ATÖLYE Labs: A community of creative minds

"Atölye" is often referred to as a workshop or studio in which talent is refined and brought to life. Kerem Alper and his close friend Engin Ayaz have become the redefining forces of the concept of "atölye." Kerem, who was Turkey's 2014 winner of the British Council's Young Creative Entrepreneur (Culture) award, graduated from Wesleyan University with a dual degree in mathematics and economics, then went on to complete a Master of Business Administration, Master of Science degree in sustainable design at Stanford University, at which point his friend Engin was completing his bachelor's degree in civil and environmental engineering and architectural design.



The friends discovered they both have an acute awareness of the concept of space, and designed a workstation that acts as an incubator for ideas to hatch and a support network to make it possible. After making their idea public in 2014 at a TEDxIstanbul, the young entrepreneurs raised eyebrows and attracted the attention of numerous investors, among them Begum Doğan who contributed to making the idea possible. Ulrich Barnhoefer from Apple was also among the faithful believers who contributed to the phenomenal outcome of ATÖLYE Labs.

ATÖLYE Labs, located in the historic Bomonti Beer Factory in Istanbul's Şişli district, is basically an office space that can be rented out to bring your ideas to life. What differentiates this particular rentable office space is not the fact that it is fully equipped with next generation, state-of-the-art equipment or that members have full access to the 700-square-meter loft, which contains maker labs that have a computer numerical control (CNC) router, 3-D printers, laser cutters, fully equipped media labs, open space work stations as well as private cubicles and meeting areas, raw building materials, a small library packed with visionary books, and an entertainment room complete with a stage. What makes ATÖLYE Labs particularly unique is that it is a community of creative minds that have been carefully selected to work harmoniously in a well-designed space to maximize the quality of the outcomes. It is a network of people working on independent projects with the ability to simultaneously contribute to and support other independent projects.


Kerem Alper, co-founder of ATÖLYE.

The reason why this community of entrepreneurs is so successful is not due to chance. ATÖLYE Lab's core team consists of 12 to 15 people, all of whom come from a vast range of backgrounds, and they are comprehensive when deciding on who can join this community and rent space in this extraordinary environment. After filling out an online application, the members are selected through a rigorous vetting process. Each application is reviewed and their portfolio is assessed. A member's acceptance is based on the creativity of their interest. Does it solve a universal problem in countries with similar characteristics? Is the idea authentic? Along with these questions, the applicant's character is also assessed through an interview. Their ability to collaborate with others, an inquisitive mind and a keen eye for detail are advantageous traits.

The objective is to bring together a group of skilled individuals with different talents that can support each other's ideas and bring them to life while being able to work independently. The importance of a diverse group of members is at the forefront of the selection process. This is especially important when considering, for instance, accepting a balanced group of males and females since both sexes contribute in unique ways. A diverse range of talent means positive representation of these subsectors within the community as well. The work space is creatively designed in order support the concept of a shared space yet provides sufficient personal space for privacy. A sense of community is strengthened by encouraging members to give seminars, workshops and lectures on the subject of their expertise. What makes the network and community so successful is the exclusive list of collaborators and broad spectrum of talent that comes together under one roof.



Having full access to maker labs at ATÖLYE does not only mean full access to its facilities but also full access to a broad range of creative minds and collaborative work. For those young entrepreneurs who may have an ingenious idea but are unable to afford membership, they may qualify for a fellowship whereby a larger organization provides the membership fee and has the potential to recruit a strong candidate for the future. Moreover, such individuals can work with industry leaders such as Jeffrey Weir from Microsoft who worked on his idea for a prototype when creating a new app.

ATÖLYE Labs is more than a rentable office space. It is a network of intelligent minds collaborating with genius ideas and overcoming the challenges of a megacity. Members at ATÖLYE Labs believe in the potential of ideas, for Istanbul is far from lacking talent; it is simply hindered by limitations. By combining new-age technology with creative minds, ATÖLYE Labs puts high-caliber projects at the forefront of success. For more information, check out their website: www.atolyelabs.com.