Cem Ataman is a Ph.D. researcher, specializing in sustainable cities, design knowledge, and collaborative design processes. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., he received his Bachelor of Architecture (2016) and Master of Architecture (2018) degrees from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey. He conducted several studies with different research groups, focusing on performative architecture and computational design. His Master’s thesis, “Performative Design Thinking in Architectural Practice” under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ipek Gursel Dino, investigated integrated performative design processes, supporting computational tools, and existing architectural practices. After his Master’s studies, he focused on architectural research methods and epistemology and continued pursuing his graduate research on alternative housing strategies. During his graduate studies, he worked as a research and teaching assistant at TOBB University of Economics and Technology until 2019. Currently, he is advancing his doctoral dissertation work with the support of the Singapore International Graduate Award.

Cem’s research examines collaborative approaches towards design knowledge in the urban transformation context. He is particularly interested in data collection and processing, information and knowledge management for informed architectural and urban design. Starting from the premise that urban transformations result well when meticulously produced by a process of urban interventions, his research investigates the interventions as design experiments and explores approaches that will allow designers and other stakeholders to develop collaborations and strategies in order to accelerate urban transformations. Based on several case studies in different cities, he seeks to evaluate existing interventions and participate in the design of new ones. His dissertation, supervised by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bige Tuncer, studies the collaborative and co-creative interactions between urban researchers, city makers, and communities, which support and balance digitally oriented and process-driven urban designs.