Co-Founder Architect

Zeynep Tümertekin was born in 1991 in Istanbul and moved to London in 2011 to pursue her university studies at Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts), where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in 2015. 

After graduating, she worked at Eisenman Architects in New York until 2016. 

Zeynep co-founded Studio Mada, an architecture and design office focused on material research and spatial narratives, which is now undertaking the first passivhaus project in Turkey among other commercial and residential projects. 

She also co-founded Exhibition Archive, a platform for exhibition design and archiving, which has designed exhibitions for Akbank Sanat, Mixer Gallery, Kendi Collection, and Mamut Art Project.

Between 2016 and 2019, she worked at Mimarlar ve Han Tümertekin, and subsequently joined Han Tümertekin Design and Consultancy firm in 2021, continuing collaborations with the office. She has taught at Kadir Has University Faculty of Art and Design from 2019 to 2021 and at MEF University’s

Architecture Faculty, focusing on exhibition design. Additionally, Zeynep is the co-founder and architectural designer/consultant of Üçüncü Mekan Kemerburgaz, a social space in Istanbul’s City Forest that transforms part of the forest into a multifunctional environment emphasizing social

interaction. This project was exhibited in the Commons & Communities exhibition in both Turkey and Denmark with support from the Danish Cultural Institute.

Zeynep played a significant role in Han Tümertekin’s participation in the 17th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia 2021, working as an architectural and exhibition designer. The project, ‘Side by Side,’ inspired by everyday urban mobility and transitional spaces, was installed in Istanbul’s Golden Horn in January 2025. It aimed to foster new social interactions and explore the possibilities of urban travel.

She continues to hold a board position at the Tümertekin Archive and Üçüncü Mekan, furthering her impact in the field of architecture and design.

Co-Founder Architect

Ceren Özşahin was born in 1990 in Istanbul and moved to Milan, Italy in 2009 to pursue her architectural education at Politecnico di Milano, where she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in 2017.

Her master’s thesis proposed a Cultural Museum within Istanbul’s Theodosian Walls, reimagining the historic fabric through contemporary interventions that bridge past and present.

Between 2015 and 2017, she worked at Lorenzo degli Esposti Architetti and served as a teaching assistant at Politecnico di Milano.

After returning to Istanbul in 2017, she joined Norm Architects and later taught at the Faculty of Art and Design at Kadir Has University from 2019 to 2021.

In 2019, she co-founded Studio Mada with Zeynep Tümertekin, an architecture and design office focused on architectural storytelling.

The practice is currently leading various commercial and residential projects, including Turkey’s third passive house and the world’s first passive house to feature an industrial kitchen.

She is also the co-founder of Exhibition Archive, a platform dedicated to the design and documentation of exhibitions. The platform has collaborated with institutions such as Mixer Gallery, Kendi Collection, Performistanbul, and Mamut Art Project.

In parallel with her architectural work, Özşahin launched Seawashed Fabrics in 2017, a textile brand that celebrates Şile cloth and traditional weaving techniques. Each year, the brand collaborates with local women artisans to produce limited collections of handwoven textiles featuring intricate embroidery.

Her ongoing research and design work in architectural lighting focuses on creating subtle, responsive atmospheres that enrich spatial experiences without overpowering them.

Through both Studio Mada and her independent projects, she continues to explore the dialogue between materiality, tradition and contemporary spatial design.