"Should you want to make a difference in the world, do not fear to start over."
Ezgi Yuruk H.
- Degree:
- Master of Engineering Leadership
- Grad year: 2022
- Program:
Hi, Ezgi here! Since the last years of my undergraduate studies at Istanbul Technical University, I have been working in different fields of architecture to raise an overall understanding of the architectural praxis in diverse international settings, including Turkey, Slovenia, the US, and Algeria. I gained various practical skills in the fields of digital fabrication technologies when I was working for the mockup studio Küçük Atölye in Istanbul, where I had invaluable opportunities to experiment on the interdependency of architecture, its representation, and its communication among the various parties.
In 2013 and 2014, I worked on the documentation of the Greek and Roman relics with the aid of photogrammetry for the archaeological excavations of Laodikeia in Denizli, Turkey.
I collaborated on-site and among the teams of different disciplines, including archaeology, art history, and architecture for the survey of the relics. In Fall 2014, I assisted Slovenian architect Špela Videcnik of Ofis Arhitekti while she was directing the architectural design studio “Housing in Extreme Environments: Alpine Shelter” at Harvard Graduate School of Design. Then the sirocco blew me to different Saharan cities in Algeria, working on construction sites, building my career from a site architect to design office chief. Just when I decided to take a year off my career and steer it to sustainable architecture and construction, a pandemic hit the world.
What has made your time at UBC memorable?
I ran away from the desert, dreaming of developing a career in sustainable buildings and finally living a life that was not surrounded by dunes and going to cafes, restaurants, and concerts. But right after I applied for UBC, the Covid-19 pandemic happened! Then I got accepted to the UBC, but the program had to be delivered online. I still managed to come to Canada. Therefore, the first part of my dream came true. I started learning about waste reduction, energy savings, renewable energy systems, and resilient buildings, but I had to do it all at home. Studying at home, meeting my classmates (on Zoom), delivering group projects, being accepted to the scholar’s program, and working and studying simultaneously was very challenging for sure, but it also made my time at UBC an unforgettable experience.
What advice would you give a student entering your degree program?
My advice to the new students would be to do all the readings in time (be prepared, there is a lot!) and network, network, network.
That one year will fly by without you even noticing it. Make the best of it by getting to know your classmates that are all professionals in their field and keep in touch with the industry contacts that UBC is doing a great job bringing to you.