A 'digital' model for the construction industry

Sadık Onur Özden and Tunç Çokuysal, students of  Izmir University of Economics (IUE), turned the demand for digitalization in the construction industry into an opportunity and developed an application called 'Construction Panda'. Thanks to the project, which was completed as a result of 6 months of work, architects and people or contractors who want to do construction will be able to easily communicate via mobile phone and computer by becoming a member of 'Construction Panda'. People considering construction will reach many architects and quickly find the solutions they need; architects will also be able to easily convey their projects and portfolios.

Sadık Onur Özden, a fourth-year student at IUE Department of Industrial Engineering, and Tunç Çokuysal, a fourth-year student at IUE Department of Architecture, worked together outside of class hours on a project that will bring a breath of fresh air to the construction industry.

GOT INCUBATION SUPPORT AS WELL

IUE students, who determined all the details including the name of the project and the visuals to be used, and carried out the infrastructure works, also received incubation support (guidance and office use) from the Information Commercialization Center (BTM) of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and Izmir Technopark. Sadık Onur Özden and Tunç Çokuysal, who said that the construction phase of the application called 'Construction Panda' was completed, stated that the application could start to serve in two months after the last trials and controls. 

BEING A MEMBER TO THE SYSTEM IS SUFFICIENT

Sharing details on how to use 'Construction Panda', Özden and Çokuysal said, “The intense interest in digitalization during the pandemic also showed itself in the construction industry. We see that the impact of technology and the digital process increased not only the construction phase, but the communication and planning. At this point, we decided to make a platform where architects and people who want to build can easily meet, ask each other what they are curious about and run the process together. People visiting Construction Panda via smartphone or computer will register to the system by typing their basic information, the name of their brand or the place where they work. They will be able to convey their works, areas of expertise and demands. Then they will be able to make contact. For example, a person who wants to build in Izmir will be able to easily find architects close to their region or people they want to work with. In addition, people who want to decorate their home can also benefit from the application. Moreover, this service is free for those who want to build.”

CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF ENTREPRENEURS

Özden and Çokuysal continued as follows: “One of the biggest problems of the person who wants to build is not being able to get together with the stakeholders of the industry or having to spend a lot of time on this to eliminate the deficiencies in planning. Construction Panda will offer a very creative solution in this regard. We have already started receiving interview requests from entrepreneurs for the project we have implemented. In the coming period, we will decide how we will go about it. We will also evaluate different suggestions and offers from entrepreneurs; we are open to communication in this regard. People who want to communicate with us and convey their ideas or suggestions can reach us at Onur@constructionpanda.com. We study in different departments. We met while we were in preparatory class. Our classrooms were next to each other, we chatted between classes. Our friendship progressed in a short time, and now it is turning into a business partnership. We are also excited for this.”