Our Story

As Mimaroğlu family, we met Alaçatı in the early 2000s through our family's love of surfing, especially Berna. Following this pleasant acquaintance, Berna, who admired the wind, air, water, and architecture of Alaçatı, had the idea of “Let's build a tasteful and comfortable hotel like a house and use it all year round” and in 2003, the land, part of which is known as Bernadet today, was purchased.

Berna, who has interests and skills in different directions, had started to dream of a complex that would bring together art, food, gallery and similar elements. A few projects that were intended in this context could not be realized, perhaps because they did not coincide with the requirements of the period, but they could not get out of her mind. As a result of a pioneering hotel project in Alaçatı being intended and revised several times, but ultimately not realized for various reasons, the first building blocks of the process that would one day lead to Bernadet were actually laid with the intention of a part of the relevant parcel, “If we are not doing a project, then let's live on our own”.

Following the decision to build a residential house on the land, construction began in 2012 with the housing project drawn up.During the construction, Berna, who was on a trip to India, ended her trip early with a senseless complaint of weakness and returned to Istanbul.With the diagnosis of leukemia made in Istanbul, a new period full of intense emotions began for the whole family.

With Berna and Vedat's unusual perceptions and attitudes, this process would take its place in the memories as the “Second Honeymoon”. While the treatment process that started in Turkey continues in NY, it is experienced as an emotionally intense but very precious period decorated with eating, drinking, cultural trips and all the little details that make life worth living. After a certain period of time, Berna decides to leave the treatment and she and Vedat set off for Alaçatı to return to their house, the rough construction of which has been completed. All the processes that accelerate with the arrival of the family in Alaçatı, within a few weeks, Berna's dream house, which she reflects her energy to all the details together with her dear friend Hakan, comes into being.

A few very special months in which Berna cooks at home, entertains friends, spends time with her family, sets tasteful tables, hugs trees in the garden and continues her art are the starting point of Bernadet's frequency that will always exist.

During this period, the 1000 year old olive tree, Vedat's last birthday gift to Berna, takes its place at the spot where it stands today.With the cold coming with the autumn winds, Berna returns to Istanbul for the last time and after being hospitalized, she quietly leaves our physical world in a few weeks.Berna leaves us with a gift of countless reasons that make life worth living, even though there are gaps that cannot be filled.

As the members of the family return to their working lives in Turkey and the United States, Vedat decides to live in the Alaçatı house he and Berna built.

Vedat spends his days reading and researching, while he is also interested in the process of the housing projects he will build on the rest of the land.It is during this period that he ignores his brother Haluk's suggestion during his visit to Alaçatı: “You are too abstract, plant a vegetable garden here”, but a few days later he finds himself planting the first tomato of the garden.Vedat repeatedly expressed how much he enjoyed gardening in the process, and while his adventure that started with tomatoes evolved into peppers, artichokes, basil, basil, eggplant, mint, cucumbers, cucumbers, basil, eggplant, etc., a number of complementary workshops started to take place. While this cycle brought excitement and inspiration to all family members, at some point everyone found themselves involved in yogurt, cheese, bread, jam, ice cream, pickles, pestil, molasses production and workshop activities, and other interests such as glass, ceramics, wood and technology became the subject of conversations.

While the notions of experiencing, learning and sharing were being nourished through various activities that were organically occurring, with İrem's question “If this land is sold as a housing estate, where will we do such activities?”, we decided to take one of the buildings and implement the workshop and organic garden we have been dreaming of for years here.

Later, enjoying the cakey and meaningful texture of the Pishlen team's food, of which Haluk and Vedat are a part, we decided to use another building as a kitchen in the style of Mimaroğlu, where the crops from the garden would be transformed into food and drink, and a guesthouse where we would host our friends. While all these ideas nourished an intense desire to create and share, Vedat said on his return from Izmir, “How are we going to bring four villas like this side by side again, so let's keep them all, let's make a hotel project like a house that will be open all year round, as Berna said at first.” It was not impossible that everyone in the family gave their approval and intensified our interest and enthusiasm for all ongoing activities.

We realized that the colorful, productive and exciting adventure that started with a tomato in the second stage was actually the fruits of the seeds Berna had planted in 2003.

Thus, we decided to make this different project inspired by Berna and dedicate it to her. The first detail determined in the project was Vedat's request that the name of the project be Bernadet, based on Berna's use of “Berna as in Bernadette” during her travels abroad. At this point, we rolled up our sleeves to share, learn and make new friends by developing our values and interests in the project, whose name and inspiration had already been determined. In fact, the motivation and inspiration that emerged from a personal point was born with the desire to offer a social and universal value.