Faruk Malhan

Born in 1947 in İzmir, Faruk Malhan completed his primary and secondary education at İzmir Atatürk High School. He completed his university education in Ankara, Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Architecture. He received his master’s degree from Hacettepe University Demography Department.

He took his basic design lessons from Professor Fritz Janneba, the original representative of the Bauhaus School. He became a student of Mübeccel Kıray, one of the doyens of modern sociology in Turkey. He became a follower of Professor İlhan Tekeli’s lectures and articles, and Professor Nusret Hızır’s philosophy. The economics, economic history, society and politics lessons he took from Professor Oya Köymen helped Malhan to form an interdisciplinary awareness. His educational background was instrumental in gaining in-depth views on the design cultures of societies and the effects of design on the production styles, cultures and development of societies.

By combining the cultural, social, aesthetic and usage aspects of design with the experience he gained in the fields of education and practice, he became one of the first to produce works and ideas in the field of design. He founded the company “Koleksiyon” in 1971 with the dream of “an industry for design” in Ankara, and started to actualize his designs in his company… Today, he works as the chief designer of Koleksiyon, curating the designers and continuing as the art director of his group. He continues his design work in the fields of furniture, carpets, rugs, glass, porcelain, jewelry, jewellery, and architecture. He is the curator and design director for designers and design groups in various workshops.

He has prepared the collection from the small workshop scale to the integrated production level, with years devoted to design, art, craft, creativity and care since its establishment. The products he designed took place in the projects of architects and in the daily lives of people in our country and abroad. Faruk Malhan, one of the leading identities of the 70’s and 80’s, when the concept of design began to be transferred to life in Turkey, has been leading the establishment of the “Design Foundation Istanbul” as of June 2013, and passionately pursues the mission of bringing design to economies, society, and production culture with its international dimensions. Participating in world congresses as a member of the Design Management Institute and Design Cities Europe, Faruk Malhan is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Siena 2019 European Capital of Culture project.