VMDO Architects
Mert Kansu is an architect at VMDO Architects since February 2019 and has served as a guest critic for undergraduate design studios at James Madison University and The University of Virginia School of Architecture. Mert's prior experience includes summer internships at VMDO Architects and other architectural firms, as well as architectural internships at several organizations between 2014 and 2016. Mert holds a Master of Architecture and a Certificate in Urban Design from the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor of Architecture from Bahcesehir University, complemented by studies at Syracuse University. Early education includes attendance at FMV Işık Lisesi and Uskudar American SEV Elementary School.
VMDO Architects
VMDO has specialized in architectural planning and design for educational institutions since 1976. Our distinctive educational projects and personalized service are based on an in-depth understanding of our clients’ needs and aspirations. In our office, in our collaborations, and in our response to the need for a healthier populace and planet, we believe an emphasis on quality design can transform a place and elevate the connections within it. From our offices in Charlottesville, Virginia and Washington, DC, we create community-centered environments that connect people and place through design. We strive to elevate the human experience and the long-term stewardship of our planet by emphasizing the spirit of a place through quality and enduring architecture, sustainable design objectives, sensitivity to sites and landscapes, and design transformations that embody a community’s highest ambitions. Our 75+ employees support the firm’s 3 educational design practice areas of K12 Schools, Higher Education, and Athletics + Community. VMDO’s designs have achieved international and national acclaim from a variety of societies and associations, including: the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on Architecture for Education (AIA CAE), the Society for College and University Planners (SCUP), and sequential awards in 2016, 2017, and 2018 from the Association of College Unions International (ACUI). Our commitment to sustainability is evidenced by receipt in 2010 and 2017 of Top Ten AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) awards – considered the industry’s premier accolade for sustainable design.