Damla Söğütlü: Vulnerability and Activism in Architecture

Damla Söğütlü, a New York-based architect originally from Turkey, discusses her interdisciplinary practice spanning architecture, photography, painting, digital visuals, and design. Her work is shaped by her international journey from Turkey to London and New York, embracing collective thinking and vulnerability as creative strengths. A key project, Homeless Shelter Housing, proposes a transient housing scheme at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, exploring hidden sovereignty and the influence of algorithmic structures on urban life, inspired by Benjamin Bratton's The Stack. Söğütlü examines surveillance systems and glitches as opportunities for alternative urban experiences, integrating activism into architectural thinking. She is currently developing a furniture series called Reading Zones, which explores emotional relationships between books, furniture, and designed environments, aiming to create immersive experiences that encourage reflection. Söğütlü views creativity as a means to foster collective consciousness, cultural development, and rebellion against established systems, emphasizing that vulnerability enables honest communication between artist and audience.