Professor Reside Oya Demirbilek
Graduate Certificate in University Learning & Teaching (UNSW)
PhD Interior Architecture & Environmental Design (Bilkent)
PhD Product Design (Marmara)
Masters of Science in Building Sciences (METU)
Bachelor of Industrial Design (METU)
Oya is a Professor of Industrial Design at UNSW, passionate about enhancing life through design, particularly for an aging population. Her expertise in design research methods, universal design, accessible and inclusive design, and empathy is reflected in her teaching methods that enable students to articulate their own design process and personal values.
At UNSW, Oya has held various leadership positions, including Associate Dean of Education at the Built Environment from 2013-17, Discipline Director for Industrial Design from 2006-09, and Program Director for the Master of Industrial Design and the Master of Science (Industrial Design) Postgraduate Coursework Programs 2002-05. She also led the development and delivery of the first Built Environment Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Re-Enchanting the City, which received top rankings for career advancement in Urban Design, Landscape Design, and Interior Design among similar MOOCs. The course has since been converted to a General Elective course at UNSW and has reached a wider audience.
Oya has extensive teaching and research experience, along with her jewellery design work and a European perspective. Her two completed PhD studies on designing for aging and involving older people early in the design process showcase her dedication to improving people's lives through design.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Evidence-based applied research and usability testing to inform the design of future CPAP products. Arts, Design and Architecture (ADA) Faculty Research Grants Scheme, 2023. (Demirbilek O.) $7,004.
Learning and Teaching Digital Uplift Innovation Grants, 2018, (Demirbilek O.) $10,000.
Breville Product Semantics Project, Industry Contract Research, 2018, (Demirbilek O., Mintzes, A., Sunstrum, F.), $16,523.
Breville Product Semantics Project Pilot, Industry Contract Research, 2018 (Demirbilek O., Mintzes, A.) $18,002.
Digital Future Lab – Digital Fabrication for Prototyping in Architecture and Product Design: 5-axis CNC mill, Collaborative robot arm, electronics workstations, 2015, (Matthias H., Demirbilek O., Russell L., Ward S., Park M., Matthias I., Rosenberg E., Araullo R., Hespanhol L., Dunn K., Velonaki M., Tschaut F., Furber B., Wimbourne M.), $443,929. (application submitted, which prompted the faculty to purchase other machines and redirect the funds to the BE Design Lab Director).
Design and architecture practice research: contemporary PhD (DAP_r), 2015, Lead by the Dean of the School of Architecture and Design at RMIT, and where O’Callaghan, J. and Demirbilek, O. are representing UNSW. OLT Innovation and Development grant, $497,000. Link to all DAP_r Partners: http://dap-r.info/partners
Novel pressure sensing surface system. 2014. UNSW Major Research Equipment & Infrastructure Scheme. ( Bridge, C.E.; Judd, B., Lowe, R.; Demirbilek, O. R., Ward, S., Sweatman, P., Davey, S., and Mintzes, A.), $225,000.
Major Research Equipment and Infrastructure Initiative, 2013 (MREII 2014) Digital Fabrication for the Construction Industry to Deliver Digital Architecture in Australia. (Haeusler, H., Demirbilek, O., Lowe, R., Ward, S., and Park, M.), not submitted but transferred to an internal BE Faculty Grant, $210,533.
Livable bathrooms for older people: designing out dependence in activities of daily living. 2012. ARC Linkage Grant - Partner: Caroma. (Bridge, C.E.; Judd, B., Lowe, R.; Demirbilek, O. R., Peng, G.; Ward, S., and Cummings, S.), $446,000.
Exploring developments in 3D printing/scanning: juxtaposing with traditional manufacturing methods to produce a range of digitally fabricated customizable objects. 2012. FBE Internal Grant. (Demirbilek, O. R., and Carnemolla, P.), $15,735.
UNSW Major Research Equipment & Infrastructure Scheme grant 2009: ‘State of the art high tech three-dimensional scanning and printing equipment for the FBE Design Research Lab’ (Demirbilek, O. R., Ward, S., Park, M., Fowkes, A. and Lowe, R), $219,500.
