Benay Gursoy Toykoç
- Assistant Professor of Architecture
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Computational Making
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Digital Fabrication
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Craft Theory
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Shape Studies
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Basic Design Education
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Cognitive Studies of the Design Process
220 Stuckeman
- Email bug61@psu.edu
- Phone 814-865-1366
![Benay Toykoç](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/directoryImages/_480x480_crop_center-center_80_none/arch_gursoy_toykoc-benay.jpg)
Biography
Benay Gürsoy Toykoç is an assistant professor of architecture at Penn State. Her research and teaching focus is on computational making, digital fabrication, craft theory, shape studies, basic design education, and cognitive studies of the design process. She has published and presented her research internationally and received awards in international conferences.
From 2010 to 2016, Toykoç taught first-year design studios, geometry, and design computing courses at Istanbul Bilgi University as a faculty member in architecture. She has instituted undergraduate elective courses including a course on “hacking materials and production methods.”She has also lectured and taught workshops at several universities in Turkey, including AA Istanbul Visiting Schools.
Toykoç completed her doctoral studies in the Architectural Design Computing Program at Istanbul Technical University (2016). Her Ph.D. thesis focuses on understanding how material manipulation in design can become an integral part of the computational design process. Her dissertation received the Best Ph.D. Dissertation Award from Istanbul Technical University, Graduate School of Science, Engineering, and Technology for the graduating students of 2016.
Collected Works
![The original MycoCreate structure completely constructed from mycelium-based components.](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/arch_2305_mycocreate1.jpg)
![A split-screen image of a structural component made with mycelium at left and a metal component that help comprise the MycoCreate structure.](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/arch_2305_mycocreate_components.jpg)
![The base of the MycoKnit showing the yarn-knitted textiles on which mycelium-based composites will grow.](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/projects/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/mycoknit.jpg)
![A closeup view of the MycoKnit tube on which the mycelium-based composite is growing.](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/mycoknit_Pic4_Web.jpeg)
![Series of mesh forms](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/06_samples_sml.jpg)
![Parametric design and traditional masonry construction workshop at the Center for Research, Innovation, and Development (CIDi) at the National University of Asuncion, Paraguay.](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/2017_WorkshopParabrick2_2023-07-28-223634_crfg.jpg)
![Close view of complex wooden framework](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/01_basicdesign.jpg)
![Series of abstract, architectural lanterns](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/02_basicdesign_lanterns.png)
![Six installations](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/03-aaivs.jpg)
![3D Ceramic Printer and 3D printed works of students.](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/04_ceramicprinting.jpg)
![Three clay models with different levels of uncertainty.](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/05_figure05_5-scaled.jpg)
![The ForMat Lab researchers involved in the MycoCreate project pose behind the first version of the installation.](https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/work/_860xAUTO_fit_center-center_80_none/arch_2305_mycocreate1_team.jpg)