Awards Presented at EMU 6th International Nurten Aksugür BEST-C Student Competition

The 6th International Nurten Aksugür Best Concept Communication (BEST-C) Student Competition, organized this year by the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Faculty of Architecture, Department of Interior Architecture, has concluded. A total of 43 projects from 14 national and international universities participated in the competition, and the award-winning projects were determined following jury evaluations.

In the competition, the first prize was won by EMU student Dila Elçi, the second prize by Istanbul Technical University student Rümeysa Çakır, and the third prize by EMU student Ömercan Aşar. Honorable mentions were awarded to MEF University student İrem Özdemir with two different projects and Karadeniz Technical University student Nazife Gamze Diken.

Prominent names from academia and the design world came together on the competition jury. Jury members included Prof. Dr. Erdal Aksugür, Prof. Dr. Özge Cordan, Prof. Dr. Zeynep Tuna Ultav, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hacer Başarır Dindiç, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Guita Farivarsadri, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Devrim Yücel Besim, Asst. Prof. Dr. Eliz Erdenizci, TRNC Chamber of Interior Designers President Pembe Komut, as well as Yalın Tan, Levent Çırpıcı, and Burcu Şenparlak from the design and architecture sector.

A Meaningful Competition Heading Towards the 30th Anniversary

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hacer Başarır Dindiç, Head of the EMU Department of Interior Architecture, stated that the competition holds special significance for the faculty and department preparing to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dindiç emphasized that the academic legacy of the late Prof. Dr. Nurten Aksugür, who led the establishment of the department and served as Founding Department Chair between 1997–2001, continues to be kept alive through this competition held in her name.

Stating that the competition provides an important opportunity for students to develop creative thinking skills, express design ideas effectively, and share their work on an international platform, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dindiç expressed that such organizations bringing together young designers from different universities strengthen academic interaction and design culture.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dindiç also thanked the jury members who contributed to the evaluation process, Asst. Prof. Dr. Seyit Ermiyagil and Research Assistant Seren Ogan who contributed to the preparation and execution of the organization, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Guita Farivarsadri who contributed to the competition's development since its inception, and the Aksugür family for their valuable support in sustaining the competition.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Seyit Ermiyagil and Research Assistant Seren Ogan, who served on the competition organizing committee, also thanked the participating students and jury members for their contributions, congratulated the winning students, and drew attention to the importance of supporting young designers' work and creating opportunities for them to express themselves.

Bringing together young people from different universities on the common ground of design, the competition enabled students to present creative ideas, develop different perspectives, and share their work with wider audiences.