Our design philosophy and values
Bike Mimarlık brings projects to life with values that make a difference in architecture: human-centred design, sense of place, timelessness and consistency. You work with a team that listens to you, understands your vision and delivers solutions that match your goals.
Bike Mimarlık is a team of creative individuals who understand brand and how to reflect it in design. Our aim is to deliver solutions that meet expectations for our clients and projects around the world from our headquarters in Istanbul.
Over 20 years since our establishment and more than 200 projects completed demonstrate how successful we are in this.
Our way of working is simple and effective. We listen to you and, once we understand your vision, we come back with creative solutions that best fit your requirements and your target audience.
Although people are part of nature’s vast cycle and interact with all other beings, they stand at the absolute centre of the architectural universe. What turns a building from a mere «object» of concrete, steel and glass into a «living space» is the bond it creates with the human spirit.
Engineering solutions, technical standards and functional requirements are certainly the building blocks of every project. But we believe that the true domain of architecture is «what people feel». The sense of calm on entering a space, the warmth of light on a wall, the feeling of belonging a space offers its users—these are the real measures of our design process.
Every building sits in a context and has a relationship with its surroundings. However many qualities a building has, for it to be considered successful its relationship with its environment must also be strong.
The first stage of architectural production is understanding the place where the building will stand. The architecture created may sit within one of these relationships: invisible within the context, in an equal dialogue with its surroundings, dominating them, or in a completely different relationship. This is a result of the subject, needs and subjective design decisions.
A new building will be an addition to the environment it sits in. Every place has a spirit (genius loci). Understanding that spirit and taking it as the basis for design ties the project to its location. We start every project by understanding the spirit of that place.
Architecture is not only a tool to satisfy today’s aesthetic concerns; it is a silent witness that extends beyond time. In a world where everyday tastes change rapidly and trends compete with the speed of consumption, true design sets itself apart from this transience.
A well-built structure can physically stand for 80–100 years or more. But a building merely standing is not enough; real success is preserving its aesthetic and functional value against the wear of time. A space designed with timeless qualities gives its user the same inspiration through all stages of life and keeps its character.
Our approach is not to reject the past but to draw on its legacy. We analyse in depth the rooted architectural examples of the past, principles of proportion and material honesty. We reinterpret this ancient knowledge with contemporary techniques and innovative thinking and bring it into the present.
«True architecture is a language that carries the spirit of its time while remaining familiar to future generations.»
Complex forms, colours and words are often unnecessary. When ideas are in the right place, buildings become simpler. When beauty can be achieved through simplicity, cost and time decrease and sustainability increases.
We don’t draw a second line for a problem that can be solved with one.
Consistency is essential in thought, word and built form. Issues at macro scale and details at micro scale must be resolved with the same principles and ideas. Only the means change.
Would you like to bring our design philosophy to your projects? Contact us for detailed information and a proposal.
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