UNSW Major Research Equipment & Infrastructure Scheme grant 2008: ‘High-tech equipment for developing and fitting out the FBE Experimental Design & Research Lab (FBE ED&R Lab)’ (Demirbilek, O. R., Máté K., Carthey J., Fletcher, G., Lowe, R., Spehar, B. and Longbottom, C.), $150,000.
FBE Funding for Research Cluster Initiatives 2007, ‘Encouraging Sustainable Consumption in Urban Communities: Designing Future Scenarios for Product Sharing Facilities’, (Demirbilek, O. R., Ramirez, M., and Nawangpalupi, C.), $5,000.
AHURI 2007: ‘ The Efficient Use of Dwellings and Land by Older Home Owners. Unpacking scale for the different design professions: understanding the various representations and misrepresentations of human scale’ (Judd, B., Olsberg, D., Demirbilek, O. R., and Quinn, J.), $208,887.
FBE Faculty Research Grants Program 2007: ‘Understanding the Self-Directed Research Process in the Graduation Year in All UG Programs Within the Faculty of the Built Environment’ (Demirbilek, O. R., Katrina, S.), $4,000.
UNSW 2005 Learning and Teaching Awards 2005: ‘Equipment and cutting-edge hardware to facilitate the faculty’s multi-disciplinary research projects using interviewing, focus group sessions, and oral history’ (Quinlan, A., Corkery L., Marshall, N., Starfield, S., Evans, C., Demirbilek, O. R., Watson, B., and Zhou, P.), $14,961.
FBE research infrastructure block grant 2004 (Dunn, K., Gibson, C., Shaw, W., Thompson, S., and Demirbilek, O. R.), $13,938.
Cite International des Arts residency in Paris UNSW/COFA 2012: creative arts research project on sacred geometry and wearable designs
Runner-up, Young Designer of the Year Award 2000, Sydney Morning Herald
Finalist, Designex’99 Symbol Design Competition, Istanbul 1999
2nd prize, SISECAM Decorative Glass Pane Competition, Istanbul 1998
Honourable Mention, SISECAM Decorative Glass Pane Competition, Istanbul 1998
1st prize, Ministry of Forestry, National Emblem Design Competition, Ankara 1993.
Oya’s research work is two-fold: the first one is in investigating ways to capture people's perceptions of the design language of products and brands, and the second is in working with real users, with participatory co-design methods to help develop products, product-service systems and environments that are more usable and accessible for a wider range of people, regardless of their ability levels. This also includes exploring and finding ways to help make old age physically and emotionally more comfortable for all.
Both of these research areas involve empathy, accessible and inclusive design approaches and co-designing with real people. Her ultimate goal is to make accessibility and inclusion mainstream.
Her areas of interest include design research methods, product semantics, design language, inclusive and accessible design, universal design, co-design & participatory design. You can read more about her latest project with Breville here: https://www.be.unsw.edu.au/research/overview/industry-engagement/case-studies/unsw-built-environment-informing-product-design
Oya’s design work explores hand-making and 3D printing/manufacturing and includes lamps, glass, ceramic vases, pot designs, and geometric jewellery.
