ABOUT YILDIRAY YANIK

I am Yildiray Sait Yanik. I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in Munich in 2023 and developed my master’s thesis in 2026. My work focuses on the transformation of existing buildings, adaptable housing and the responsible use of materials and space.

I believe that architecture must shift from replacing existing buildings to transforming them. In the future, we need to build less from scratch, demolish less and use the space already available more intelligently.

My approach is based on three principles: reducing new construction and the additional embodied energy it requires, preserving existing structures and the resources already invested in them, and optimising floor plans so that smaller spaces can provide the same level of comfort and spatial quality.

For me, smaller does not mean less valuable. Intelligent layouts, adaptable rooms and flexible connections can make housing more efficient while responding to changing needs over time.

In my master’s thesis, I examined how vacant office buildings can be transformed into housing and how recurring conditions such as structural grids, building depths and circulation systems can form a transferable strategy for future conversions.

My goal is to create architecture that combines spatial quality, technical feasibility and long-term adaptability while using fewer new resources.