Ekin Bilal is a researcher and designer based in New York City. His work investigates how maintenance, material circulation, and back-of-house infrastructures shape the life of buildings and cities. Through architectural design and experimental representation, he explores the political and creative potential of overlooked systems—zoning loopholes, informal repairs, deconstruction practices, and the everyday labor that sustains the built environment. Prior to teaching, Ekin worked with public library systems on community-driven planning efforts and has worked with MIT’s Urban Risk Lab, Bureau Spectacular, New Affiliates, and SMA amongst others. He holds an SMArchS from MIT (2024) and a B.Arch from Cornell University (2020).
