Insights
A selection of our press coverage, project stories and articles, translated for international readers. Our full archive is published in Turkish.
ArticlesBuying Land in Trabzon: An 8-Point Checklist Before You Invest
8 things to check before buying a plot of land — from zoning status to soil conditions, slope, and access — because on Trabzon's sloped and variable terrain, the wrong land decision makes everything that follows harder.
Read article6 min
ArticlesHome Renovation in Trabzon: When a Contractor Is Enough, and When You Need an Architect
Searching for home renovation in Trabzon usually turns up contractors — but not every renovation is the same job. Are you removing a wall, adding a floor, or touching the façade, or just renovating a kitchen, bathroom, or living room? That distinction needs to be clear before it turns into an unplanned cost.
Read article5 min
ArticlesHow Is an Interior Design Fee Calculated? The Factors That Determine the Price
An interior design fee isn't calculated on total construction area the way an architecture fee is — it works on a different logic. Here's what actually determines the price, and when it rises.
Read article5 min
ArticlesHow to Choose an Interior Designer in Trabzon
You've decided to work with an interior designer in Trabzon — but how do you choose the right one? From portfolio to fee clarity, here are the concrete criteria to ask about at your first meeting.
Read article5 min- Articles
Office, Store, Café: What to Watch for in Commercial Interior Design
Interior design for a commercial space works on a different logic than a home: at the center isn't aesthetics, but customer/staff flow and brand experience. Concrete criteria to watch for in office, store, and café projects.
Read article5 min 
ArticlesHow Long Does an Interior Design Project Take? The Process, Stage by Stage
An interior design process is far shorter than a construction project, but it still moves through defined stages. Here's what actually determines the timeline, from measurement to execution.
Read article4 min- Articles
Just One Room, or the Whole House? How Scope Is Decided in Interior Design
Interior design can be requested for a single room or for an entire home. Instead of leaving the scope undefined, how do you decide which scale to move forward at?
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ArticlesStandard Door and Window Sizes for Homes: A Practical Guide
How wide should a room door be, and where does the window sill height start from? The missing piece in our dimension guide series (kitchen, room, staircase, ceiling): standard door and window sizes.
Read article5 min
ArticlesBathroom Dimensions Guide: Standard Sizes for Showers, Sinks and Toilets
How big should a shower stall be, and how much clearance does a toilet need in front? Another missing piece in our dimension guide series: standard bathroom and wet area sizes.
Read article5 min- Articles
How to Choose an Architect in Trabzon: A Practical Guide
You've decided to work with an architecture firm in Trabzon — but how do you choose the right one? We walk through the concrete criteria to look for, from TMMOB registration to contract clarity.
Read article5 min 
ArticlesHow to Check a Plot’s Zoning Status in Turkey: e-Devlet vs. the Municipality
There are two ways to find out a plot's zoning status — the floor area ratio, site coverage ratio, number of floors, and other building rights: e-Devlet for a quick preliminary check, and the municipality for the official, binding document. We explain the difference between the two and the steps involved.
Read article4 min
ArticlesWhat Is a Soil Survey and Why Is It Required Before Building in Turkey?
The soil survey is one of the earliest — and most frequently skipped — steps in the building permit process. We explain what it is, why it's a legal requirement, and what determines its cost.
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ArticlesHow to Get an Occupancy Permit (İskan) in Turkey After Construction
A building permit authorizes you to start construction; the occupancy permit (İskan / yapı kullanma izin belgesi) is the official confirmation that a building is actually fit to be used. We explain this final step that comes once construction is complete.
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ArticlesBuilding on a Sloped Lot: Architectural Solutions for Black Sea Terrain
Sloped terrain is the defining feature of Trabzon and the Black Sea coast — not a drawback, but a design input that, handled correctly, gives a project real character. Here's how we approach architecture on a sloped lot.
Read article5 min
ArticlesWhat Is a Retaining Wall? When You Need One and What Drives the Cost
A structural element that comes up often on the Black Sea's sloped terrain but is rarely explained well: the retaining wall. We cover what it does, when it's required, and what drives its cost.
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ArticlesRoof Pitch & Rainwater Drainage in the Black Sea Climate: A Practical Guide
In most regions, roof pitch is largely an aesthetic choice — but the Black Sea's high rainfall turns it into a performance decision. We break down the recommended pitch ranges by roofing material and the logic behind proper rainwater drainage.
Read article5 min- Articles
Interior Designer vs. Architect: The Real Difference and Who You Actually Need
"Should I hire an interior designer or an architect?" is a question that confuses most people building a new home or reworking an existing space. Here's what each profession is actually authorized to do — and which one your project needs.
Read article5 min 
ArticlesHow Are Architecture Fees Calculated? The Real Factors Behind the Price
There's no single number that answers "how much does an architecture service cost?" — but pricing isn't random either. Here's how the official TMMOB fee framework works, and the concrete factors that actually shape real quotes.
