Stuckeman School to host notable Turkish architects for Jan. 22 virtual lecture

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School is hosting the two founding parters of Bilgin Studio, a Turkish-based architecture firm, for a virtual lecture at 4 p.m. on Jan. 22. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be livestreamed via Zoom in the Stuckeman Family Building Jury Space.

Begüm Yılmaz Bilgin and Coner Bilgin will present “Dialogue with the Earth,” a lecture on the Kalyon Karapinar Central Control Building, Turkey’s largest solar power plant and one of Europe’s largest solar farms. Located in Karapinar, which is Turkey’s sole desert region, the duo will discuss environmental and logistical challenges that come with the solar plant. They will emphasize the structure of the building and the importance of integrating innovative design strategies that balance sustainability, energy efficiency, functionality and aesthetics.

The talk also will highlight the importance of how the building responds to a harsh environment, explaining how the experiential aspects of design can reflect the way the building stands in the desert, from the design choices made on the exterior and interior through the use of material, to thermal management and minimal on-site construction.

The lecture is intended for the audience to gain a deeper understanding of how architecture can address complex climate challenges while balancing sustainability, human experience and technological advancement.

Bilgin Architectural Design Studio was established in 2014 in Istanbul. According to the studio’s website, its goal is to “reach unique and high-quality projects on a variety of different scales,” taking into consideration economical and sustainability factors.” Yılmaz Bilgin and Bilgin design cultural art installations, homes, commercial spaces, interior design, offices and more. The studio has won several awards, most recently earning first place in Kaylon Holding’s 2021 competition for the design of the Karapinar Solar Power Plant Central Control Building.

Yılmaz Bilgin holds undergraduate degrees in civil engineering and architecture from Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, and a master’s degree from Istanbul Technical University. She worked as a research assistant for Kultur University’s department of architecture from 2012 to 2015.

Bilgin received his undergraduate degree in architecture from Istanbul Kultur University and his master’s degree from Istanbul Bilgi University, where he also lectured on a part-time basis. In 2016, he took part in the Pavilion of Turkey with the installation titled “Baştarda at the Venice Architecture Biennale.”