In the world of architecture, every team has its own signature. We’d like to get to know OfisVesaire through yours. To begin with, how did your architectural journey start, and how did OfisVesaire come into being?
OfisVesaire was born out of an organic collaboration between two friends whose paths crossed on a project after having gained experience in different areas of the field. The diversity of our backgrounds allowed us to approach the design and production process from various perspectives in that very first project we worked on together. It turned out to be not only efficient but also highly enjoyable. Over time, we realized that working, discussing, and developing ideas together resonated deeply with us. Rather than a deliberate decision to start something, OfisVesaire was shaped naturally—by the path itself, inviting us to walk it together.
At the core of this partnership lies a shared understanding that values similar design concerns and principles. In our approach, we prioritize user needs, contextual relationships, and sensitivity to local values. For us, architecture is not merely about creating a physical environment, but also about engaging thoughtfully with its social, cultural, and spatial layers.
Although we occasionally have differing opinions, these differences never turn into conflict. On the contrary, they encourage more discussion, deeper thinking, and ultimately, more original design solutions. This pluralistic yet value-driven way of producing forms the essential dynamic of OfisVesaire.
What are the guiding principles in your designs? What are the indispensable criteria when starting a new project?
At the heart of our design approach lies the user and the context. We aim to provide a unique response to each project based on its conditions, requirements, and environmental relationships. For this reason, instead of a “one-size-fits-all” language, we adopt a flexible approach that takes shape according to the nature of the project.
Being user-oriented for us means more than addressing functional needs—it involves considering the experiential quality of space and establishing a strong connection with everyday life.
Contextual harmony, on the other hand, requires every project to be handled with sensitivity to its physical, social, and cultural environment. This relationship with place affects numerous design decisions—from material choices to spatial organization, from the balance of openness and enclosure to the structural system. Not only physical data such as topography, orientation, and climate, but also lifestyles, cultural values, and user habits play a defining role for us. We believe that an architectural production detached from its context can be neither sustainable nor meaningful.
Your residential and office projects attract considerable attention. In your view, what distinguishes these typologies from other building types and makes their design processes unique?
Residences and offices are the main living and working environments where people spend most of their time—spaces that shape daily routines and modes of production. In that sense, both typologies require a particular level of care in the design process to ensure spatial quality.
Residential buildings, being tied to an individual or family, demand a more personal design process. In such projects, the goal is to create spaces that reflect the lifestyle, habits, and spatial preferences of their users. Designing homes thus elevates user focus to its highest level, making personal expectations and needs the key determinant in the process.
Office projects, on the other hand, address a more diverse user profile and center around shared use and interaction. Here, it becomes crucial to develop solutions that accommodate collective needs while maintaining flexibility for evolving requirements. Offices must include dynamic spaces—social zones, open-plan areas, and individual focus rooms—that meet a range of needs.
Although user-centeredness remains our guiding principle in both typologies, its definition and priorities differ. In housing, privacy and continuity of personal life are central; in offices, it is about supporting collective productivity through adaptable and flexible systems. Thus, both typologies bring their own unique design processes shaped by their users and social contexts.
What determines your material choices in design? Are there materials you tend to favor or never abandon?
Our key criteria for material selection are authenticity and simplicity. We believe that materials should be used in their natural state, expressing their true character. We consciously avoid surfaces that mimic others—for instance, we don’t think an aluminum panel made to look like wood can convey the same warmth and sincerity as real wood.
Preferring local and easily accessible materials is important both for sustainability and for maintaining a strong relationship with the project’s context. Functionality is another essential criterion; we avoid inappropriate applications such as slippery flooring near pools or combustible materials around fireplaces.
Above all, materials must not compromise human health or safety. We exclude any materials that emit harmful gases, are flammable, or contain toxins.
Accordingly, natural stone, wood, exposed concrete, and steel are among the materials we use most frequently. Each contributes to the atmosphere of a space in its own language and gains value over time.
Natural stone has a distinctive presence in your work. What does this material represent for you, and how do you use it in your projects?
For us, natural stone is more than just a surface finish—it’s a timeless, characterful element that embodies the building’s spirit. When used with the right detailing, it offers both aesthetic strength and functional durability.
We use stone across various scales and surfaces—from facades and floors to countertops, furniture, and accessories—to create a coherent material language throughout the space. The ability to produce diverse effects using different cuts, textures, and applications of the same material makes it one of the most versatile and expressive elements in our designs.
In your view, what distinguishes Turkish natural stones in architectural and interior design contexts? What draws you to them?
The richness of natural stone varieties in our geography is a great privilege for designers. Materials such as marble, travertine, limestone, basalt, tuff, dolomite, and serpentine are not only easily accessible but also possess distinct character and strength, enriching design with their individuality.
These stones have been used in Anatolian architecture for centuries. Today, with evolving needs and new construction technologies, reinterpreting these traditional materials has become both a responsibility and a creative challenge for us. In each project, we aim to employ them differently—according to their context and function—to develop site-specific solutions.
Thus, Turkish natural stones add not only physical but also cultural depth to our designs through their aesthetic character, durability, and timelessness. They help create spaces that endure and remain meaningful in users’ lives for years to come.
Which of your projects best illustrates the strong character that stone brings to architecture? How has it shaped your architectural language in these works?
In recent years, our projects in Karaburun and Urla have particularly highlighted the structural and expressive power of stone. In these works, we used local stones and traditional masonry techniques—not merely as decorative elements, but as integral components of the building’s construction logic.
In the Karaburun House, stone use reached a deeper level of meaning. The stones excavated during the building’s foundation work were reused in the structure’s walls and retaining systems, creating a direct dialogue with the land. This decision was valuable not only for sustainability but also for strengthening the building’s physical and emotional bond with the terrain—it quite literally returned to the earth from which it emerged.
In the S House, Limra stone panels complemented the pure geometry of the structure, highlighting the natural texture of the stone and producing a simple yet powerful exterior effect. In the N House, marble facade cladding gave the building a refined but striking identity. In both cases, stone served as more than a material—it became a carrier of architectural expression.
Overall, we regard stone not as a mere surface finish but as a design element that enhances the sensory experience of space and its dialogue with context. The structural, tactile, and historical qualities of stone consistently provide a solid foundation for shaping architectural language.
Looking ahead, what trends do you foresee in architectural and interior design applications of natural stone? What are OfisVesaire’s goals in this regard?
Natural stone, with its timeless aesthetic and spatial depth, will always have a place in architecture. However, in the future, the focus will shift toward how we process it, how efficiently we use it, and how we make it more sustainable.
Advancing technologies now allow for thinner, lighter, and more functional uses of stone—expanding design possibilities while reducing resource consumption. At OfisVesaire, our goal is to continue exploring innovative ways to use natural stone—combining it harmoniously with other materials such as wood, metal, and glass—to create contemporary yet contextually rooted designs.
KARABURUN HOUSE by OFISVESAIRE
N HOUSE by OFISVESAIRE
S HOUSE by OFISVESAIRE
