Drawing on five decades of practice experience, Meral Iskir has helped transform overlooked neighborhoods into thriving communities within the Metropolitan Washington, DC area and beyond. In the past 22 years since co-founding SK+I, she has led over 100 urban projects in the Mid-Atlantic Region, inspiring other urban-neighborhood pioneers locally and nationally.

Her leadership reflects her training in Istanbul and Washington, DC, where she achieved many hard-won firsts. Having earned her undergraduate architecture degree in Turkey, Meral was the first and only woman in her Master’s degree program at Catholic University’s School of Architecture and Planning. A decade later, she became the first woman associate of a 30-year-old, 100-employee architecture and urban design firm and within four years, she became the firm’s first woman partner. She co-founded SK+I in 1999 and in 2019, Meral received the Joseph Miller Award from Catholic University’s School of Architecture and Planning. The award is bestowed upon leaders who have made notable contributions to the architectural profession, the University, and the larger community.

Today, Meral manages an exemplary practice of architects from nearly 20 countries, representing more than 30 cities worldwide. In harmony with the diverse neighborhoods she serves, she fosters an inclusive, multicultural workplace culture for the next generation of practitioners. Seventy percent of her senior managers first studied architecture outside the U.S. and have since become registered architects and AIA members. Meanwhile, she has advocated for excellence in the profession through multi-year terms on Catholic University’s School of Architecture and Planning Board of Directors and work with its 2015 CUArch Accreditation Committee.

EDUCATION

Master of Architecture,
The Catholic University of America

Bachelor of Architecture,
Istanbul Technical University

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Institute of Architects (AIA), Member

AIA DC Fellowship Committee (AIA DC), Member

CERTIFICATIONS