Hi, I'm Serra, multidisciplinary designer and researcher interested in architecture, urbanism, global affairs, and the everyday sociology that shapes our lives. I’m currently based between the UK and Türkiye, holding a Master’s in Urban Design and Development at UCL’s Bartlett Development Planning Unit.

I previously studied City and Regional Planning and Sociology as a double major at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul. Growing up in a Mediterranean city deeply influenced who I am. That connection inspired me to start the Mediterranean Commune, a platform that highlights the voices and experiences of Mediterranean creatives around the world. Through it, I explore how current events and socio-political climates influence our relationships with our roots, identities and the way we create.

My academic and creative interests lie in urban development, community-driven design, critical urbanism, and the participatory processes of marginalized groups. I’m always looking to understand cities not just as physical spaces, but as lived experiences shaped by culture, power, and memory.

I love writing and designing—two things that help me express myself when words sometimes fall short. In fact, I often find that drawing can speak louder than speaking itself. I’ve worked as an editor and designer for both print and digital media, creating in both Turkish and English. I've had the pleasure of contributing to platforms like Parametric Architecture, Architizer, XXI, Cosmopolitan Turkey, Aposto, and more. On the design side, I’ve collaborated with names such as Penguin Random House US, One Day Seyoum, Can Yayınları, and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.

To me, creativity is not something you just list on a resume—it’s lived. It’s found in the values you hold, the stories you tell, and the people you learn from along the way ^^

So, I’d be delighted to have an interesting conversation. But still, here is a glimpse of my CV:

Education

University College London (UCL) – MSc Building and Urban Design in Development | 2024–2025

Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (MSFAU) – BSc Urban & Regional Planning | 2016–2021

Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (MSFAU) – BA Sociology (Double Major) | 2018–2022

Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) – Architecture (Erasmus Exchange) | Spring 2020

International Baikal Winter University of Urban Planning Design – Urban Studies | Winter 2019

Experience

Founder & Content Creator, Mediterranean Commune | 2024–present

Content Contributor, Architizer | 03/2025 - still

Managing Editor, Parametric Architecture | 09/2022 – 10/2024

Community Curator, EKA Creative Studio | 10/2023 – still

Art Director & Editor, Uyar Literature Journal | 05/2021 – 08/2022

Urban Design & Research Intern, SO? Architecture | 09/2021 – 12/2021

Creative Design Intern, One Day Seyoum | 01/2021 – 11/2020

Urban Design Intern, Meydan Architecture | 06/2019 – 08/2019

Urban Planning Intern, Hatay Dortyol Municipality | 07/2018 – 10/2018

Fellowships

Creative Fellow, Paribu Creative Fellows Program | 10/2023 – 04/2024

Research Fellow, AURA Istanbul | 09/2021 - 01/2022

Interviews, Podcasts, and Documentations I Participated In

Interview – Bold Journey: “Meet Serra Utkum Ikiz,” March 2025

Short-form Documentary – 90+: Being Left-Handed: How Does One Become Left-Handed?
“Right-handers turn the pencil, left-handers turn the sharpener”

Podcast – Onarım Atölyesi (S3E23): How Can We Ask the Right Questions for Regeneration?

Interview – Rethinking The Future: Media Matters – In Conversation with Serra Utkum Ikiz