Orhan Esen

Founder and Coordinator

Orhan studied social and economic history at the Bosphorus University in Istanbul, his hometown and continued with some studies of history of art and architecture in Vienna. He is active as a researcher, writer and publisher, and not at least as an engaged citizen networking in Istanbul, where he still lives. He is mainly focused on the rapid changes of the built environment, and its architectural, social, political and ecological outcomes.

As a freelancer he has been collaborating with academic, civic, media and corporate bodies; compiling surveys and researches; rendering lectures, organizing workshops, seminars and reportages; conceptualizing and guiding field trips and excursions dealing with the genesis of built environment. He has co-edited the book 'Istanbul: Self Service City' (b_booksz, 2005, 2007) about the making of the megapolis through informality. Orhan guiding architects; this is embedding architecture into its very urban context.