Selva Gürdogan & Gregers Tang Thomsen: The Civic Entrepreneur

Speakers Selva Gürdogan and Gregers Tang Thomsen

Date 8.10.2021

Time 18:30

Via Zoom

There is no silver bullet – single initiatives cannot solve problems on their own. We live in an increasingly complex world – requiring not just deep technical expertise but the ability to work across disciplines and diverse groups of people. We need to think globally and act locally – action needs to be rooted in place to be effective and enduring. From climate change to mental health, migration to youth unemployment, we have been facing a crisis of activation. We need a new profession to unlock the awe-inspiring potential of everything we already have – welcome, the "civic entrepreneur".

Selva Gürdogan

Architect. She graduated with honors from Southern California Institute of Architecture in 2003. After her employment at Office for Metropolitan Architecture, in 2006, Selva initiated Superpool together with Gregers Tang Thomsen. Between 2013-2019, she co-directed Studio-X Istanbul, an urban laboratory of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Since 2021, she is an advisor to Istanbul Planning Agency of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality with a grant from Bernard van Leer Foundation. Selva teaches a diploma unit at the Architectural Association in London.

Gregers Tang Thomsen

He graduated from Aarhus School of Architecture in Denmark in 2003. After his employment at Office for Metropolitan Architecture, in 2006, Gregers co-founded Superpool in Istanbul and directs all design projects. Between 2013-2019, he co-directed Studio-X Istanbul, an urban laboratory of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Since 2017, Gregers is leading Superpool’s participation to Urban95 program initiated by Bernard van Leer Foundation. Gregers teaches a diploma unit at the Architectural Association in London.

The lecture will be conducted in English.