Description

Born in Kyrenia, Cyprus in 1977, Desen Çizenel graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at Eastern Mediterranian University in 2001; his graduation project, “Summer campus for multicultural Islamic education,” was awarded 1st the special jury prize in the Antalya Chamber of Architects’ competition for architecture students from the Western Mediterranean in June 2001.
While completing his M.Arch degree at Girne American University during September 2002–June 2005, he worked on a range of different architectural projects.
In 2001–2002 he worked as a Site Architect on the UNDP-supervised restoration project of the Apostolos Andreas Monastery in the Karpaz peninsula in Cyprus; and subsequently established the Mallia Wine Bar in the Büyük Han, the newly restored Ottoman building in the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia.
During 2002–3 he worked with interior designer Ebru Olgün at the Mirage bar-restaurant project in Nicosia; and during September–December 2003 as an architect with the interior design team on the finishing project of the Colony Hotel in Kyrenia.
In 2003–4 while he was doing his military service, he served as an Architect at the military project office; and in 2005 he worked as an architect at the Yetkili Construction Company.
In September 2005 he started working as a part-time lecturer in Girne American University’s Faculty of Architecture; while lecturing at the university his established his own architectural company, ’’Praxis Design,’’ in which he designed a hotel, an apartment block, private houses, and a landscape project during 2005-2007.
In September 2007 he was awarded a one-year scholarship by the European Commission to work in Paris, where he researched contemporary architecture, and worked with Brazilian architect Victorio Vital.
He currently runs , his own architectural practice in Kyrenia, Cyprus