Meet H. Burçin Nalinci | Design Engineer

We had the good fortune of connecting with H. Burçin Nalinci and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi H. Burçin, why did you pursue a creative career?
When I think about why I chose to pursue a creative career, I can’t think of a single reason. I rather see a series of opportunities that have led me to question the function and process behind items that surround our built environment. Perhaps, my curiosity for how we can make things differently led me to pursue a creative career. Growing up, I jumped around a few boats, and I have developed a basic understanding of a variety of fields without becoming an expert in one. My exposure to arts, biology, robotics, and architecture is what ignites my creative work. I often find myself speculating on new ways of harvesting materials, technologies for assembling objects, and realities for altering the typical lifecycle of everything we are surrounded by. The creative career is a way for me to experiment and document my curiosities, with the goal of inventing something new. Whether it is an experience, process, or object, as a designer, I take on the challenge to make a difference in our built environment.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I currently work as an architectural designer in Los Angeles. One thing to note about architecture is the lengthy process to see design ideas come alive. In the process, a lot of ideas are left behind in computer files and sketchbooks. These ideas are what drives my creative work at Bits2Atoms. All born under an architectural ideal, my work is a collection of curiosity-driven experiments on anything biology, technology, and automation. My production studio is comparable to a mad scientist lab. In one corner I have a station where I grow kombucha fabric, as an alternative to plastics. In another corner, I have 3D printers and DIY machines for testing methods of fabrication. I am a firm believer in the “Learn by doing” model, and I heavily rely on prototyping my ideas. In the process, I make things, break things, and invent things with varying levels of success and sophistication. My creative experiments don’t always result in products ready for the market, but a few of them are available for sale on my website.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Day 1: Coffee at Doubting Thomas. Dinner at Crawford’s. Cocktails at Normandie Club.
Day 2:
Coffee at Alchemist Coffee Project. Dinner at Cole’s French Dip. Cocktails at the Edison.
Day 3:
Coffee at Spoke Bicycle Cafe. Bike rental and ride at the LA River. Dinner at Salazaar.
Day 4:
Coffee at Coffee Connection. Dinner at Bar Calo. Cocktails at La Descarga.
Day 5:
Coffee at Verve Coffee Roasters. Dinner at Grand Central Market. Take the streetcar. Catch an evening at the Gehry Concert Hall.

Day 6: Bottomless mimosas brunch at the Overland. Venice Beach. Cocktails at the Broken Shaker.

Day 7: Coffee at SPL. Korean BBQ, Shatto Lanes, and Karaoke.

Fill in the days with architecture: Mercedes Benz Automotive Museum, American Cement Building, Broad Museum, the new addition to the Wilshire Blvd. Temple, Highschool district 9, the case study houses, Getty Center, Getty Villa, Goldstein residence.

Fill in the days with hikes/walks: Angel Point at the Elysian Park, Silverlake reservoir, fashion district, Solstice Canyon, Descanso Gardens, the Arts District, and Little Tokyo.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to all of my teachers, mentors, classmates, and colleagues. Shoutout to Manori Sumanasinghe and the She Factor, an all-female designer collective in Los Angeles, where we encourage one another and shine a light on each other’s challenges. Shoutout to my community in Los Angeles that keeps me sane and grounded: yoga echo park, Steven Arcos Yoga, Sara Blowers, and energy healing of Novis Imprints. A shout out to the teachings of Alan Watts for giving me a sense of reason…

Website: https://bits2atoms.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bits2atoms/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/burcin-nalinci-6a574836

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AtomsBits2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studiobits2atoms

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/studio-bits2atoms-los-angeles

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmgqRGXz9guuXU7Kcz3LRTw

Other: https://join.slack.com/t/studiobits2atoms/shared_invite/zt-nopbpsgz-XX5LyUw_BCafx5jgzzQPFw