Global Design Forum Istanbul Concludes Inaugural Edition with City-Wide Programme
The inaugural Global Design Forum Istanbul occurred from May 13 to 16, 2026, showcasing a city-wide array of installations, public events, screenings, and discussions. Organized by the London Design Festival in partnership with People Places Ideas, the forum was spearheaded by artistic director Melek Zeynep Bulut and curatorial director Beatrice Galilee. Under the theme 'Worlds in Contact,' contributors such as Lina Ghotmeh, Marina Tabassum, Liam Young, and Tom Dixon engaged in various dialogues. Historic sites like Hagia Irene in the Topkapı Palace complex hosted events, including 'Nothing New Under the Sun' on adaptive reuse and 'The Museum Has Left the Building' on museum evolution. Notable installations featured 'Pavilion of the Moment' by Waugh Thistleton Architects and 'The Red Room' by NUN Architecture. The forum emphasized design as a civic endeavor influenced by ecology, memory, and community.
Key facts
- Global Design Forum Istanbul held May 13–16, 2026.
- Presented by London Design Festival and People Places Ideas.
- Artistic direction by Melek Zeynep Bulut; curatorial direction by Beatrice Galilee.
- Theme: 'Worlds in Contact'.
- Featured 5 installations across Istanbul historic sites.
- Pavilion of the Moment used Turkish Pinus Nigra timber.
- Yakîn installation used semi-transparent silk curtains.
- Oblique Land located at Kabataş High School on the Bosphorus.
- Wall/Tribune/Gate drew from Hippodrome archaeological traces.
- The Red Room used layered red tulle in Hagia Irene courtyard.
Entities
Artists
- Melek Zeynep Bulut
- Beatrice Galilee
- Lina Ghotmeh
- Marina Tabassum
- Liam Young
- Tom Dixon
- Lesley Lokko
- Ma Yansong
- Andrew Waugh
- Olaf Grawer
- Han Tümertekin
- Alper Derinboğaz
- Beral Madra
- Ömer Selçuk Baz
- Guta Moura Guedes
- Anastasia Sinitsyna
- Forest Swords
- Nil Aynalı
- Furkan Türkyılmaz
- Muhammed Arif Aksu
- Ali Derya Dostoğlu
- Uğur Özer
Institutions
- Global Design Forum Istanbul
- London Design Festival
- People Places Ideas
- Waugh Thistleton Architects
- National Wood Association
- TORID
- YAKIN Kolektif
- Salon Alper Derinboğaz
- NUN Architecture
- Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
- Topkapı Palace Complex
- Hagia Irene
- Kabataş High School
- World Urban Forum 13
- UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 Barcelona
- Venice Art Biennale
Locations
- Istanbul
- Turkey
- Topkapı Palace Complex
- Hagia Irene
- Kabataş High School
- Bosphorus
- Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
- İbrahim Paşa Palace
- Baku
- Azerbaijan
- Venice
- Italy
- Giardini della Biennale
- Arsenale
- Barcelona
- Spain