Bio

Dr. Idil Ayral joined the City and Metropolitan Planning Department in 2023 as an Assistant Professor (Lecturer).

She received her BSc degree from the Department of Architecture at Istanbul Technical University; followed by her MSc degree in the History of Architecture program. Her extensive research on the 19th century garden kiosks of Istanbul has been published as a book in 2020. She worked as an architect in several design companies before starting her academic career in 2012.

She completed her Ph.D. in 2018 at Pompeu Fabra University, Department of Humanities History Program with a major interest in contemporary urban history and transformation of public space in the city of Barcelona. Her Ph.D. thesis was awarded the Excellent Cum Laude honour. During her Ph.D. studies, she was a member of the research team INVBAC, ‘The City Invented: Memory, Visuality, and Cultural Transfer in Contemporary Barcelona’, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education. She was assigned as instructor for several workshops at private academies and institutions.

She worked as an assistant professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Design at the the University of Seoul between 2019-2022. In the UCID research lab, she worked on research projects on the future city, walkable people-oriented city, and post-pandemic urban space. 

For several years, she served as the Chairman of the International Exchange Committee of the Architectural Design Institute of Korea (ADIK) and assisted international architectural exhibitions. In addition, she collaborated with several architectural education entities as an advisor. In 2022, she joined Mirae Environment Plan & Architects as the Team Manager of the Architectural Design Department and worked on green remodelling projects. She also contributed to the international architectural magazine C3 as a writer and copyeditor. 

Since 2024, she serves as the manager of Incheon branch of IWIK, an NGO dedicated to enhancing international cultural exchanges and volunteering activities. Through this position, she contributes to fostering a global perspective within the local community. 

Dr. Ayral received a prestigious award from the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee of the National Assembly of South Korea, recognizing her significant contributions to the country, both professionally and personally.

Having lived in Portugal, Spain, and Korea, learning several languages such as Portuguese, Catalan, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese, and her long-term secondary career in music have played an important role in her life abroad and her adaptation to various cultures and societies.