A Design Problem 08

About this event

Now in its eighth iteration, 'Bir Tasarım Problemi' (A Design Problem) has become one of Istanbul's more thoughtful recurring design forums, hosted by SALT Galata in the dramatic vaulted interiors of a building that once housed the Ottoman Bank. Each edition isolates a single design problem — sometimes technical, sometimes ethical, sometimes political — and invites a cross-disciplinary group of speakers and participants to pull it apart in public. The format resists the polished conference circuit: there are no keynote decks designed to impress, just sustained, often contentious thinking-aloud. SALT as an institution is unusually well-suited to this kind of event. Its research library, archive collections, and curatorial practice are all oriented toward critical inquiry rather than celebration, and that ethos carries into the programming. Expect the evening to draw architects, graphic designers, urban planners, and students alongside the curious general public — a mix that tends to produce more interesting friction than siloed professional gatherings. The Galata neighbourhood itself is worth arriving early for. The stretch of Bankalar Caddesi between the Karaköy waterfront and the Galata Tower is one of the few places in Istanbul where late 19th-century European neoclassical ambition and contemporary cultural programming coexist without irony. Grab a coffee at one of the small roasters nearby before heading in. Seating is typically limited at these events, so arriving punctually at 19:00 is advisable.