Akay, M.

Mert Akay is a PhD candidate at the Department of Human-centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. His PhD research will focus on exploring new methodologies for digital participation that can encourage active citizen engagement in urban planning and design processes and ultimately maximise civic decision-making in climate-resilient city-making.

Academic Background

Mert is an Urban Planner with seven years of practical and academic experience that touches upon different aspects, mediums, and scales of urban planning and design practice. In addition to the awards received in national and international design competitions, he has been involved in several research projects and planning practices at the local and national levels. His current research interests cover urban informatics, digital participation, urban morphology, and climate resilient city-making.

Education

• 2016 - 2019
  MSc in Urban Design - Middle East Technical University
• 2011 - 2016
  BSc in City and Regional Planning - Middle East Technical University

Experience

• 2023 - Present
  PhD Candidate, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft
• 2023 - Present
  Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft
• 2023 - Present
  Researcher, The Socially situated Architectural Pedagogies (SArPe) Project, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft
• 2017 - 2022
  Research and Teaching Assistant, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Istanbul Technical University
• 2022 - 2022
  Urban Planner - Design Consultant, Istanbul Vision 2050, Vision 2050 Office - Istanbul Planning Agency
• 2021 - 2022
  Urban Planner - Strategist, Turkey Spatial Strategy Plan, Directorate General of Spatial Planning Turkey
• 2020 - 2021
  Urban Designer, Strategic Plan and Road Map for Historical Peninsula, Fatih Municipality, Istanbul
• 2020 - 2021
  Urban Designer - Researcher, Social Housing Design Guidelines for Disadvantaged Groups, Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning, Turkey
• 2019 - 2020
  Urban Planner - Researcher, Sustainable Spatial Performance Measurement Model, Housing Development Administration, Turkey