Raised on the Aegean coast of Turkey, Alev grew up playing hide-and-seek in the Ancient ruins of Pergamon. But it was later in 7th grade, upon reading a novel with an architect heroine, she decided to pursue this career.

After completing her Bachelor’s in Architectural Studies at University of Washington, she worked in Istanbul and in Seattle on various types of projects from art installations, restaurants, malls, to corporate TI’s, and schools… Finally, she found her passion in residential design, where architecture interacts with human behavior in the most intimate manner. In the past 16 years, she has focused on design of custom residential homes. She gained valuable experience on challenging sites and programs, working with contractors and artisans, and helping owners understand and contribute to the design and construction process. As a LEED Accredited Professional, she’s always looking to integrate sustainable ideas into design.

She loves to travel, not only because she’s fascinated with how each culture has defined their built environment, but also because she loves trying different foods. In fact, during her 3-month-long study abroad in Rome, she made a point to eat gelato every day!