We recently had the chance to interview Gülhanım Sümeyra Aslan, Founder and Director at GSA Architecture. Apart from that, she is also a partner and interior designer at Options Engineering Consultancies. She is the best at blending the ideas and concepts of both East and West. Also, her designs reflect a perfect combination of modern and contemporary styles. Let’s learn more about her and her journey through this interview below.
The Beginning
We wanted to learn how Gülhanım started her journey and built a successful business. So we asked, “Which career path led you to where you are today?”
She replied, “There are 3 stages that all people go through, but most can not reach the
third stage. They can’t even get to the second. This is because once you start something, you don’t have any kind of long-term management idea and drive to sustain it.
And a lot of people are still determining what’s going to happen next. I have been very interested in art and architecture since the first years of my life. I have many sketches at a young age. I am also a person who is interested in Islamic philosophy.”
She added, “These two desires and curiosity brought me to where I am now. Unsurprisingly, you’ll succeed if you have a stable hold on your goals in the first phase.”
Inspiration Behind Developing The Company
We started by asking, “Which inspired you to develop the idea for your company?”
She shared, “While The Company was developing, two big goals had matured in my mind. One of them was to reorganize our companies, which have been working for many years, to ensure continuity and efficient operation.
For this purpose, we established our company. My second aim was to institutionalize our social services and donations and to ensure their continuity after us. This second goal of mine will come true when we find the Foundation.
Furthermore, no matter how much you earn after being hired, organize your budget well. Work by taking into account that the fountain’s water will not always flow heavily, that it may decrease for a while or even be cut off.”
Evolving Priorities
Priorities of a business may change with time. So we asked, “How have your priorities in terms of business evolved since you first started?”
She shared, “My constitution is: As long as my state and country exist, so do I. If you have a goal that exists, we all live. We must do our best to strengthen the economy of our country. As our economy strengthens, purchasing power becomes better established, and our reputation worldwide increases.
Professionally speaking, the fact that a project touches more people is more important than being aesthetically pleasing. The building you build looks undesigned, and people use it upside down. This is a good design.
One hundred percent design does not smell; the dominance of the architect is not felt. I still cannot do something that well. I hope to do something like that in all my years of professional life.”
Challenges And Keys To Overcome Them
Challenges are the most common part of any business. Overcoming the same is what matters the most. We asked, “What are the most challenging situations your company overcomes?”
She replied, “The first rule is to do business honestly and correctly. Apart from these are simple balances, such as building a good team. In short, if a person with a mindset pays attention to ethical values, there is no possibility that he will not be successful in the world when he works hard.
The second rule is to work hard. Whatever you do in life, you must have your job in mind first; even when you enter an environment, you inevitably think about business ideas.
Architects add something to the city with every work we do. This is a huge responsibility. Undoubtedly, an account is being given, and you provide that account every day. But the fate of every architectural structure is revealed after it is used.”
“What is the key strength to overcome it?”
She replied, “The architectural environment in the world is pessimistic. Most of the time, this pessimism goes to such a point that it creates excellent laziness and makes architects do almost everything they are told. There is a kind of instinct to hold on to the market behind this.
We may have been lucky people at that point. My father was a contractor; I had the chance to say, “That’s not how it’s done,” when I didn’t need the job. And I discovered that this appeals to people. If you shout the truth, you seem problematic for the moment.
But you start to be wanted. People are dying to draw your projects. I have done nothing but my principles and have not had an unpopular project until today.”
Unique Features Of The Brand
We were intrigued to learn about the company’s unique features that separate them from the crowd. So we asked, “What makes your company stand out from all the other businesses in your industry?”
She shared, “I am an architect who favors that every project establishes a relationship with the context and even believes it was born from there. I need to dream about the place, know it, smell it, and understand its situation. When I say home, I don’t just mean its topography. The policy and culture of the business are as crucial as its topography.
For example, a windy place can take the project to a different point. I only design something about the project after seeing the site.
I also have my design technique. In addition to seeing the topography, I sometimes read on the subject. Then I put all my readings in a design basket, shake it from all sides and determine my priorities in the project.”
KPIs For Measuring Business Success
“What KPIs do you use to measure your business success?”
She shared, “We want to make our company a global brand in the medium term. For a long time, we have aimed to carry out charitable projects such as education spaces that will give us spiritual pleasure.
We are one of Dubai’s leading Consultants, Design, and Supervision Companies. We have designed and supervised different types of projects, including residential and commercial buildings, complexes, luxury villas, showrooms, office blocks, warehouses, cold stores and factories, etc., both for the private as well as government sectors.”
“We have a team of qualified and well-experienced architects, engineers, and draftsmen, and the services offered are at a very high professional standard, using the most advanced tools and techniques. We adopt the latest software and hardware for the enhancement of services provided.
We aspire to the leading global market position by delivering world-class engineering consultancies services and reinforcing worldwide corporate alliances by holding top-tier quality and ethical standards in the Middle East, including engineering fields, and have thousands of skilled engineers and technicians.” she further added
Building Strong Bonds With Employees
Having a strong bond of trust with the employees encourages them to be more productive than ever. We asked, “How do you build trust with your employees and boost productivity without causing burnout?”
She replied, “If you want to progress, if you are determined to establish large-scale businesses, you will work with well-educated people, you will be humble, you will work hard, you will strive to learn the art of man-management a little more every day, you will not leave honesty.
I always consult with my teammates and get their opinions before starting a project and making a decision, these ideas should be thought through, and then a decision should be made.
Although I have had a say in many issues throughout my life, I always consulted others, sometimes I saw that my thoughts were very wrong, I accepted the right ideas, and I benefited greatly from this.”
Adapting To the Latest Technologies
Adapting to all the recent trends and technological advancements is the only way to ace this field. We asked, “How do you stay on top of new technologies and trends in your industry?”
She shared, “Artificial intelligence can act as a bridge between the architect and the customer. With artificial intelligence, you can visualize the design the customer wants.
Moreover, in our project presentations, we give the customer a chance to virtual tour, touch, and change the materials in the project with 5G virtual reality glasses. But artificial intelligence will still replace architects in the future.
Architecture is directly connected with the customer through communication and interaction. Seeing and understanding the customer is not something that only artificial intelligence can do.
Only a designer can do this. For this reason, artificial intelligence can never replace architecture, but it can be a helping hand for the industry. Artificial intelligence applications also develop systems suitable for customer profiles and tastes in intelligent home design.
Intelligent home designs are further developed with algorithms that calculate the ideal system for the customer. We will see artificial intelligence-based
intelligent home systems in the architectural plans of the future.”
Advice To Beginners
“What advice would you give to starting entrepreneurs?”
She shared, “Always try to do the right thing. The peace of mind of serving your family, country, and the age in which you live is priceless.
My advice to my architect friends, you can build significant constructions, but when people who glorify you feel lost in those important constructions, their dignity is damaged. All the roads and bridges you make must lead to people’s hearts.”
Find Gülhanım Sümeyra Aslan on LinkedIn and Instagram, or visit www.gulhanimsumeyra.com.
Find GSA Architecture on LinkedIn or visit http://www.g-sarchitecture.com.
