Istanbul Association of Architects in Private Practice (IstanbulSMD)

Istanbul Association of Architects in Private Practice (İstanbulSMD) was founded in July 2002 with the aim of contributing to the architectural culture in our country, enhancing the prestige and influence of the architectural profession in society, promoting a sense of social responsibility in urban planning decisions and interventions in the city, and improving the quality of the built environment.

The organizational initiative, launched by independent architects with vision and a strong sense of responsibility—driven by shared belief, dedication, and enthusiasm—has successfully evolved through multifaceted efforts. As a result, many of our members have achieved significant accomplishments at both national and international levels, and our association has attained its current strong and respected position.

Since its establishment, our association has consistently worked to elevate the level of knowledge in aesthetic values, architectural education, and professional practice within the architectural community, and to encourage the highest standards in the profession. In this context, it has organized conferences and panels, exhibitions, awards, and study visits, as well as produced various publications. Furthermore, İstanbulSMD supports architectural education by providing internship opportunities for students within member offices, organizing student competitions, and offering practice-based educational programs conducted by our academic members as part of elective courses at universities.