We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Hilal Ustun Caner ("HUC").
Hilal Ustun Caner graduated from ITU in 2008 with a double major in Architecture and Landscape Architecture. Shortly after her graduation, she stepped into the world of design by collaborating with one of Walt Disney’s designers, Valerio Mazzoli, on Turkey’s first theme park, Landora. Following her coordination role at Vialand Theme Park, she went on to design Viasea Theme Park, leaving her mark on a series of successful projects. With over 17 years of experience, she continues her practice at Hucre Architecture, where she explores the intersection of design, narrative, and craftsmanship. As a storyteller, Hilal approaches design as a narrative, where every space carries its own voice, waiting to be revealed. For her, architecture is not just about shaping structures but about crafting experiences—immersive, emotional, and deeply connected to their users. She believes that spaces hold memories, emotions, and meaning, and her role is to translate these into tangible forms. Every project begins as a journey of discovery, where she carefully listens, observes, and interprets the unspoken layers of a place and its people. With a refined yet expressive architectural language, she curates materials, textures, light, and spatial flow to shape environments that feel both timeless and personal. Aesthetics and functionality are inseparable; a space must be visually striking yet intuitively fluid. True uniqueness lies in the details—craftsmanship, materiality, and the subtle interplay of light and shadow. Rather than following trends, she defines her own path, focusing on authenticity and lasting impact. For Hilal, architecture is not just about building—it is about storytelling, shaping spaces that evolve, breathe, and resonate with those who inhabit them.
Hilal Ustun Caner Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Hilal Ustun Caner.
Hilal Ustun Caner Design - Belmondo Suites Stay and Savor
Designer Interview of Hilal Ustun Caner:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
HUC : I’ve always believed that design isn’t just something we see—it’s something we feel and live with. Even as a child, I found myself imagining spaces, questioning forms, and reshaping the world around me. After primary school, I realized this instinct had a name: architecture. It wasn’t just a profession I chose later; it was something that had quietly chosen me from the very beginning.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
HUC : Hucre Architecture is a boutique design studio based in Antalya. We focus on hospitality, private residences, and gastronomic venues, with a strong emphasis on atmosphere, emotion, and narrative.
DI: What is "design" for you?
HUC : I believe design is the act of transforming emotion into space.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
HUC : I’m drawn to projects that involve the transformation of forgotten spaces. Turning them into something that feels both timeless and deeply personal excites me.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
HUC : Belmondo Suites is one of my most meaningful projects. Located in Antalya’s historic Kaleiçi district, it’s a restoration of a centuries-old building into a boutique hotel. What makes it special is the way it balances heritage and intimacy—it doesn’t try to recreate the past, but gently reveals it. Every detail, material, and transition was designed to create an atmosphere of quiet elegance, where guests feel like they’ve stepped into a place suspended between time and memory.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
HUC : It was the interior design of a boutique patisserie. I revived a very old shop by giving it a completely new identity. It was my first experience transforming not just a space, but also how people feel in it.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
HUC : I’m drawn to natural materials—wood, stone, linen—that age gracefully. I love hand sketching alongside AutoCAD and SketchUp for digital precision.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
HUC : When I’m alone, observing light move across a wall or walking through a silent place. Creativity often springs from slowness and stillness.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
HUC : Atmosphere, flow, and light. I always ask: how will people feel here? What rhythm and memory will this space carry?
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
HUC : Design always begins with a feeling—a quiet connection between me and the space. The first time I step in, I don’t just look—I listen. It’s like meeting someone for the first time and sensing that you’ll write a long story together. There’s a rush of curiosity, a childlike excitement, and a deep responsibility. I often feel both grounded and elevated at once—fully present, yet dreaming. Designing is never just a job for me. It’s a relationship I enter with care, instinct, and respect.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
HUC : There’s a moment—usually quiet, almost unnoticed—when a project comes to life and everything aligns. It’s not the applause or the opening night that moves me most. It’s the glance of the owner who sees their dream made real. That’s when I feel a deep, fulfilling pride. The kind that comes from overcoming countless challenges, from staying true to the story, and from knowing that every detail, every sacrifice, every sleepless night meant something. It’s not loud. It’s not dramatic. It’s just… right.
