Yiğit Acar
Bachelor of Architecture (METU, 2008),
M.Sc. Urban Design (METU, 2011),
PhD in Architecture (METU, 2017)
M.Sc. Urban Design (METU, 2011),
PhD in Architecture (METU, 2017)
Bio:
My interests lie in critical cartography, the theory and history of architectural and urban design, the epistemology of design, and pedagogical practices in architecture and urban design. Over the past eleven years, I have been actively involved in research, teaching, and practicing in these fields.
I have received several prizes in architectural and urban design competitions. I have also provided assistance and contributed to various design and theory courses for undergraduate students. Additionally, I have played a significant role in the creation of the Ankara Urban Atlas, a collection of innovative maps and critical studies on urban spaces in Turkey's capital city. Furthermore, I have published works on the pedagogical aspects of design education and urban design theory.
Currently, I am employed as an instructor at ID. Bilkent University, where I teach senior year design studios, theory and history courses as well as visualization courses across different grades.
.publications
.articles in indexed journals
Acar, Yiğit & Demet, Gönülnur & Kaynar, Melek. (2023). Data and discourse: an assessment of Taksim urban design competition in terms of populism and participation. Journal of Urban Design. 1-17.Doi: 10.1080/13574809.2023.2182767.
Anay, H., Acar, Y., Özten, Ü., & Anay, M. Ö. (2019). Mapping theory: Production of Knowledge in Theory of Architecture in Turkey. A/Z : ITU Journal of Faculty of Architecture, 16(2), 81–90. Doi: 10.5505/itujfa.2019.97059
Acar, Yigit.(2015) Discussion Upon the Constructed Limits of Design Studios, Open House International 40(2):5-11 . Doi: 10.1108/OHI-02-2015-B0002
.articles in other refereed journals
Koçyiğit, Elif Selena Ayhan, Leyla Etyemez Çıplak, and Yiğit Acar. 100. Yıl Çarşısı Koruma - Yıkım Tartışmaları ve Ulus Tarihî Kent Merkezine Bütüncül Yaklaşım Önerisi (Discussions on Conservation / Destruction of the 100. Yıl Çarşısı and A Proposal for a Holistic Approach to Ulus Historic City Center.) Mimarlik 415(2020): 14-19
Anay, Hakan, Ülkü Özten, Meltem Özten Anay, and Yiğit Acar. Görünmez Doktoralar: Türkiye’de Mimari Tasarım Doktora Araştırmaları, Mimarlık, 406(2019): 50-53. 2019.
Anay, Hakan, Ülkü Özten, Meltem Özten Anay, and Yiğit Acar. Türkiye'de Mimarlık/Mimari Tasarım Doktora Araştırmalarına Dair Bir İnceleme. Journal of Higher Education & Science/Yüksekögretim ve Bilim Dergisi 12, no. 3. 2018. Doi:10.5961/jhes.2018.290
Özten, Ülkü, Hakan Anay, Meltem Özten Anay, and Yiğit Acar. Akademinin Gözüyle Türkiye’de Mimarlık/Mimari Tasarım Doktora Araştırmaları. Journal of Higher Education & Science/Yüksekögretim ve Bilim Dergisi 8, no. 2. 2018. Doi: 10.5961/jhes.2018.283
.non-refereed articles
Acar, Yiğit, Ezgi İşbilen, Pınar Oktar, Sare Nur Avcı and Abdulkadir Kayalı, Modern Mimarlığın Sürdürülmesi: Cebeci Stadı ve Aşti Üzerine Denemeler (Sustaining Modern Architecture, Experiments on Cebeci Stadium and AŞTİ), Dosya 49: Mimari Tasarım Stüdyolarında Ankara'nın Geleceğini Kavramak (Dossier 49: Understanding the Future of Ankara Through Architectural Design Studios), Çağlar, Nur and Selda Bancı (eds.) TMMOB Ankara (Turkish Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch) Ankara, November 2021.
