About
He was born in 1953, Izmir, studied at Middle East Technical University, attended Royal College of Art (1988-90), taught at Goldsmiths’ College (1991) and worked at Kent Institute of Art and Design, UK (1992-2002) as founding course leader of BA (Hons) 3DD. He is also founding Dean of Faculty of Fine Arts & Design at Izmir University of Economics (2004-2011) and Founding President of 4T: Design & Design History Society (4T: Tasarım ve Tasarım Tarihi Topluluğu), Turkey, (2014-2018). He worked as Vice Rector (2012-15) and Professor of Design (2012-2018) until September 2018 at Yasar University, Izmir, Turkey.
He was a columnist for a journal, entitled, ‘XXI Architecture, Design, Space’. His edited works include: ‘The Role of Product Design in Post-Industrial Society’, ‘Dancing with Disorder’, ‘Gender Perspectives in Design’ ‘Design and Resistance’ and a Design Journal issue: ‘A Glance at Design Discourse in Turkey’. Balcioglu is a board member of the European Academy of Design (EAD) and International Committee for Design History and Design Studies (ICDHS). He was a design coordinator, member of the executive board and the scientific committee of Izmir Mediterranean Academy (2012-2018). In this respect, he participated in Izmir Seaside Project as an informal voluntary consultant to Mayor of Izmir and initiated ‘Design Corridors’ and ‘Izmir Good Design’ Projects.
He had bought a 450 years old Ottoman Primary School building in 2005, restored and converted it into a ‘TB house – Design Library- Faruk Tabak Reading Room’ and opened it to public in week days. The building received Izmir Municipality, 2017, “Respect to History Local Conservation Award”, in the category of “Substantial Restoration Where Original Function Altered”. Recently, since the lockdown period of Covid-19, he has begun to make YouTube design videos in various categories (see: shorturl.at/fkyHQ)