Professional Engagement
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COVID-19 Design Taskforce - Good Design Awards, member Ambassador for Good Design Australia The Design Society member since 2015 IFA International Federation on Ageing member since 2013 Design Institute of Australia member since 2012 Premier Design Awards - 2019, Jury Member Australian Design Awards - 2018, 2019, Invited Jury Member Invited International Independent External Reviewer for Promotion & Tenure of academic staff, School of Art, Design & Media, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (2017, 2011, and 2010). Australian Design Awards - James Dyson Award – First Round Internet Shortlisting. 2009, 2011, Jury Member Turkey Industrial Design Awards. Istanbul December 5-9. 2010, Invited International Jury Member. Peer Reviewer - 2010 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) evaluations, Sydney, 2010, 2013. Industrial Design Educators National Network in Australia, member IDNN since 2007 Invited Advisory Committee Member for the assessment of Good Design and the establishment of a good design Award in Turkey, ETMK - Industrial Designers’ Society of Turkey. 2006 - 2007 External Examiners for the Temasek Design School, Singapore 24 February - 2 March 2007 Technical Committee Member of the International Ergonomics Association on Affective Design, 2006-10 Invited 'expert assessor of international standing' to assess application(s) on behalf of the Australian Research Council under the peer review process for the Discovery-Projects Scheme for funding, since 2004 (cont.) Member of the Include Network, Royal College of Art, London/UK since 2004 Member of the European Academy of Design, Salford/UK, since 2001 Member of CIB/TG19: Designing for the Ageing Society, Building Research Institute, Tatehara/Japan, since 1998 Reviewer for many international journals and Conferences (including Journal Architectural Science Review, Ergonomics, Applied Ergonomics, International Journal of Design [IJDesign], METU Journal of Architecture (JFA)) Public Lectures & Keynotes Keynote speaker “Inclusive and Participatory Design” at the 5th UTAK National Design Research Conference, UTAK2022 Design and Pluralism, 14-15 September 2022, in Ankara, Turkey. https://utak.metu.edu.tr/ UNSW Meet the Professors series, 18 September 2019 "Better life in cities for all with accessible and inclusive design" Meeting of the Minds monthly professorial talks series, Wednesday, 5 June "How can industrial design contribute to the design of better cities for all?" Utzon Lecture Series 2016, Public Lecture, Colliding Worlds: Health, Well Being, Design and Built Environments, August 2016 COFA Talks: Art, Design and Healing. May 3, 2011. In the Media Podcast guest, 2021, Talking Architecture & Design, hosted by Branko Milic. Episode 83: Oya Demirbilek on how co-design & technology are changing designs for aging in place. Ben Knight, 15, 09, 2019. Open Forum (.com.au) Designing for people MirageNews, 06, 09, 2019 People-centric approach to design is key to enhancing standards of living Stephanie Stefanovic, 06, 09, 2019. Architecture & Design Oya Demirbilek: Co-design is the key to higher living standards Career FAQs, 2017, Providing career guides for every industry, career and occupation, Oya Demirbilek - Associate Dean (Education) at UNSW Built Environment UNSW Built Environment Youtube Channel: "Enhancing standards of living through industrial design", researcher profile video. Stephen Matchett, Make a wish for research infrastructure, UNSW’s constructive MOOC, Campus Morning Mail, Hard Facts and Insider Analysis, July 21, 2016 Margie Sheedy. Where the jobs are for postgraduates. The Sydney Morning Herald, August 23, 2014. Jeshua Johnston, 2014. IC Central - The Value of Software Certification – Revit case study, UNSW, Faculty of Built Environment. Video interview, August 2014. Included in the Virtual Design Museum of Industrial Design Turkey since 2011 - This is an initiative aimed at creating a memory on Turkey’s industrial design. 24 Hours - The Arts Diary - Exhibition. The Sydney Morning Herald, February 1, 2012, p. 9. "Lab talk / FBE Design Lab – Factory of the mind". 2010. Uniken, Issue 58, Sept./Oct. Sydney: UNSW. p. 2. "Learning the ropes". 2008. Curve Magazine, special issue on Design Education, October Issue 25, pp. 30-33. Viviane Stappmanns, 2008. Working the space. Discover Peugeot – Driven, July 2008. Packer S. 2008. Welcome to the office of the Future. Future Living. Spring 2008. "Opinions of leading design figureheads for the australiandesign.org initiative" - Australian International Design Awards, August 2008. Australian Design Awards, 2008. 50th-year Yearbook. p. 166-167. Australian Design Awards Yearbook. 2007. p. 90-91. Interview with Stephen Lacey. 2007. The interview has been published in “Fresh Heirs: design students are leading the way with cutting edge creations - Looking at the institutions shaping them” The Sun-Herald. July 1, pp. 8-9. Interview with Career FAQs for the “Industrial Design” book. 2007. Michelle Hespe, Teaching NSW/ACT- Career FAQs Pty Ltd. and also featured on their website. Interviewed for the Oral History Program: “Female Designers” at the Middle East Technical University, 2004. Ankara, Industrial Design Program in December. “Universal Design and Accessibility in Design”. 2002. The Comfort Zone. ABC Radio National (Australia). Interview by Catherine Freyne, Journalist. 10 October 2002, Sydney. “Milan Furniture Exhibition and UNSW student works exhibited” 2001. WM magazine (Australia). Interview by Clare Masters, Journalist. 7 August 2001, Sydney. TASA... Magazine No:3. News section about the winner of the Logo Design Competition for the Ministry of Forestry in Turkey. Endüstriyel Tasarımcılar Meslek Kuruluşu Yayın Organı. 1994 “Special Design Considerations Regarding the Elderly Population in Turkey”, 1998. interview by M. Nisancioglu from BBC World Service, 4 November 1998, Ankara. |
