GLIF

Founded in Istanbul, GLIF is a collectible design studio exploring the dialogue between historical objects, contemporary form and architectural thinking. Emerging from the architectural practice of Habif Architects, the studio approaches design as an act of translation rather than restoration.

Working with antiques sourced from dealers, auctions and warehouses across Istanbul, the team selects objects for their structural integrity, material quality, proportions and narrative potential. Primarily dating from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century, these pieces are carefully reconfigured through research, drawing, modelling and material experimentation. Patina, ornament and original construction are preserved as active elements, while interventions in marble, stainless steel, brass and glass introduce a distinctly contemporary language.

Developed in close collaboration with specialist carpenters, metalworkers and stone craftsmen, each work brings together the knowledge of the original maker, the contemporary designer and the artisan. As every antique is unique, the resulting pieces exist as singular works positioned between furniture, sculpture and architecture.

The studio’s inaugural collection, Altered Heritage, reflects Istanbul’s layered cultural identity and the coexistence of Byzantine, Ottoman and European influences. Through adaptive reuse, Aslıhan, Mısra, Hakan and Ali transform inherited forms into contemporary objects of desire, allowing historical craftsmanship to acquire a new voice without erasing the memories embedded within it.