Melis Canlı is an interior architect, designer, and doctoral researcher currently based in Hungary. She is pursuing a Doctor of Liberal Arts (DLA) in Architecture at the University of Pécs as a Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holder. Her doctoral research focuses on the relationship between architecture, interior environments, and psychological well-being, with particular attention to chronic fatigue, burnout, sensory-sensitive spaces, and inclusive design.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in interior architecture and later completed her master's degree in interior design at NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti) in Milan. During her graduate studies, she worked on projects developed in collaboration with companies including Riva 1920, L’abilità, and Tribò, gaining experience in exhibition, educational, and workplace design. Some of these projects were presented during Milan Design Week. Her master’s thesis explored an alternative approach to affordable housing through modular residential units created from repurposed shipping containers.

Her research has been presented internationally at academic conferences in Athens, Singapore, Rome, and Budapest. Her studies have addressed subjects ranging from architectural strategies for chronic fatigue and burnout to sensory-sensitive kindergarten interiors for children with autism and the position of interior design within doctoral education. She has also contributed to peer-reviewed academic publications in architecture and design. In addition to publishing her own research, she serves as a peer reviewer for Common Ground Research Networks, including The International Journal of Design in Society and The International Journal of Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design.

Alongside her academic research, Melis participates in international design programs, workshops, and collaborative projects. At Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) in Budapest, she took part in an international design sprint and symposium focused on collective living, water, and sustainable neighborhood development, working as part of an interdisciplinary team. In 2026, she participated in the Hello Wood Cabin Fever International Architecture Summer School and Design-Build Festival in the Czech Republic, an international program combining architectural experimentation with hands-on construction. Following the program, she became a member of Hello Wood’s Builder’s Society.

Her international activities also include volunteering, community-based work, and European mobility programs. She participated in the European Solidarity Corps in Hungary and volunteered with WWOOF in the Netherlands, gaining experience in community and environmentally focused initiatives. She has also taken part in Erasmus+ seminars and training courses in Latvia, Italy, and Turkey, participating in international learning and cultural exchange programs with participants from different European countries. Her contribution to local cultural and community activities was recognized with a Certificate of Honor from the Municipality of Pécs, Hungary.

Beyond architecture, Melis has continued to develop skills across related creative disciplines. She completed UI/UX Design and Graphic Design programs at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and studied Management of Fashion and Luxury Companies at Università Bocconi. These studies expanded her experience beyond architecture into digital design, visual communication, user experience, branding, and the creative industries.

Outside academic and professional work, Melis enjoys traveling, hiking, exploring cities and different cultures, photography, discovering cafés and local places, and writing about architecture, design, everyday life, and contemporary culture. Having studied, volunteered, and participated in projects in different countries, international experiences have become a significant part of her life. She enjoys trying new things, stepping outside her comfort zone, and experiencing life in different places. She also cares about sustainability, second-hand shopping, nature, animals, slow living, and conscious consumption. With a strong interest in cinema and the film industry, she has appeared in more than 45 American and Hungarian film and television productions as a side activity. She enjoys being part of the atmosphere on set, both appearing in front of the camera and observing what happens behind it. For her, being on set is also a chance to see how different elements of filmmaking come together, from the preparation of a scene to the work taking place behind the camera.