The dominant mode of urbanization in our contemporary world is marked by large scale urban
renewal projects, which are deployed with little or no consideration given to the social predicaments. The urban
design studio can serve as a domain in which critical reflections on urban issues can be incorporated into design
works. In this article, we propose a methodology of ‘critique by design’, which does not seek to arrive at scientific
knowledge but rather involves the development of urban design proposals critically engaging with the urban
issues they address through conceptual approaches. We discuss our methodology through the case of an experimental
studio work conducted in Ankara, Turkey at Bilkent University, Department of Urban Design and
Landscape Architecture in 2011.