Community Interviews: Design Workshop

Could you please provide some brief information about your community?

Design Workshop is a community, founded in 2012 with the initiative of the students of the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, and has been carrying out its activities with a view to introduce and invite everybody to design

Could you please tell us about your activities?

Throughout the semester, we organize activities addressed not only to our students who study in the design and fine art departments but also to the students of all departments. We generally choose the themes of our event from areas that can be of a common focus such as music, handicrafts, digital design and social responsibility.

How many members actively take part in the community activities? From what departments are your members? Could you please tell us  about member profile of your community?

Actively, we carry out such activities as event organization and communication as 8 persons; but we have nearly 200 members, from whom we receive support when needed and who participate in our events. There is not really a dominant hierarchical order in the community; we all have the same responsibilities but, of course, some of us have more powers than others.

What would you like to say to address your prospect members? Are there any prerequisites to join the community?

There are no prerequisites to join our community at all. All we require is for you to be eager to be part of this community. Our fellow students, who think about joining us, should not be intimidated by the name of the community, we are engaged in activities that would suit everybody.

What are your goals for the community? What kind of activities do you intend to carry out?

Currently, our primary goal is to organize design-oriented events that will create an impression in all over Ankara.

How do the community activities affect your undergraduate education or career goals?

Our community endeavors, which are not necessarily directly related to our undergraduate education in all case, improve our communication and management skills. Besides, they constitute an important step in the career-building path for our design-related members. By taking part in the Design Workshop, we are already finding opportunities to acquire networks that we will need in the future by getting to know the area more closely.