Derya Erdim De Rosa is an experienced architect specializing in neighborhood design, with a focus on community building, place identity, and the sense of place. She completed her Ph.D. at Politecnico di Milano, where she also worked as a researcher and taught architectural design at the master’s level. Her dissertation, titled “Urban Neighborhood Mosaic: Does Mahalle Provide Long-Lived Neighborhood Principles? Istanbul a Case Study,” examines neighborhood units within their cultural context, revitalizing existing neighborhood models in Istanbul’s Historical Peninsula.
Throughout her academic and professional career, She has participated in and organized seminars and workshops across cities such as Hong Kong, London, Milan, Stockholm, Belgrade and Istanbul.
She gained first prize in the national competition “7 İklim 7 Bölge, Mahalle”, Neighborhood Design, organized by Turkey’s Public Housing Development Administration (TOKI), for her innovative approach to community-based design.
For over twelve years, she has led large-scale projects with her team, collaborating on government tenders. Her portfolio includes designing libraries, youth centers, innovation hubs, and housing developments.
