SANAYI313 is an Istanbul-based interdisciplinary practice co-founded by two brothers, interior architect Enis Karavil and entrepreneur Amir Karavil. The SANAYI313 brand functions as an umbrella for a diverse spread of creative businesses: a design studio operating a canteen and a curated store offering unconventional and experiential shopping experiences. All divisions interact to inspire and nurture each other under one single vision that is SANAYI313. Working from a converted auto repair shop in the industrial district of Istanbul, the collective’s multi-purpose approach to the space provides visitors a multitude of ways to interact with the world of SANAYI313.
The design studio, operating from the upper floor behind a glass wall, mainly works within the fields of interiors, furniture and objects. In varied typologies and scales, the interiors range from renovations to new builds across residential and commercial environments in Istanbul, London, New York and Miami. From a beach house in Miami to a downtown cafe in Istanbul, the collective approaches each project as a storyteller, bringing a coherent sense of character in relation to the location and function of the wide range of spaces. Creative Director Enis Karavil’s “maximalist expressions in minimalist details” approach forms the basis of the studio’s main design principles, while eclecticism, refinement, authenticity, elegance, timelessness, and functionality remain the common thread among all projects.
As part of SANAYI313’s spatial aesthetic expressions, the studio also designs a growing line of products that merge form and function, and are characterized by their details and materiality. Working with noble materials such as wood, bronze and glass, the studio focuses on sculptural forms that challenge the capability of the material while highlighting its distinctive features. Relying on Istanbul’s craft culture and local manufacturing workshops within close proximity to the studio, SANAYI313 favors craft production over industrial manufacturing, and works directly with artisans to realize its ideas from prototyping to finished pieces.
Broadening the scope of the studio’s work to encompass different creative outlets, the collective also integrates the SANAYI313 design language into fields other than their main expertise to compose limited-time-only projects. This approach was first manifested in a contemporary accessories collection of shoes and bags launched back in 2015 that quickly developed a cult following while being stocked by various top retailers around the world.
