Institute of Graduate Education

PhD in Architecture

About Us

Architecture Ph.D. Programme has been designed with two significant advancements in the architectural world in mind. First, the rise of theoretical approaches in architecture, and second, the radical change in the technical infrastructure of the discipline. These advancements have transformed the role of architects, who are no longer seen as rule and norm-setting authorities but as interpreters. This means that the practice of architecture has become an area where various epistemic fields intersect and establish dialogues with each other instead of being closed off to its field of knowledge. As a result, architectural knowledge has become permeable in unprecedented ways, with the border between engineering, informatics, and social sciences becoming increasingly blurred. The İstinye Architecture Doctorate Program aims to explore these new horizons by taking these significant changes as its core axis.  

The programme has a strong focus on critical, theoretical, and technological perspectives of the built environment. It offers a comprehensive approach that includes theoretical lectures on various aspects of society, social sciences, technique and technology, urban and architectural history, and seminars that employ diverse research methodologies. The programme aims to enable students to develop a profound understanding of the intricate interaction between architecture and different epistemic fields.  

While PhD students develop their own approaches, they will be supported to create research projects. They will be able to benefit from the workshops of Istinye University Faculty of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture, CNC laboratory and 3-d printer facilities.   

The PhD programme of “Architecture” is located on the new campus of Istinye University, in a new urban area, in the Cendere Valley of Istanbul.