Orçun Ersan / Architect / Ace Mimarlık

When did you start your career?
I graduated from Gazi University Department of Architecture. I started my career here because ‘Ace Architecture’ is a family company.

What do you think about the importance of the light in our lives?
Light is a very important part of architecture and it is one of the very important components of the place. Thanks to light we can sense the mass and it creates colors. There are two components; one of them is natural light but nowadays thanks to the development of a variety of products, along with the development of technology solutions in the artificial light more professional solutions are needed  than ever before. 

On what points we should pay attention while designing lighting?
If we start from the basic; function of the space is very important. Lighting function is supposed to give the required technical competence. It should be used to support the place. Same lighting solutions can’t be used for a religious place, an office, a hospital or a house. So designer needs to find different solutions for each place.

What is the difference of lighting between past and today?
Sustainability and energy efficiency are very important concepts. Lighting is one of the leading factors of electrical consumption of a building. In this sense, LED technology is very valuable and important. Since the first introduction of LED, both luminous efficiency and a light value have been improved. In the beginning, we couldn’t use it in everywhere, just used for decorative purposes. But now LEDs are used more and more. Considering the consumed resources and the latest technological advances, it is very important to contribute to sustainability. Maintenance requirements are minimal which reduces the building's expenditures and energy consumption. LED has exposed  the possibilities rather than form, shape and infrastructure that a bulb or fluorescent needed in the past and it has provided flexibility in the design. 

Which one is more important for the lighting; aesthetics or functionality?
Not different concepts, no matter one is more, other is less. When you combine both, then there is a successful lighting. One is not important than another.

What do you think about the LED technology?
I think it will develop more. In my point of view, I’m  looking for the usage of  integrated  solutions combined with alternative energy sources and systems. And I expect products both solar and wind energy can be integrated and low maintenance cost and easy to apply. 

What are your favorite architectural styles?
I don’t want to prefer architectural styles because we try to choose modern lines. We are trying to move in accordance with the requirements of the age and taking advantage of the universal qualifications of the design. We do not believe such a categorization like that. Each structure should be evaluated on its own terms. Each functional, aesthetic, durable, sustainable design is considered right for us. 

What is the importance of the lighting in architectural and urban design?
The most negative side of LED products in urban use is unnecessary lighting conditions at the first output. Conscious use can provide important contributions. Because the city does not only live during the day, it also lives at night. Especially, for security and for people to feel  peaceful and comfortable. If these conditions aren’t provided, our cities can’t live in the first place. But specializing in this field is very important. Lighting Design is not only producing the item  itself but also important to design the lighting of the place. Smooth, lean and simple solutions increase the livability of the city. In this way, the city's cultural and architectural lines are highlighted. But it should be used the right way or there could be bad lighting like Atakule Tower which expresses nothing. Nevertheless,  there are successful examples for building and urban lighting and they are really good.