STATEMENT
As an architect and designer with a specialization in car and transportation design, I am deeply committed to reimagining the future of mobility. My work is driven by a fascination with speculative research and the creation of forward-looking narratives. Over the years, I have developed innovative concepts and methodologies aimed at fostering a transdisciplinary approach—one that enhances our collective understanding of mobility and its spatial, technological, and cultural dimensions.
My design practice emphasizes integration within broader social and environmental contexts, where architecture remains a central lens. I investigate how mobile and immobile systems intersect, particularly in the context of energy-aware transportation and human-machine interaction. My research focuses on how built environments might evolve in response to shifting mobility paradigms and spatial practices.
Academically, I center my work around three pillars: teaching, observation, and research. Teaching is a key focus, where I guide students from research to early-stage design, emphasizing adaptability, sustainability, and accessibility in project development. Design-led inquiry forms the foundation of these efforts, encouraging discourse around mobility constraints and potentials across varied urban and rural landscapes.
Looking ahead, I seek a collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment where architecture, design, and urbanism intersect to inform the future of mobility. I am especially interested in engaging with research institutions, universities, and industry partners to contribute to a deeper understanding of mobility’s challenges and possibilities through design-led, interdisciplinary perspectives.
MOTIVATION
My relationship with cars began early in life, and they continue to occupy a complex place in my imagination and practice. Through my architectural education, I have come to understand the car not only as a machine but also as a spatial and cultural artifact. The interplay between architecture, car design, and music has shaped my thinking; I often liken myself to a metal ball rolling across disciplines, with each informing and enriching the other.
For nearly two decades, I have shared my work on a personal website, which serves as a reflective space for exploring the contradictions embedded in automobility. Cars are, for me, both intimate and alien. This duality—my simultaneous attachment and estrangement—continues to animate my work.
In my master’s thesis at Istanbul Technical University, I examined the shared spatial logic between architecture and automotive design, positioning the car as a dynamic mediator of urban experience. My subsequent master’s degree in Car and Transportation Design at SPD Milan enabled me to integrate these domains into a cohesive approach to future mobility, supported by teaching and applied research. I am currently deepening this perspective, having recently graduated from the Critical Urbanisms program at the University of Basel, further reinforcing my commitment to a transdisciplinary methodology.
THANKS
I owe my deepest gratitude to:
My Father, Muzaffer Tulay (1947-2016) and My Mother, Vahide Tulay, for their everlasting support.
*The content of this online portfolio is dedicated to the cherished memories of my father, Muzaffer Tulay, a talented craftsman, for his warm hand on me during the time we spent together on this earth plane.
And to everyone, we have been together under the sun and shadow.
Engin Tulay