The first guest at Marble Talks is Interior Architect Yeşim Kozanlı

Interior Architect Yeşim Kozanlı Kicks Off Marble Talks

The first guest of Marble Talks, held במסגרת Marble İzmir – the 31st International Natural Stone and Technologies Fair, was Interior Architect Yeşim Kozanlı, who is also a jury member of the 8th International Different Natural Stone Design Competition. In her talk titled “The Trace of Time,” Kozanlı described natural stone not as a material that resists time, but as a living element that gains meaning over time.

Organized by İZFAŞ under the hosting of the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Marble Talks has officially begun. The opening session took place at the D-ESIGN Arena stage and attracted strong interest from fair visitors, academics, and students from architecture and design faculties. During the talk, Kozanlı shared her professional experience and her perspective on natural stone. She noted that she has been working in interior architecture for nearly 30 years, with a focus on hotel projects over the past 24 years.

“A material that gains value over time”

Kozanlı emphasized that emotion plays a central role in her design practice:
“The essential goal is to create a connection between a space and its users. Natural stone, with its texture and historical depth, is one of the strongest tools to establish this bond. When designing a space, we should think not only about today but also how it will evolve over time. Natural stone does not age it gains value, and its story deepens.”

Advice for young designers

In her presentation, Kozanlı shared visual examples from hotel projects she has realized, illustrating how natural stone contributes to spatial storytelling. She encouraged young designers not to hesitate in using natural stone, highlighting Türkiye’s rich natural stone resources as a significant potential for creative design.