Acar, Yiğit, Bilginin Haritalanması: Bilgi, İlişkilendirme ve Temsil (Mapping Knowledge: Knowledge, Relations and Representation), Dosya 42: İlişkisel bir Eylem Olarak Haritalama (Dossier 42: Mapping as a Relational Act), Aral, Ela (ed), TMMOB Ankara (Turkish Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch) Ankara, June 2019.
Acar, Yigit. 20 Years of Work: Mapping the History of METU Urban Design Studio, in Catalogue.01 METU Master of Urban Design, Olgu Çalıskan (ed.) METU Faculty of Architecture Press, Ankara, 2016.
Acar, Yigit, Kompleksite Teorisi ve Mimarlık Egitimi (Complexity Theory and Architecture Education), Dosya 30: Mimarlıgı Sosyolojik Olarak Anlamak (Dossier 30, Understanding Architecture Sociologically) , Kennedy, Nilgün F. (ed.), TMMOB Ankara (Turkish Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch),Ankara, December 2012.
Acar, Yigit, Esin Kömez, ODTU Mimari Tasarım Stüdyoları (METU, Architectural Design Studios) in Codex , Anay, Hakan (ed.), Esogü Mimarlık Bölümü, Esogü Yayınları, Eskisehir 2012.
.proceedings
.international conference proceedings
Güngör, Ezgi Nur, Giorgio Gasco and Yiğit Acar, The Study of Archipelago as a Morphological Concept through the Evolution of Urban Form: The Case of Ankara, Paper presented at ISUF 2021: Urban Form and the Sustainable and Prosperous Cities 29th June – 3rd July 2021, Glasgow; Online, https://doi.org/10.17868/80146
Acar, Yigit. Mapping Urban Design Knowledge in Turkey, Paper presented at Designing Urban Design: Towards a Holistic Perspective, METU, Ankara, 2016.
Anay, Meltem Özten, Hakan Anay, Ülkü Özten and Yiğit Acar. On Environmental Discourse and Phenomenology in Doctoral Research in Architecture in Turkey, Paper presented at Hong Kong International Conference on Education, Psychology and Society, Hong Kong, 2016.
Anay, Meltem Özten, Hakan Anay, Ülkü Özten, Yıldız Uzuner and Yiğit Acar. Quantifying the Unquantifiable: A Review and Critique of Present Positivist Influence on Architectural Design Doctorates, Paper presented at the Twelfth International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2016.
Anay, Meltem Özten, Hakan Anay, Ülkü Özten, Yıldız Uzuner and Yiğit Acar. State of Qualitative Research in Doctoral Research in Architecture in Turkey at the Beginning of the 21th Century: A Review, Paper presented at The Eleventh International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2015.
Anay, Meltem Özten, Hakan Anay, Ülkü Özten and Yiğit Acar.The Phenomenon of Place In Master’s and Doctoral Studies in Turkey, Paper presented at DesignEd Asia Conference, Hong Kong 2015.
Acar, Yiğit, Ideological Limits of Design Studios, Paper presented at International Conference on Architectural Education, Unspoken Issues in Architectural Education, EMU, Famagusta, 2014.
.other proceedings
Acar, Yiğit, Ankara 100th Year Commerce Center, Poster Presented at DOCOMOMO Kocaeli, 2012.
.edited volumes and contributions
[Academic Advisor] Meram Kentsel Tasarım Rehberi Cilt I: Kent Atlası, (Meram Urban Design Guide Vol I: Urban Atlas), Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanism and Climate Change, Ankara/Turkey, ISBN: 978-625-7076-25-87
[Academic Advisor] Meram Kentsel Tasarım Rehberi Cilt II: Strateji Belgesi, (Meram Urban Design Guide Vol II: Strategy Document), Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanism and Climate Change, Ankara/Turkey, ISBN: 978-625-7076-25-8
[Academic Advisor] Meram Kentsel Tasarım Rehberi Cilt III: Tasarım Rehberi, (Meram Urban Design Guide Vol III: Design Guide), Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanism and Climate Change, Ankara/Turkey, ISBN: 978-625-7076-25-8
Acar, Yiğit (ed), Dosya 48: Tasarim Kültürün İnşasi: Kamusal Alan Üzerine Diyaloglar (Dossier 48: Construction of Design Culture: Dialogues on Public Domain), TMMOB Ankara (Turkish Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch) Ankara, May 2021.
