Report Book: Housing Cooperatives in Turkey

REPORT BOOK, POSTER & SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGES
Housing Cooperatives in Turkey: Boundaries, Opportunities, Suggestions

Commissioned by:
Center for Spatial Justice
(Mekanda Adalet Derneği)
Details:
150mm x 215mm, 64 pages, Soft Cover
Software:
Adobe Indesign
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Date:
02.2025

Written by Emrah Altınok, edited by Bahar Bayhan and published by Center For Spatial Justice (MAD), the report focuses on housing cooperatives as a solidarity-based solution to the housing crisis. With a strong emphasis on the right to housing, it provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of cooperatives in Turkey. The book further portrays the challenges they face, and the opportunities they offer. The report also offers guides for policy-making to public authorities, advocating for the cooperative model as an alternative not only to address the housing problem but also to tackle broader social and economic issues.

I was commissioned by MAD to first come up with the book design for the report, and later to create social media images + posters planned to be shared following the publication. I started out with the pre-existing graphic template which MAD uses in their books. I further developed the design so it looks more appealing to the eye, and presents itself rather easier to read.

The book deals with intricate issues with a very serious attitude. Thus, if designed in a similar approach, the book would present itself as a challenge for the reader. So, my first step was to break such seriousness. For that I incorporated vibrant colors and new patterns into the design. I went for a relatively spacious layout in order to ease the tension that builds up on the readers’ eyes. Although I started with such an approach, the book was still intended as a formal and serious document. Thus, I had to discover a fine line between being too much “fun to read” and too much of a “burden to read”. In that sense, the design was quite a challenge to me. I had to discover a new and delicate in-between form of reading experience.

Upon completion, the book was printed in a large number of copies. I also coordinated the printing processes. The book will be introduced in a launch event in İstanbul by the end of February. Following the launch event, the prints will be distributed to academics, government bureaucrats and independent researchers. Until then you can take a look at the digital copy by clicking the link below.

Report Book / PDF

Launch Event

Report Book / Mock-ups