GAD Architecture participated in the 22nd Ordinary General Assembly of the Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD), the foremost organization representing leading tourism sector investors in Turkey. The assembly took place on May 23, 2025, at the Radisson Collection Hotel Vadistanbul and brought together prominent figures from across the industry.
GAD Founding Partner Gokhan Avcioglu and İdil Öztürk attended the meeting, where Oya Narin was unanimously re-elected as Chairperson with the full support of TTYD members. The assembly also appointed new members to the Executive, Audit, and Disciplinary Boards.
In her keynote address, Oya Narin emphasized the recognition of tourism as a “strategic sector” by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and outlined the association’s ambitious vision, including a target of $135 billion in annual tourism revenue by 2033. She stressed the importance of branding, investment diversification, and the growth of high-value segments such as health and wellness tourism.
Reflecting on GAD’s contributions to the sector, Gokhan Avcioglu stated: “As a member of TTYD, GAD has continuously collaborated with the tourism sector in Turkey to realize architectural and design projects at the highest level—projects that not only support the industry’s growth but also reflect the cultural and environmental richness of our country.”
GAD remains committed to supporting the advancement of tourism in Turkey through architectural innovation and strategic collaboration silient built environment. The winner in this category will be determined by public vote.
Home Art Magazine of Turkuvaz Media Group launched its first-ever “Home Art Under 40 – Young Designers of the Year Awards” on May 28, 2025, with a celebratory event held at Frankhan in Istanbul. The new awards initiative brings fresh energy to Turkey’s creative industries by spotlighting designers and architects under the age of 40 whose work reflects social impact, environmental awareness, and visionary design approaches. A wide range of young professionals were recognized across categories including residential, retail, office, lighting, furniture, and landscape design. In the Landscape Design category, Mehmet Cemil Aktaş received the award for his Rami Library Landscape Project, designed with Caps Office. The award was presented by GAD Founding Partner Gokhan Avcioglu, who remarked: “Supporting new generations of designers is essential to building a sustainable design culture. GAD is proud to stand with initiatives such as Home Art Under 40 that empower young talent shaping the future of our built environment.”
Other honorees included Aslı Özge Zabun and Hande Zabun Eser for their ODTÜ Junior retail project, Enis Karavil for Arif Paşa House, Erdem Hamza for Il Sud Cadde cultural venue, and Eda Uyar for YK Office. The “Support for Young Designers Award” was presented to İNTEMA, received by General Manager Sibel Batur, in recognition of the company’s efforts to create opportunities for young talent.
The awards ceremony and publication were curated under the editorial leadership of Editor-in-Chief Fatma Müyesser Özel and Managing Editor Ayşe Mine Yaman, who shaped the vision of the program as a platform for recognition, inspiration, and meaningful industry engagement. Through this new initiative, Home Art not only increases visibility for emerging designers but also builds bridges between them and leading brands, contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive design ecosystem in Turkey.
On June 11, 2025, the InterContinental Istanbul hosted the annual IHG Hotels & Resorts: Investor Day Türkiye, organized by Nilsun Tümer, Business Development Director of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Among IHG’s global leadership and key industry players, GAD was represented by İdil Öztürk, who contributed insights on architecture’s role in hospitality.
“At GAD, we believe exceptional hospitality begins with thoughtful design. Whether crafting branded residences or luxury hotels, we integrate operational expertise with architectural vision to create spaces that elevate guest experiences while maximizing value for investors,” said Öztürk, highlighting GAD’s approach to hospitality-driven architecture. The event covered critical industry trends, including 2025 summer season projections, IHG’s new destinations and brand expansions, and the rising significance of hotel branding and mixed-use developments.
Notable participants included Merve Sakaoğlu (IHG), Orhan Genceli (GNC Hospitality), economist Zeyyad Mandalinci, and legal advisors Ömer Erdoğan and Gizem Esen from Gen Temizer Law. Gizem Esen from Gen Temizer Law were some of the participants.
During a February 2025 site visit to Antalya-Side, Gökhan Karakuş, architectural theorist and Consultant of the GAD Foundation, sat down with Cengiz Barut, Member of the Board of Barut Hotels, for an insightful conversation on the intersection of architecture, tourism, and archaeology as cultural heritage in the Mediterranean region. The interview took place at the Barut Hemera Hotel in Side, Turkey, and is now available to watch on our YouTube channel.
This discussion was held in the context of the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Architecture’s Spring 2025 design research studio, led by Assoc. Prof. Ferda Kolatan with assistant Jorge Cuoso. The studio explored the unique landscape of Side and its classical Roman heritage, focusing specifically on the hamam (bathhouse) as a typology through which to reimagine contemporary architecture in an archaeological setting.
As part of their semester-long work, UPenn graduate architecture students presented speculative proposals inspired by the site’s history, landscape, and urban fabric, informed by their February research trip to Antalya. The visit was supported by Barut Hotels, Barut Hemera Hotel, and Cengiz Barut, with special guidance provided by Prof. Dr. Feriştah Alanyalı, Head of Excavations at the Side Archaeological Site.
“In this unique Mediterranean setting, tourism is not merely an industry—it is a vessel for cultural memory and living archaeology,” said Karakuş. “Connecting architecture with archaeology has been a central theme of my work—especially the role of contemporary architecture in interpreting, preserving, and activating historical landscapes. These disciplines must speak to one another if we are to design meaningfully in places layered with time.”
Watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel for an inspiring reflection on how architecture, archaeology, and tourism converge to shape sustainable and culturally resonant futures.
