What ATÖLYE Is All About
ATÖLYE is a strategic design and innovation consultancy that’s all about amplifying the impact of purpose-driven leaders. How? By transforming people, places, and experiences through the power of communities. It started as an academic spin-off with strong ties to Stanford University’s d.school and New York University’s Tisch ITP, which means it’s deeply rooted in strategic design with a social impact mindset. Since 2013, ATÖLYE has been on a journey, creating community-driven approaches to design and innovation that really make a difference.
Main Benefits and Key Facts
Here’s a quick snapshot of what makes ATÖLYE stand out:
- Core team of over 40 multidisciplinary designers and creatives
- Community of more than 250 designers collaborating across sectors
- Member of the kyu Collective, a powerhouse of creative organizations
- Certified B Corporation since 2021, scoring an impressive 88.2
- Focus on wicked problems involving shifting paradigms and stakeholder complexity
- Expertise in service design, experience design, community design, and more
Projects That Showcase Innovation
ATÖLYE’s portfolio is diverse and dynamic. Take the Department of Culture & Tourism: ICH project, for example. It’s a dynamic platform designed to transform cultural education for K-12 students, helping them discover and celebrate the UAE’s rich cultural heritage. Or Neol, which scales community-powered transformation using AI—pretty cutting-edge stuff. Then there’s imece, a social innovation platform catalyzing Türkiye’s impact ecosystem through community power. These projects highlight ATÖLYE’s knack for blending creativity with real-world impact.
Collaborative Spaces and Learning
Another exciting aspect is the Dubai Future Accelerator Space. This project builds a vibrant, multipurpose space that facilitates collaboration between startups, private entities, and government bodies. It’s not just about physical space—it’s about creating a hub where innovation thrives. Similarly, the BMW Foundation: dawn project grows community through an experiential learning program that promotes responsible leadership. Learning design and community building go hand in hand here, creating meaningful experiences that stick.
Digital Platforms and Community Building
ATÖLYE also dives deep into digital community platforms. The kyu collective: kyu graph project is a perfect example. It’s all about building a scalable digital platform that connects practitioners based on skills, passions, and projects. This kind of co-participatory design fosters a sense of belonging and collaboration, making it easier for creatives and innovators to connect and grow together. It’s a digital extension of ATÖLYE’s core values—community, creativity, and impact.
Project Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Quality Education (SDG 4)
- Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)
- Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9)
- Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)
- Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)
- Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)
Why ATÖLYE’s Approach Matters
What really sets ATÖLYE apart is its fluid, transdisciplinary system that embraces complexity and emergent processes. It’s not just about ticking boxes or following trends—it’s about addressing wicked problems that require fresh thinking and collaborative energy. With expertise spanning service design, architectural design, human-centered design, and more, ATÖLYE creates spaces and experiences that are not only innovative but deeply human. The consultancy’s commitment to using business as a force for good, backed by its B Corp certification, shows a genuine dedication to positive impact for both people and the planet. In a world that’s constantly shifting, ATÖLYE’s community-driven, creative hub approach is exactly what’s needed to push boundaries and inspire change.