.research projects
21 Yüzyilin Başında Türkiye’de Mimarlik Alanında Doktora Araştırmalarının Durumu, (State of Doctoral Research on Architecture in Turkey at the Beginning of 21st Century), Project Coordinator:Hakan Anay, Researchers: Meltem Özten Anay, Ülkü Özten, Yiğit Acar. Researcher, academic research project funded by ESOGÜ.
.academic and professional advisorships
Çevre ve Şehircilik Bakanlığı, Kentsel Tasarım Rehberleri, Uygulama Projesi, Konya/Meram için Kentsel Tasarım Rehberi, (Urban Desing Guides Application Project, Urban Design Guide for Konya/Meram) academic advisor to, Ege Plan, project funded by Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanism and Climate Change.
.scientific board memberships
3rd Urban Morphology Symposium, ISUF Turkey, Middle East Technical University, Ankara/Turkey (Scientific Board Member)
28th Urban Design and Applications Symposium, MSGSU, Istanbul/Turkey (Scientific Board Member)
26th Urban Design and Applications Symposium, MSGSU, Istanbul/Turkey (Scientific Board Member)
.honors and awards
Sağlık Çalışanlarına Şükran ve Anma Mekânı Proje Yarışması, [Memorial Space for Medical Professionals], (Honorable Mention), National professional design competition by the Greater Municipality of Ankara 2021.
Marie Curie, PUMAH Project Scholar: One Month Study in China and Presentations in Three Universities, 2014.
Çanakkale Social Housing District Urban Renovation Project Competition (Purchasing Award), National professional design competition by the Greater Municipality of Çanakkale 2014.
Turkish Shooting Sports Federation, Shooting Venue Architectural Design Competition (Second Prize), Invited design competition by the Turkish Shooting Sports Federation 2013.
Kütahya Highschool Campus Design Architectural Design Competition (with Baobab Architecture, Third Prize), Invited design competition by the Turkish Ministry of Education, 2013.
Çanakkale Green Urban Square National Urban Design Competition (Honorable Mention), National professional design competition by the Greater Municipality of Çanakkale, 2013.
Balıkesir Highschool Campus Architectural Design Competition (with Atabas Architecture, Third Prize), Invited design competition by the Turkish Ministry of Education, 2013.
METU Alumni Association Office Building, Architectural Design Competition (Assistant to BAOBAB Architecture, First Prize), Invited design competition by the Middle East Technical University Alumni Association,2012.
Ankara EGO Bus Hangars Ideas Design Competition (Graduate Category, 2nd Prize), National student ideas design competition by the Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch, 2011.
METU 2008-2009 Course Performance Awards, Best C. GPA in Urban Design Program, 2009.
Zonguldak Coal Processing Plant Ideas Design Competition. (Undergraduate, 3rd Prize), National student ideas design competition by the Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch 2008.
Eskisehir Chamber of Commerce, Facilities Center (Assistant to BAOBAB Architecture, Honorable Mention), 2007.
Ankara Hasanoğlan Rural Institute Ideas Design Competition (Undergraduate Category, 2nd Prize), National student ideas design competition by the Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch, 2007.
.service, workshops and exhibitions
Member of Administrative Board of Architect’s Association 1927, Architect’s Association 1927.
Member of Departmental Degree Qualifications Committee, Department of Architecture, Bilkent University.
