Interview with Neslihan Pekcan

Neslihan Pekcan ("NP") interviewed on Tuesday, 2 July.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

NP : I was born in Istanbul in 1976. After completing my high school education at Air Academy High School / USA, I studied at the "Interior Design" section of Savannah College of Art and Design / USA. After returning to Turkey I graduated from Mimar Sinan University Faculty of Architecture, Interior Architecture section.I grew up alongside successful names in their profession such as Turhan Kaşo, Barbara Pensoy, Hakan Kıran and Eren Talu to my professional career, which I started in my student years, as an interior architect in important projects. In 2004 I opened my own company as Pebbledesign.

How did you become a designer?

NP : I was always interested with art. When I was at the first year of my high school I couldn't decide to study Graphic Design or Interior Design for my professional. At that year I worked in at Cen Ajans for the summer time, to see Graphic Design and than preferred Interior.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

NP : My own priority is to make design functional, also aesthetic is another main point of the design. Describing the concept of the design is one of the most significant factor, so to make the design more clear, functional, understandable, Pebbledesign shows more effort on the design.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

NP : Imagination is limitless as Einstein said that's why designing is also limitless. Designing is starts in designer's brain and then exporting your dream from your brain to the real world is uniqe feeling. So it's a process and at the end of this process I feel like uniqe due to my design is uniqe.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

NP : Discipline is always important factor on my hole life and also I have always been a careful person, which means when I enter in an area or when I was traveling I was always taking care about what is happening around of me and I saved these memories and these skills are beneficial for my work life, also discipline is important part of my work life because while I was designing a design I'm using my memories and then the part of the exporting the design to the real world I mean in site discipline has big role on it.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

NP : Pebbledesign is like a house and it has three rooms which are Pebblekids, Pebblestones and Pebblebaby. Pebbledesign satisfied me as designing because design is so significant for us and I want to continue about Pebbledesign in this way, however Pebblekids and Pebblebaby has their own quality so I wish to make them as a world brand.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

NP : Architects need to have two different skills. First one of these skills is to be an artist because architecture is art and the second one is economy because If you want to have your own brand or office you need to know managing money. So I firmly believe that to be successful in this sector you need to learn economy and don't give up from imagine.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

NP : Architects are not usual people. You need to feed your imagination to keep it alive If you don't lose your imagination you can discover yourselves at the same time which means you can learn what is your style while designing, also it's necessary to be a researcher due to always new materials, new designs and somethings like that are born in architecture. I mean this sector is living and it is growing up day by day, so you should catch the sector.

What is your day to day look like?

NP : I've always imagined what I have right now. I have boutique company and my works are sufficient for me, they are satisfying me about creativity. Working has big role on my life so in recent years I worked a lot like 7/24 then I gain my own life. In these days I'm spending my hours with my dogs and cats in my office, also I'm still working a lot but doing any thing what makes me happy is the most significant thing on my life. In conclusion my daily routine is that I'm spending my hours in my office, with my clients and with being myself.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

NP : I'm trying to keep in touch with latest trends because as I said our sector is changing and growing up day by day that's why social media is efficient for architecture and also traveling is beneficial for inspiration due to seeing new designs is feeding our imagination and it is cause to increase up the creativity.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

NP : It is necessary to believe our project. When Pebbledesign believes a project it becomes functional, aesthetic and has good quality by itself so If we believe a project it can be always successful.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

NP : In my opinion a design never ends, there is always something to do.

What is your biggest design work?

NP : Pebbledesign has got award from Skyport Studio House Project from Europe Property Awards and Pebblekids has got another award with Connected Box Project from A'design Awards & Competition. Of course these make proud an architect. Pebbledesign never changed its principles and this stability was cause of the success. Also "Skyport Studio House Project" placed on a book which is "Big Ideas For A Small Bedroom", "Perla Vista Residence - 1+1 Apartment" Project placed on book "Modern Decoration Art" and "Gunesli Park Gardenya" Project placed on "International Tendency of Soft Furnishing Home Decorationism"

Who is your favourite designer?

NP : Firstly Philippe Patrick Starck has great designs he is a designer from France and I really interested with his designs while I was started to read about architecture and still his designs are cool, effective and functional for me and Zaha Hadid effected me with her designs. She looked in different perspective and her designs are original.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

NP : Culture is effective subject on design, but in my opinion it is not the main factor. For instance I'm living in Turkey, Istanbul. History is the biggest part of Istanbul that's why while you are walking on the street of the Istanbul you can see many of historical buildings, that can expands your horizon, however generally modern architectural techniques used in modern buildings because of the globalization of the world, and I firmly believe that it is important to be global person who interest with art. For example angles are like my sign in my works and my sign was created while I was seeing or designing different buildings by itself, so life style has big role on design but you should make harmony with your culture and your own style and now I'm working on some projects such as a villa in Saudi Arabia, two house and a school project in Istanbul with my own style.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

NP : I believe that being a team is important in business life, first of all you need to trust yourselves and your team and I'm lucky about this. Pebbledesign is not just me, when you are designing a design sometimes you need to look from other perspectives my associates are always helping me about this and also responsibilities are very important. We realize our responsibilities and each of my associates are doing very well what they should do. Ideas of young people is another significant factor for me and my team because generation is changing day by day. Also they who I work with need to interest and love with their job then we can catch the quality and beauty and they need to do their job in a discipline.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

NP : Pebbledesign is an animal lover company. We have many friends in our office such as a dog and two cats. Nature is one of the most significant subject for Pebbledesign, that's why we are trying to work as environmentally friendly both in our office and in our designs. For example recycle is one of our principle and we are always taking care about environmentally activities. Also Pebbledesign believes that children are our future so we are carrying out studies about children to meet and like them with art.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

NP : I really proud of the getting award from A'Design Award. I can describe it like this when I get award I realize that I'm in right way because it means my project received appreciation and it becomes the cause of keeping up to work with same love and stability but of course without giving up from developing. It is unique experience that every architects should live.

Neslihan Pekcan Profile