About Berk Ilhan

Berk Ilhan is a designer, artist, and experience maker based in New York. He creates immersive experiences, interactive objects, and playful interventions that invite people to participate rather than simply observe.

His work often begins with a simple question: how can an object, space, or interaction make people feel something they did not expect? That question has led him to projects ranging from medical devices and robotic products to exhibitions, brand experiences, glassware, and large-scale immersive environments.

Berk is especially interested in play, human behavior, performance, and the small social rituals that happen between people. He is drawn to ideas that are slightly strange, emotionally direct, and easy to understand once you experience them.

MÜRROR grew out of that way of thinking. Rather than designing another mirror, Berk wanted to create an object that asks something back from the person standing in front of it. The result is a smile-activated interactive mirror that turns reflection into a tiny game.

His work has received more than 30 international design awards, including Red Dot Best of the Best, iF, IDA, and Fast Company recognition, and he has collaborated with brands, studios, and organizations including Puma, KLM, BBDO, JWT, and Droga5.

Berk studied Industrial Design at Middle East Technical University in Ankara and later completed the MFA Products of Design program at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Outside of design, he has a background in acting and performance, which continues to influence the way he thinks about timing, presence, interaction, and storytelling.