DI: What makes a design successful?
HUC : It must leave a trace and inspire. A successful design quietly touches people and stays with them—it doesn’t fade, it resonates.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
HUC : First, I ask: is there a real idea behind it? Then I ask: does it make me feel something? A good design doesn’t explain itself—it connects.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
HUC : Designers must craft spaces that heal, include, and respect their surroundings. We owe empathy, sustainable materials, and cultural awareness.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
HUC : It’s shifting from form to experience—toward sustainability, slow design, and emotional intelligence. Novelty gives way to authenticity.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
HUC : From silence, nature, shadows, ruins, and poetry. I travel slowly, read widely, and always observe without rush.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
HUC : My style is calm, layered, and timeless. I don’t design to impress—I design to make people feel.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
HUC : I live in Antalya, Turkey—a city shaped by many civilizations. Its rich history and layered textures have taught me to design with respect for context, time, and memory.
DI: How do you work with companies?
HUC : Through deep listening and partnership. I seek clients who value trust, shared vision, and a process guided by meaning rather than mere performance.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
HUC : Choose someone who listens. A good designer is not just someone with style, but someone with sensitivity. Look for those who ask the right questions, who understand your story, and who design not just for you—but with you.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
HUC : It always begins with listening—first to the place, then to the people. I observe, I sketch, I ask questions. Then I shape a concept that feels true to the context. From there, I work through materials, light, rhythm, and emotional flow. Every project is a dialogue between memory and possibility.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
HUC : My coffee table, liquor cabinet, bookshelf, wall clock, and armchair. Each one reflects my relationship with time, rest, and the quiet joy of everyday rituals.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
HUC : My mornings begin in silence—with coffee and a podcast. Studio hours are a blend of meetings, site visits, and focused design work. Evenings slow down with family time, reading, or a walk by the sea.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
HUC : Design with soul. First learn to see, then create. Observe more than you speak, question more than you conclude, and value presence over perfection.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
HUC : Positive: shaping environments that touch lives. Negative: emotional intensity—because each detay carries sizin özünüz.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
HUC : Design with intention, not for attention.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
HUC : Sensitivity, curiosity, patience, discipline and the courage to question.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
HUC : My toolbox: sketchbook, pencil
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
HUC : I manage my time by respecting the rhythm of each project. Some days require deep focus, others need space to pause and observe. I don’t rush the process—because good design takes time, and I allow it to.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
HUC : It depends on the depth of the story. Some designs come together quickly, others take time to reveal themselves. I let the project set its own pace.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
HUC : “How do you create spaces that feel both dynamic and deeply calm at the same time?” My answer is: I design with emotion and intention—not with decoration. I strip away the noise until only what matters remains.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
HUC : Becoming the lead architect of Turkey’s first theme park was a turning point in my career. It taught me how to imagine at scale, design for emotion, and manage highly complex processes without losing the soul of the space.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
HUC : Boutique hotel owners, private villa clients, and operators of restaurants, bistros, and cafés who value atmosphere, identity, and thoughtful design.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
HUC : Hospitality design—because it allows me to craft immersive, multisensory atmospheres that stay with people.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
HUC : I plan to continue exploring narrative-driven architecture and expanding into cross-disciplinary collaborations. I’m also working on sharing more of my design stories with a wider audience, beyond just built spaces.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
HUC : I begin concepts solo—sketching and research—but realize them with a skilled team. Soul emerges in solitude; form in collaboration.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
HUC : Yes—I’m currently designing a boutique gastronomic venue on the Mediterranean coast. It’s a place where natural textures, light, and open-air living come together to create a calm, refined atmosphere.
DI: How can people contact you?
HUC : Website: www.hucre.co Email: info@hucre.co Instagram: @hucremimarlik
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
HUC : I want people to know that for me, design is not about perfection—it’s about presence. Every space I create comes from deep listening, careful observation, and a desire to make something meaningful, not just beautiful. I believe design should make people feel something real. And if my work has ever touched your heart, even in silence, then that is my greatest reward.