Web-Design and Administration, Bilkent University Department of Architecture, arch.bilkent.edu.tr
Member of Editorial Board of Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch, Dossier Journal.
Member of City Monitoring Committee, Chamber of Architects Ankara Branch.
[Jury Member] Ankara Ulus 100th Year Commerce Center Ideas Design Competition, national professional idea design competition, The Greater Municipality of Ankara.
[Workshop Tutor] Human Rights City, Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Ankara.
[Workshop Organization]: Unfolding: A Learning Initiative for Interactive Art and Design, 26-27 April 2019 Bilkent Faculty of Art and Design.
[Jury Member] “Yeni Normaller”, Drawing and Photography Competition for Architecture Students, national student competition held by Architect's Association 1927.
[Exhibition Organization] Praha 7, Graduation Projects of Bilkent Department of Architecture Spring 2019, 27 September, 1 October, Cer-Modern, Ankara.
[Exhibition Architecture] Shapes and Shaper's Exhibition, by the Embassy of Czech Republic, 28 September- 30 October, Cer-Modern, Ankara.
[Exhibition] Kapalı Kent Ankara (Ankara the Enclosed City), with Cem Dedekargınoğlu, in Ankara Chamber of Architects.
[Board Member] Turkish Chamber of Architects Board of Admission to Profession.
[Workshop] Işgalci Göz(The Occupying Eye), with Duygu Tüntaş Karaman, in ESOGU Design Festival.
[Workshop Participant]: Büyükkentlerde Dönüşüm Biçimi Olarak Ne Düşünmeliyiz (Thinking on the Transformation Modalities of Big Cities), in Ankara Chamber of Architects.
[Jury Member] AOÇ Urban Dreams Ideas Design Competition. Substitute Jury Member, national student ideas design competition, Ankara Chamber of Architects.
[Scholarship] PUMAH Project Scholar: One Month Study in China and Presentations in Three Universities, research scholarship funded by Marie Curie Program.
[Workshop Organization] Architecture & Ideology 3: Juries, METU Dept of Architecture
[Workshop Organization] Architecture & Ideology 2: Limits of Design Studios, METU Dept of Architecture
[Workshop Organization]: Architecture & Ideology Workshop, as a part of Arch 526: Politics and Space course, METU Dept of Architecture
[Workshop Participation]: UES, Urban Exchange Studio, METU Department of Architecture, Department of City and Regional Planning, and University of Adelaide
[Workshop Participation]: Kayıtdışı 2008, in Yıldız Technical University
.courses taught
ADA 131 Architectural Drawing
ADA 134 Designing with Digital Media
ADA 234 History of Built Environment II
ARCH 315 Computerized Presentation Techniques
ARCH 463 Modern Turkish Architecture
ARCH 201 Architectural Design I
ARCH 401 Architectural Design V
ARCH 402 Architectural Design VI
.other edited books and reports
The following volumes are published as e-books. Although they are not formal products, as I believe their importance as a record of our collective efforts in the design studios, I wanted to maket hem seen here:
[Edited Studio Book, 2021] Graduation Theses 2021 Bilkent University Department of Architecture, Ankara, 2020, with Ezgi İşbilen.
e-book: arch.bilkent.edu.tr/v2/site/works/books/Graduation 2021_sec 2 3/Graduation Projects 2021_low.pdf
[Edited Studio Book, 2020] Letters from the Frontier, Bilkent University Department of Architecture, Ankara, 2020.
[Edited Studio Book, 2019] Alanya: Nautical / Aquatic Exploration and Production Center, Bilkent University Department of Architecture, Ankara, 2019.
[Edited Studio Book, 2019] PRAHA, Bilkent University Department of Architecture, Ankara, 2019. e-book:
[Edited Studio Book, 2018] Sustainable Campus Extension, Bilkent University Department of Architecture, Ankara, 2018.
[Edited Studio Book, 2017] Nevşehir Explorations, Bilkent University Department of Architecture, Ankara, 2017.