Hande Burcu DenizGraduate Student

I am a PhD student in Design Studies. I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Bilkent University, Turkey, from the Interior Architecture and Environmental Design department. My research interests include the relationship between the environment and behavior. My master’s thesis was about place attachment and territoriality in design studios. I have presented my works at the EDRA and the International Conference of Environmental Psychology, at which I was awarded the “Best Presentation Award” by the Program Committee of ICEP.

My main goal is to combine design principles and research to create better built environments and experiences for people. My teaching and professional experiences taught me about the ways in which humans are affected by their surroundings in different ways. I have been a teaching assistant for technical drawing, lighting, and color application courses and taught design studio at the University of Minnesota. I have also worked on different types and sizes of projects. My experiences and vision for design and application led me to work on restorative workplaces for my dissertation and I hope to go beyond that in the future.

My teaching experience at the University of Minnesota includes IDes 1601-Interior Design Studio I, IDes 4608-Interior Design, CDes 1312-Color and Design in Two and Three Dimensions, and IDes 2262-Computer Applications. My teaching experience at Bilkent University includes ADA 131-Architectural Drawing, IAED 397-Color Theory and Applications, and IAED 244-Lighting Design.

Awards and Recognition

• Best Presentation Award, ICEP

Selected Publications and Presentations

The Impact of Controlled Access to Design Studios on Place Attachment, EDRA 50, May 2019

Understanding How to Increase Restorativeness of Interiors, ICEP, May 2020