Alara Külekci .

Area of work:
Architecture

Specific field of expertise:
Housing (with care), Co-creation

Type of work:
Design, Research, Consultancy

What does ENIEC mean to you or your work?:
ENIEC provides an inspiring international platform for exchanging ideas on ageing, care, and inclusion — topics central to my work in designing housing with care.

More about Alara

I am an architect with roots in Turkey and an international background shaped by studying and working in Turkey, Italy, and the Netherlands. I completed my Bachelor of Science in Architecture at Politecnico di Milano, where my graduation project focused on shared and in-between spaces within migrant communities in European cities. I became fascinated by how people informally adapt semi-public spaces to create a sense of belonging and togetherness.

I continued my education at TU Delft, where I completed a Master’s degree in Architecture alongside an honours programme in Building Technology and Interactivity. Since then, I have been working at Kokon Architectuur & Stedenbouw, mainly on housing and healthcare projects in the Netherlands.

In my work, I am particularly interested in how architecture can support coexistence, care, and flexibility in everyday life. Currently, I am developing the Beraber method, a co-creation tool that I apply in projects with elderly migrant communities. Together with my colleague and fellow ENIEC member Renske de Meijer, I use this method to explore themes such as privacy, shared space, intergenerational living, and culturally sensitive care. “Beraber,” which means together in Turkish, helps uncover unspoken needs and preferences, while also creating mutual understanding between residents, designers, and other stakeholders.

My approach to architecture aligns closely with the vision of ENIEC: I see architecture not only as a spatial outcome, but as a social and relational practice that requires listening, collaboration, and shared responsibility. I am especially motivated by projects that rethink housing models in more inclusive, affordable, and socially just ways, and I am interested in how overlooked voices can help shape new forms of living together.