Read article6 min
ArticlesVilla Construction Cost per m² in Turkey: What Actually Drives the Price in the Black Sea Region
"How much does it cost per square meter to build a villa?" doesn't have one right answer. We break down where the official reference figure comes from and the concrete line items that push real market costs above it.
Read article6 min
ArticlesWhat Is a Flat-for-Land (Kat Karşılığı) Construction Deal? Benefits and Risks for Landowners in Turkey
A common model in the Black Sea region: the landowner hands over their plot and receives finished units in the building in return. Here's how flat-for-land (kat karşılığı) construction works, its advantages, and the risks landowners need to watch for.
Read article5 min
ArticlesWhat Makes a Building Earthquake-Safe in Turkey? Soil Survey, Structural Design & Inspection
Being 'compliant with earthquake regulations' isn't a single document — it rests on three linked stages: soil survey, structural design, and independent building inspection. Here's what each stage does, and why none of them can substitute for the others.
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ArticlesWhat Is Urban Transformation (Kentsel Dönüşüm) in Turkey? The Risky Building Assessment Process Explained
A building isn't declared a 'risky structure' by a single authority's decision — it happens through an official process running from a licensed firm's report to an annotation on the title deed. Here's how that process works, and where you have a say as a building owner.
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ArticlesBuilding Permit Process in Turkey: A 10-Step Checklist
What steps, in what order, does the building permit process actually involve before construction can start on a plot? A general 10-item checklist you can tick off yourself, from the zoning status document all the way to collecting the permit.
Read article5 min
NewsOur New Website Is Live
MEEZ Mimarlık has launched its new website. You can now explore our projects, services and process at meezmimarlik.com, and reach us directly.
Read article2 min
ArticlesCan You Add an Extra Floor or Convert an Attic in Turkey? Zoning, Structural & Permit Requirements
Adding a floor to an existing building or converting unused attic space into living area is often possible — but it requires three separate conditions to line up at once: the plot's zoning rights, the building's structural capacity, and approval from the existing co-owners.
Read article5 min
ArticlesWhat Is the Coastal Edge Line in Turkey? What You Can Build on Seaside Land
A plot with a view on the Black Sea coast looks appealing, but its distance from the shore directly determines what can legally be built on it. We explain the boundaries set by Turkey's Coastal Law and what they mean in practice.
Read article5 min
ArticlesElevator Requirements for Apartment Buildings in Turkey: How Many Floors Trigger the Rule?
Elevator requirements don't hinge on a single threshold — they scale in stages with floor count. From 3 floors up, an elevator shaft is required; from 4 floors up, the elevator itself; and past a certain size, a second elevator becomes mandatory.
Read article4 min
ArticlesWho Pays Construction Supervision Fees in Turkey, and How Are They Calculated?
The construction supervision service fee is covered by the building owner — but it isn't paid directly to the supervision firm; it's deposited into an official escrow account. We explain how the fee is calculated, and why two buildings of the same size can end up with different amounts.
Read article4 min- Site Diary
Elif Perde Store Interior Design in Trabzon Yomra: Project Completed
The store project we designed and built in Trabzon Yomra opened on schedule and within the planned budget.
Read article4 min 
PressYoung architect couple opens their own studio in Trabzon
Mert Kağan Yılmaz and Ezgi Girgin Yılmaz opened their own office in Trabzon Yomra after completing their architecture education. In the interview, they discuss the challenges of starting a young studio in the region and the origins of their "rational foundations, aesthetic volumes" approach.
Read article5 min- Articles
Kitchen Cabinet Dimensions: Standard Sizes for Countertops and Base/Wall Units
How tall should the countertop be? A practical dimension guide to base and wall cabinet depths, the gap between the countertop and wall cabinets, and built-in appliance niches.
Read article6 min - Articles
Minimum Room Size in Square Meters: Bedroom and Living Room Standards
How many square meters should a bedroom be? What's the minimum area for a living room? We've placed the regulatory minimums side by side with the sizes that actually feel comfortable.
Read article7 min 
ArticlesStaircase Dimensions: Standard Step Height and Width for Safe Stairs
How tall should a stair riser be, and how wide should the tread be? The 2h+b formula, landing rules, and practical dimensions for a safe residential staircase.
Read article6 min
NewsBuilding Permit Approved for Özel Kent Children's Club in Trabzon
The official building permit process for our children's club project, designed to educational-facility standards, has been completed in full.
Read article3 min
ArticlesCeiling Height Standards: A Guide for Residential and Commercial Spaces
How high should the clear ceiling height be? The difference between gross floor-to-floor height and net ceiling height, the allowance for suspended ceilings, and what to watch for in commercial spaces.
Read article5 min
ArticlesGlass Balcony Enclosures in Turkey: Do You Need a Building Permit?
Does enclosing a balcony require a building permit, and do you need the other owners' consent? Here's the approval process, the key considerations, and the most common pitfalls.
Read article6 min
Design ProcessNiva Twin Villa: Mass Optimization
The mass-optimization steps taken in a twin villa project designed in Samsun, accounting for the site's slope and solar orientation.
Read article7 min
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