about

 
 

Berk Ilhan is a pioneering design innovator, founder of Berk Ilhan Design Studio and co-founder of WOW WOW PROJECTS, where he leads as the head experience designer and curator. With over a decade of expertise, Berk excels in crafting immersive, interactive experiences and products that seamlessly marry design and performance across both physical and digital realms. His work is deeply rooted in the power of human connection, the joy of playfulness, and the pursuit of wonder, principles that drive his projects towards remarkable social impact and inspire curiosity.

At the helm of Berk Ilhan Design Studio, he designs and launches both client-based and venture projects, showcasing his versatility in product and experience design. His contributions to the design world have been widely recognized, earning him more than 30 prestigious design awards, including the Red Dot Best of the Best, Fast Company Innovation Award, iF, and IDA.

Berk's multidisciplinary approach spans strategy, visual design, branding, and the creation of physical and digital experiences. He has partnered with an array of clients and brands such as Puma, KLM, BBDO, JWT, and Droga5, leading to innovative projects ranging from immersive experience centers and medical devices to eco-friendly footwear and robotic products. His design philosophy extends to creating objects that not only serve functional purposes but also tell a story, as seen in his work for Pasabahce, where he designed glassware that merges poetic form with narrative allure.

He is also the visionary behind the Mürror Project, an interactive mirror designed to enhance self-compassion, joy, and connection. This project exemplifies his ability to infuse traditional objects with a playful, innovative twist, fostering stronger human connections and nurturing a culture of fun and empathy.

Berk Ilhan holds a master's degree from the MFA Products of Design Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York, and an undergraduate degree in Industrial Design from Middle East Technical University in Ankara. His extensive background and innovative design approach make him a leading figure in using design as a tool for positive change and human connection.

 
 
 

SELECT AWARDS

Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards, 2018 - United States
Honorable Mention - Health
iN: Cognitive Patient Care Assistant
Inspiren, 10XBeta

Global Grad Show Progress Prize, 2017 - Dubai
Top 10 Finalist among 200 global projects
Smile Mirror

Peoples Choice Award, 2017 - Dubai
Organizer: Global Grad Show Dubai
Popular Vote: 3rd Choice
Smile Mirror

Super Happiness Challenge Award, 2017 - United States
Organizer: Project HeHa & Singularity University
Runner Up $10.000 Prize
Smile Mirror

WPPED CREAM AWARD, 2016
Cyber Category Winner,
Puma BeatBot
Client Agency: J. Walter Thompson
Employer: 10XBeta

LONDON INTERNATIONAL AWARDS, 2016 - United Kingdom
Product Design / Bronze
Puma BeatBot
Client Agency: J. Walter Thompson
Employer: 10XBeta

Cannes Lions: Cyber Lions, 2016 - France
Silver
Puma BeatBot
Client Agency: J. Walter Thompson
Employer: 10XBeta

LISBON Innovation: Creative Innovation 2016 - Portugal
Bronze
Puma BeatBot
Client Agency: J. Walter Thompson
Employer: 10XBeta

IDA (International Design Awards) 2015 - United States
Gold Product Design Award
GÖZ

IDA (International Design Awards) 2015 - United States
Silver Product Design Award
Crater

IMMIB Industrial Design Awards 2016 - Turkey
1st Prize
Professionals Category
Göz

IDEA 2015  - USA
IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America)
IDEA (International Design Excellence Awards)
Student Finalist
Göz

ISTEBU Innovative Enterprise Competition 2014 - Turkey
1st prize
Spiro-Plus 

Red Dot Awards 2013 - Singapore
Design Concept: Best of the Best
Ropo

IDEA 2013 - USA
IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America)
IDEA (International Design Excellence Awards)
Student Finalist
Wash-it

A' Design Award 2013 - Italy
Silver Idea Award
Ropo

A' Design Award 2013 - Italy
Silver Futuristic Award
Wash-it

UIB Automotive Component Design Awards 2013 - Turkey
3rd Prize
Benika

iF Concept Design Award 2012 - Germany
Special Hansgrohe Prize
Wash-it

IMMIB Industrial Design Awards 2011 - Turkey
2nd Prize
Ropo

 

EXHIBITIONS AND TALKS

Contemporary Istanbul 16th Edition, Istanbul, October 2021

Mirror | Mirror, KUNSTHAL KAdE, Netherlands, June - August 2021

SHOWFIELDS X FUTURE/PAST, New York, March 2019

ARTANKARA Contemporary Art Fair, March 2019

RAW POP UP - Art Basel Week, December 2018

Global Grad Show, Dubai Design Week, November 2017

7th International Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics Conference, Orlando, Florida, July 2016.
“Uplift: Happiness and communication in the context of cancer”.

2nd Turkish Medical World Conference, Istanbul, October 2015.
“Project: Uplift”

2nd Turkish Medical World Conference, Istanbul, October 2015.
“Spiro-Plus user-friendly lung function test”

The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference & Festival, Austin, Texas. March 2017.
“Rapid Medical Device Innovation Meet Up". 

School of Visual Arts, MFA Products of Design OPEN HOUSE, New York. November 2015.
“Uplift”

The School for Designing a Society, Urbana, Illinois. July 2016.
Guest Speaker with “Uplift”

Tokyo Designers Week, Tokyo. November 2013.
“Wash-it”, “Spiro-plus”

Turkey Innovation Week, Istanbul. November, 2013.
“Ropo”, “Spiroplus”

iF Concept Design Awards Winners Exhibition, Hamburg, Germany. 2012.
“Wash-it”

Istanbul Design Week, Turkey. September 2012.
“Ropo”