We have been hearing about the many private projects undertaken by Begüm Dörter Architecture, an architectural office attracting a lot of attention in North Cyprus and so naturally we were intrigued. In this issue, we wanted to learn more about Begüm Dörter and her work.

 

• Begüm, we know you as one of the directors of Dörter Construction, but actually you have been doing private work with your firm, Begüm Dörter Architecture. Can you tell us about your career?

Of course. I have completed private projects at Begüm Dörter Architecture, but I am also one of the directors and architects at Dörter Construction. I have wanted to become an architect since high school. After receiving my degree in architecture and completing my master’s degree at EMU, I started my PhD but I then went to London before I completed it. When I started my degree I was like a fish out of water, but it was worth it. Even though there were many times when I felt mentally and physically tired, I thoroughly enjoyed it. After my master’s degree, I worked as an assistant at EMU and also taught part-time at the architecture and interior design departments at the Faculty of Architecture while I was doing my PhD. During my research for my thesis, I thought it would be useful to spend time in a metropolitan city, so I went to England with a European Union scholarship. I continued my work at London South Bank University and also taught there for a short time. After I became a mother I returned to North Cyprus and unfortunately couldn’t complete my thesis. My husband and I established Dorter Construction together, we work well together and give each other professional support. Since then we have built and sold many projects and I have simultaneously worked as an architect on private projects at Begüm Dörter Architecture.

• We hope you will be able to complete your PhD in the near future. Due to your academic history we can easily say you have become an expert in certain fields. What was your thesis research based on?

I also hope I do. I have put a lot of hard work into it. In my master’s degree, I worked on building materials and structure. For my PhD I worked on a similar topic, structure in high buildings. I loved working with students, I was constantly learning new things. This is why university is very valuable. In fact, up till last year I continued to teach at EMU part time. I taught Architectural Construction and Materials and Architecture and Design Theories.

• How do you implement your academic expertise into your practical work?

I believe I reflect all my knowledge into the projects I draw. With private projects, designs progress around the ideas of the client, but with the work I have done for Dörter Construction, projects are designed to be different from the ones around it.  The criteria of success for me is based on the changes the homeowner makes to the house in the following years after purchase. If the homeowner knocks down a wall to make a room bigger, or closes off the balcony to add it into a room, then the architectural design has failed. We have never come across such incidents in either privately built projects or Dörter Construction projects. I believe we have secured success in both areas. We have put together a good team where the group of designers and our group of builders work in perfect coordination. Success belongs to the whole team.

• What you are saying is based on addressing needs, and fulfilling them isn’t it?

Definitely. In build and sell projects you have to consider the needs of buyers while drawing the design no matter which neighbourhood or street you are building the apartments in. If you have planned an apartment block for newly married couples or families with young children, each detail and material used in the structure must be functional for them and a joy to see. The exterior façade and colour of the building must be chosen accordingly. A design is a whole and you must bear in mind that the homeowner may be spending their lives there.
If I am going to design a private project, I have to know the people who are going to live there. People should be able to tell their architects how they live, their likes, dislikes and weaknesses. They should be able to tell them everything, even the things they can’t tell their partner, because the architect is going to present them with the house they are going to live in. For example, if we were to build a dressing room which didn’t meet the needs of our client, that person would feel stressed every morning while getting dressed and have to start their day in a bad mood. Or that person will have to walk down the same dark corridor every morning and this is something that will affect their whole lives. But there is no standard to this, every family has its own needs. Drawing an optimum model and building everyone the same house is not a solution.

• When you start talking with your clients, do you have a list of questions to ask or what are the most common questions they ask?

I don’t have a list of questions. I mostly have a chat in order to get to know them. I show them my previous works and try to understand what they want. The question I get asked the most and also find meaningless is, ‘how much would it cost to draw a house this big?’ Each time, I try to get to know the client and help them decide on the size of a house they need. It is my job to draw a plan suitable for them. When you go to a doctor, they have to treat your illness the best way possible. It’s the same for architects. We have to draw the house they will spend the rest of their lives in the best way we can.
In the build and sell projects, my client is Dörter Construction. I work according to the needs of the potential buyers. In fact, while designing a residential site, we include four or five different designs so that people can choose according to their needs. I would also like to add that Begüm Dörter Architecture has its own style, while determining the needs we add aesthetic style. For example, in our last project, 4ever Green, there are 5 different styles of houses. Each one addresses different needs and no two houses are the same, offering perhaps differing exterior façades or interior designs with differences. So we can actually say that we are offering 25 houses in 5 different designs.

• Do you only work on residential projects or do you have projects in other areas, because your academic expertise shows that you might have?

Yes, I have worked on warehouses, stores and production areas for large companies. I do architectural work for large companies such as Şenal Plastik, Kale Boya and Özkıraç Ltd. For example, I designed the first Ar-Ge building on the island owned by Kale Boya. The structure is approximately 3000 m² and I am proud to be an important part of this wonderful enterprise. It means a lot to have been chosen as the architect for this project, which is the first of its kind on the island. I was chosen because of my academic history and the work experience from abroad I had presented in my references.  I have also designed a centre for Green Pedal Cycling Club, located in Iskele. We prepared a building for cycling lessons, maintenance and social activities and it has a flexible functional structure. It hasn’t opened as yet but it is also a very valuable project. I read up a lot on these types of buildings, especially museums. I travel a lot, visit them and do research.

• While we are on the topic, are there any resources or books you would like to recommend to architects, students studying architecture or anyone interested in this field?

There are many designers considered divine in this profession. For me, the first is ‘Mies van der Rohe’. I would recommend all his work. I always go back and refer to his designs and books. Members of this profession should understand his work and philosophy; he is someone I admire very much. I also admire Emre Arolat’s designs, I have been to see many of his projects and have even lived in some. I believe experiences like these are very important.