Spaces begin without memory. You give them one.
Design Without Memories is an architectural design and implementation studio based in Istanbul. We take residential, commercial and restoration projects from first sketch to handover across Türkiye.
Design Without Memories — studio work, Istanbul
Design without memories
A finished building is not a finished space. We design the conditions — light, material, structure — and leave the memory to the people who move in.
We work as a single team across design and construction, so the space that gets built matches the conditions we set out to create. What it becomes after that — the habits, the wear, the traces — was never ours to design in the first place.
Practice
All disciplines →Product Design
Ürün Tasarımı
Bespoke furniture, lighting and fixtures designed in-house and built by hand, from a single console to a full collection.
Design & Build Implementation
Anahtar Teslim Uygulama
Turnkey construction management that keeps the architect's intent intact from groundbreaking to handover.
Interior Architecture
İç Mekan Tasarımı
Interior design and joinery detailing developed alongside the architecture, not as an afterthought.
Renovation & Restoration
Restorasyon ve Yenileme
Sensitive renovation of existing buildings and restoration of historic structures, including listed properties.
Frequently asked
What does an architectural design and implementation studio do?+
A design and implementation (design-build) studio like Design Without Memories handles both the architectural design of a building and its physical construction, rather than handing drawings off to a separate, unrelated contractor. We take a project from concept design and permitting through to on-site construction management and handover, so the same team that designed the building is responsible for building it correctly.
Do you handle building permits and municipality approvals in Turkey?+
Yes. Municipal permit submission (ruhsat), structural sign-off and, where relevant, Preservation Board (koruma kurulu) applications for listed buildings are part of our architectural design service. We coordinate directly with local municipalities so clients don’t have to manage that process themselves.
How long does a residential architecture project take, from design to completion?+
For a single private house, design typically takes three to six months (concept through construction documentation and permitting), and construction takes twelve to twenty months depending on size, site access and finish level. Larger or more complex projects, and anything requiring Preservation Board approval, take longer at the permitting stage.
Which cities and regions does Design Without Memories work in?+
We are based in Istanbul and take on projects across Türkiye, with an ongoing focus on Istanbul, Bodrum, Izmir, Ankara and Antalya. For projects outside these regions, we assess feasibility on a case-by-case basis before proposing a scope.