IFI WID 2019
EMU

IFI WID SEMINAR + EXHIBITION | EMU

Famagusta | T.R. Northern Cyprus

EMU – Eastern Mediterranean University

EMU celebrated IFI WID 2019 with two events this year, including a World Interiors Day theme based seminar and exhibition.

Event 1: Seminar – “Designing Spaces, Changing Lives” with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ö. Osman Demirbaş

Sharing his experiences as former IFI Board Member and current IFI Ambassador, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ö. Osman Demirbaş (Izmir University of Economics) was invited to partake in this seminar hosted by EMU to highlight and explain the theme of IFI’S 2019 World Interiors Day theme.

Held on 14 May, as part of EMU’s 7th International Career Days, and in collaboration with EMU-DIA (Department of Interior Architecture), this seminar explored the experiences of Dr. Demirbas, allowing students to grasp the work of IFI, the culture of Interior Architects / Designers, and the overall industry. Dr. Demirbas shared valuable information about IFI’s institutional structure and his contributions to the development/recognition of Interior Architecture across the globe.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Demirbaş gave examples about the meaning of the IFI WID 2019 theme in the broadest frame and emphasized that design improves human life even in very special environments. He pointed out that design can contribute to people’s lives, including those who live in conflict zones or who migrate from these zones to temporary living areas.

Event Poster and Images:

Event 2: Exhibition – Changing ‘Us’

As it related to the IFI WID 2019 theme of “Designing Spaces, Changing Lives”, Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), the EMU-DIA (Department of Interior Architecture), and the staff members of the EMU-DIA celebrated its 40th foundation anniversary during the 2018-19 academic year. The relationship between this anniversary and the IFI WID theme of 2019 highlights the physical changes found within EMU, most of which are quite remarkable. Another important dimension of institutional and physical design and change are the contributions made by EMU to the development of Famagusta city, Northern Cyprus, due to the highly skilled graduates of the DIA program throughout the geographical region.

Having recently celebrated its 20th foundation anniversary, the EMU-DIA specifically interpreted the valuable and influential changes seen throughout their program over the last 20 years as directly related to this years IFI WID 2019 theme. EMU-DIA’s improving reputation on education including the contribution of the graduates on changing lives in relation to improve living & working environments have defined the second important subject of the exhibition.

Physical changes with members of the EMU-DIA and EMU over the last 20 and 40 years were included in the exhibition as well, highlighting the prominent evolutionary changes to the institution and specifically the Department of Interior Architecture. Digitally presented, and structured using visual documents, this exhibition was entitled “Changing ‘Us'”. The word ‘Us’ in the title of the exhibition represent EMU, EMU-DIA and the staff members of the department with their great improving dynamics on designing future and changing lives.

The exhibition video was screened to the academic staff and students of the department on 21 May after an introductory speech of the EMU-DIA IFI committee coordinator Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asu Tozan. Mentioning in her introductory speech, Dr. Tozan noted that the video is symbolizing EMU’s institutional structure and highlighting the valuable contributions of EMU-DIA’s staff members to develop the lives of people in Cyprus as well as several other countries of the world. The exhibition has been prepared by the team composed of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asu Tozan, Assist Prof. Dr. Kamil Güley, Research Assistant Gözde Pırlanta, Research Assistant Ceyhun Uludağ and Research Assistant Mojtaba Karimnezhad.

Link to “Changing ‘Us'” Exhibition Video

Event Poster and Images: