top of page
architecture & objects
Architectural duo Irem Uyaroglu and Elif Karabulut have been practicing architecture and object design since 2021. While gaining personal work experiences in Izmir, Istanbul, and Milan, they search for poetry in architecture focusing on understanding the nature and the monumentality of things.
irem completed her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) in 2019. Her graduation project, Reversed Panopticon for Crypto Dystopia, exploring the physical spatialization of virtual communities, earned 3rd prize in the Graduation Projects Awards and was nominated by ITU for the Young Talent Architecture Award (YTAA) EU Mies Award in 2020. During her early career, she worked on the construction sites of notable projects, including a villa by Aga Khan Award-winning architect Han Tümertekin and the Arkas Art Gallery by the award-winning studio Artı3 Mimarlık.
Irem pursued advanced studies in Museography, Architecture, and Archaeology at Accademia Adrianea Architettura e Archeologia Onlus, focusing on strategic planning and innovative management of archaeological sites. During this program, she collaborated directly with museums, architects, and foundations on projects in iconic sites such as Museum Island Berlin, Villa Adriana in Rome, the Parthenon in Athens, the Colosseum area and metro museum in Rome. She graduated in 2019 from this prestigious institution, which builds on the legacy of the historic Prix de Rome. The institution administers the Piranesi Prix de Rome today, which recognizes excellence in architectural restoration, and has honored luminaries like Eduardo Souto de Moura and Alberto Campo Baeza with Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Irem continued her studies at Politecnico di Milano, earning a Master's degree in Architecture, Built Environment, and Interiors. She graduated with honors (cum laude) in 2022 and was awarded the Best Thesis of Graduation Session for the 2023 academic year by the Ordine Architetti Milano with her project on an Ancient Lycian City titled "Reconstructing the Idea: The Third Lymira".
In 2023, Irem was part of the design team under the scientific advisory of Politecnico di Torino that received the Piranesi Prix de Rome et d’Athènes Scientific Award (2022–23), organized by the Order of Architects, Landscape Planners, and Conservators of Rome. The award (Primo Premio ex aequo) was shared with globally renowned studios and institutions; David Chipperfield Architects and Estudi D’Arquitectura Toni Gironès.
In 2021, while still pursuing her Master’s degree, Irem established her own architecture studio. Since its inception, her studio has undertaken a range of projects, focusing on mostly residential and hospitality design.
elif began her architectural studies at Istanbul Technical University before continuing her bachelor at Politecnico di Milano. She earned her Master’s degree in Architecture, Built Environment, and Interiors with honors (cum laude) in 2024, with a thesis focused on the reconstruction of the Stoa in the Ancient City of Pergamon.
Elif gained valuable experience working at SBGA - Blengini Ghirardelli, a studio that collaborates with Daniel Libeskind, where she contributed to projects of various scales in cities such as Shanghai, Amsterdam, Milan, and Paris. In 2021, as part of a design team led by AARCH-MI, she received the 1st prize in the International Award for the Restoration of Mediterranean Architecture, organized by PRAM and Torri in Festa Torri in Luce.
Her work has also been showcased at Milan Design Week 2023, highlighting her creative contributions to the field of architecture and design.
In 2021, Elif joined Irem Uyaroglu and together rebranded, initiating their professional collaboration on projects and combining their expertise to deliver innovative architectural and design solutions.
Both architects graduated from Politecnico di Milano, where they worked on design methodologies, with a focus on museum design and cultural heritage. They continue to collaborate with colleagues and scientific advisors on special projects, creating spaces that trigger moments and establish a dialogue between old and new. Their work explores the history and memory of a place, a set, or an object.
bottom of page