Türkiye Design Council and Arkki Celebrate Three Years of Partnership
Fostering Creativity and Innovation Across Türkiye Türkiye Design Council and Finland-based Arkki International have worked together to bring Arkki’s renowned creative education curriculum to children across Türkiye for the past three years. Recognized globally for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and design skills in young minds, Arkki has shared its expertise through this collaboration, enabling children in Türkiye to develop essential 21st-century skills.
Türkiye Design Council, a non-governmental organization aiming to enhance design awareness, has been the driving force behind Arkki’s activities in Türkiye since July 2021. As a member of the Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA), the council collaborates with diverse stakeholders, including schools, cultural institutions, development agencies, and municipalities, to expand Arkki’s reach.
Arkki Türkiye’s Impact
Arkki Türkiye has reached an impressive 3,951 children in 19 cities through partnerships with 59 institutions over the past three years. Initially starting in İstanbul, the program now operates also in the Ankara region and plans to expand further by establishing Arkki centers in five cities. By 2026, Arkki Türkiye aims to empower 10,000 children aged 4–19 with the skills needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Creative Education Modules:
- Long-term courses for children aged 4–11, offered at Arkki’s İstanbul and Ankara centers and partner schools, including Darüşşafaka Schools, İELEV Schools, and Doğa Schools.
- The full program includes 30 progressive modules with 300 projects, covering a total of 1,500 hours to nurture creativity, problem-solving, and design thinking.
In addition to long-term programs, Arkki Türkiye organizes one-off workshops in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders, including museums, cultural centers, municipalities, and shopping malls. These workshops introduce children aged 4–19 to architecture and design concepts, encouraging them to imagine and create solutions for sustainable, inclusive urban environments.
Arkki Türkiye also focuses on special projects to raise design awareness among children:
- In collaboration with the Marmara Municipalities Union, 187 children from 11 cities envisioned the environments they want to live in and proposed creative solutions for sustainable cities.
- With the Ahiler Development Agency, 152 children from 5 cities designed inclusive, beautiful, and future-forward urban spaces.
A Holistic and Sustainable Approach
Led by instructors trained in architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, Arkki Türkiye introduces children to creative thinking and design techniques. Students explore sustainable and inclusive urban planning while learning to express their ideas through two- and three-dimensional representations.
A Creative Education Pioneer
Arkki International has developed a globally recognized creative education curriculum rooted in architecture and design based on the legacy of Arkki School of Architecture in Finland since 1993. Arkki International has licensed its programs to 11 countries worldwide, and positively impacted over 50,000 children in 27 countries, with long-term programs running in 11 countries.
Arkki’s Vision
Arkki’s mission is to equip young people with the creativity and innovation skills needed to tackle complex societal challenges and shape a better future.
By focusing on lifelong learning, adaptability, and problem-solving, Arkki prepares children to become responsible and active citizens while fostering a global culture of creativity and innovation.
This partnership between Arkki International and the Türkiye Design Council exemplifies a shared commitment to inspiring and empowering the next generation of creative thinkers and changemakers.
Arkki International´s Awards and Recognition:
- Inspire Future Generations Award 2021: Most Innovative Organization (Thornton Education Trust).
- Top 20 Creative Education Innovations 2020: Recognized by Lego Foundation & HundrED.
- UNICEF Inspire Award 2019: For meaningful child participation (Arkki Vietnam).
- Design from Finland Mark: Recognized for Finnish design excellence.
Find out more about the Türkiye Design Council, and Arkki Türkiye, Arkki International