionally, the hotel features thermal water facilities.
Similarly, we are working on a ski resort hotel project in Italy. This project is designed around the natural beauty of its surroundings, presenting a conceptually rich hotel project.
We are also involved in the design of a 5-star hotel for a brand that is entering the Turkish market for the first time. We are excited to announce this brand soon and are undertaking a significant and impactful project in collaboration.
In the Antalya-Kaş region, we have multiple hotel projects underway. Furthermore, we have several resort hotel projects in Antalya that are currently in the desktop phase of the construction process.
Could you tell us about your professional goals and plans for the future?
In regards to future professional goals and plans, Turkish architects and interior designers are indeed elevating our standards with each passing day. We possess the capacity to create high-quality work in Europe and around the world, and we continuously prove this by generating projects in a widening geographical scope. Ensuring the continuity of this developmental process and becoming one of the global brands for international hotel projects are among our ambitions. In this context, making our company’s name more widely recognized abroad and producing valuable and significant projects are our priorities.
Enhancing our research and development capacity in the office and studio environment – in other words, in the kitchen – as well as increasing our multidisciplinary structure, improving the education level of our employees, and providing an instructive work environment for aspiring architects and interior designers are important elements we aim for in terms of sustaining and enhancing the quality of the working environment in the industry.
Collaborating with our idealist Interior Designers Association, where we gather to foster professional development, research, and problem-solving, is also within our responsibilities to create environments where we can generate more solutions in our field.
As Yeşim Kozanlı, our fundamental goal and desire could be to create more livable spaces, design more peaceful and enjoyable environments that touch people’s lives, and make sustainability a core aspect of it.
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