The Circle and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) announced Future Heirlooms, a project to explore the future of sustainable Turkish design, during the summer of 2022. Fast forward a year a bit, and the group of seven emerging Turkish designers have created a series of works that not only look forward to the future of sustainable design, but also explore their own heritage and the story of Turkey’s rich design legacy.
Manufactured in American cherry, maple and red oak by well-established hardwood furniture designermanufacturers Yonga Mobilya in Denizli, the seven pieces – by Aslı Eylem Kolbaş, Ayça Yılmaz,Deniz Koldaş & Nazlı Mutlu, Deniz Yenidoğan, Gürcan Bulut, Öykü Üner and Studio Yellowdot (Bodin Hon & Dilara Kan) – are a celebration of material and memory, and ask pertinent questions about our approach to the environment.
“We need to end our current throwaway culture. We need to use materials that have a low environmental impact. These considerations should affect all our day-to-day decisionmaking. Designers, especially, have a huge influence on how products are planned and with what materials. This project was the perfect platform for us to work with emerging, yet accomplished, Turkish designers, whilst also helping them to work with abundant, versatile and beautiful, yet lesser-known American hardwood species,”
said Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director.
For the designers, the project has offered a unique opportunity to explore alternative manufacturing methods, and the beauty and versatility of American hardwoods. The seven designers and design teams were chosen through an open-call process and a selection committee, made up of celebrated designers and architects: Tom Dixon, Melkan Gürsel, Defne Koz, Seyhan Özdemir and Mehmet Ali Uysal.
Speaking about her involvement in the selection process, Seyhan Özdemir, Co-Founder of awardwinning design studio Autoban, says: “In a market and culture where both fast production and fast consumption are prevalent, it is great to be part of a project that prioritizes materials and workmanship, and especially the idea of creating heirlooms, pieces that will last and wear beautifully for generations. Both working with woods, and prioritizing technological innovation together with exquisite handcraft are all aspects integral to our practice and approach at Autoban, so it’s really close to our hearts to be part of an initiative that both recognizes and champions the work of younger designers doing the same.”
Melkan Gürsel, Founding Partner of celebrated Tabanlioglu Architects, comments: “Supporting emerging designers via such programs is precious and motivating. In particular, the physical realization of the selected projects and the items and their creators meeting the relevant audience through the exhibition will pave the way for these young people.”
The seven designs remained on display at The Circle space in Beyoğlu, central Istanbul until the end of September 2023. The Circle is a research and production platform for architecture, design, art and culture. It focuses on the interactions between architecture and design as well as the disciplines that intersect with them. It develops projects by coming together with different stakeholders; organizes exhibitions, panels, seminars, workshops, and hosts culture and art projects.
Projects like these would be nothing without world-class manufacturing. Yonga Mobilya in Denizli was selected as the production partner for Future Heirlooms and, not only did they produce complex works to an extremely high standard, but they spent many hours working with the designers to shape their initial concepts in to realizable works.
“As a factory using American hardwood in our production for more than 20 years, it was exciting for us to be participating in this project and to guide designers about the use of three different hardwood species in the production of their designs. We would like to thank AHEC for inviting us to be a producer in Future Heirlooms, which draws attention to the value of material, design and craftsmanship,” said Özlem Yılmaz, Deputy General Manager of Yonga Mobilya.