My Research Supervision
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Ongoing 2022-cont. |
Jie Meng PhD. Friction with New Technologies: Designing Future Daily Products that Make Older People Feel Valued (Main supervisor, jointly with Demet Dincer). |
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2021-cont. |
Farnaz Fattahi PhD. Artist/Architect/Activist - Choreographing Scenarios of Collective Interaction. Art, Design & Built Environment, Sydney (Joint supervisor with Ainslie Murray). |
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2020-cont. |
Danielah Martinez PhD. Towards Inclusive Aging: Examining the impact of Critical Design. Art, Design & Built Environment, Sydney (Joint supervisor with Katherine Moline). |
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2020-cont. |
David Schlosner PhD. Enhancing Medical Data's potential through Systematic Product Design. School of Built Environment, Sydney (Main supervisor with Gonz Portas). |
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Successfully completed 2018-22 |
Frederique Sunstrum PhD. Self-conceptual perceptions on design language semantics: a case study on kitchen appliances in a cultural context. School of Built Environment, Sydney (Main supervisor, jointly with Nicole Gardner). |
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2012-19 |
Peter Sweatman PhD. Evidence-based bathroom product design: creative liveable bathroom environments for older people. Faculty of the Built Environment, Sydney (Co-supervisor with Catherine Bridges). |
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2017-21 |
Farzad Heyrani Master by Research. Assessing Contemporary Art Museums in Australia in terms of Interior Design Circulation and Success in Conveying Messages to Visitors. School of Built Environment, Sydney (Main supervisor, jointly with Bruce Watson). |
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2012-15 |
Phillippa Carnemolla PhD. Enabling built environments: Home modification as a substitute for community care. Faculty of the Built Environment, Sydney (Co-supervisor with Catherine Birdge). |
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2008-13 |
Li Xian PhD. E-waste and e-product life span in China UNSW, Faculty of the Built Environment, Industrial Design Program, Sydney (Joint supervision with Miles Park). |
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2005-09 |
Catharina Nawangalupi PhD. Investigating the usability and the pleasurability of sustainable product-service systems. UNSW, Faculty of the Built Environment, Industrial Design Program, Sydney (Main supervisor, with Mariano Ramirez). |
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2003-13 |
Joanne Quinn PhD. A Home for All Ages: Design of the Home Environment for an Ageing Australian Population. UNSW, Faculty of the Built Environment, Industrial Design Program, Sydney (Main supervisor). |
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1999-01 |
Esra Demirel Masters by Research. Solutions and modifications towards design deficiencies of modular kitchens in Turkey: Kayseri as a case study. Master by research. Middle East Technical University. Esra started with Oya in 1999, and when Oya moved to Sydney, she became a Joint supervisor for Esra’s thesis. |
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2000-05 |
Supervised 22 Master of Science and Master of Industrial Design by Coursework thesis (21 of them have completed successfully). |
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2000-21 |
Supervised 76 Industrial Design Honours Thesis for the Bachelor of Industrial Design Embedded Honours as the sole supervisor. |
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My Teaching
Oya teaches in the areas of industrial design studio and design research methods.
She led the design, development, implementation and delivery of the first Built Environment Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Re-Enchanting the City https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/re-enchanting-the-city (2013-16). This course has been offered in two iterations to 9,169 participants from 60 different countries, on FurtureLearn in 2016, receiving top rankings for career advancement in Urban Design, Landscape Design, and Interior Design among successful similar MOOCs. The course has now been converted to a General Elective course at UNSW since 2017, BENV2000, and Oya is teaching that course.