VEKAM, Ankara’s Memory, in its New Address
Ankara, January 19 – The Vehbi Koç Research Center (VEKAM), a cornerstone for academic studies and the preservation of information and documents related to Ankara, has officially relocated to the meticulously restored Büyük Apartman on Anafartalar Caddesi. This move signifies a new chapter for the institution, which has been a witness to the capital’s history since 1928, inheriting the legacy of Vehbi Koç.
The Büyük Apartman holds historical significance as the building where the renowned businessman Vehbi Koç conducted his business for many years, adding a symbolic layer to VEKAM’s new home.
What is VEKAM?
VEKAM (Koç University Vehbi Koç Ankara Studies Application and Research Center) initially operated from Vehbi Koç’s vineyard house in Keçiören, one of the last remaining examples of its kind in the city. This vineyard house, restored between 1992 and 1993, was subsequently affiliated with the Vehbi Koç Foundation in 1994. It was then opened to serve researchers, with the aim of conducting academic studies on Ankara and compiling all kinds of information and documents related to the city.
The center, which became affiliated with Koç University in 2014, has continued to develop various collaborations with national and international organizations, extending its academic work onto broader platforms.
Purchased from Fevzi Çakmak
The vineyard house, which was purchased from Marshal Fevzi Çakmak in 1923, was used by the Koç Family as a summer residence for many years. This house, where Vehbi Koç spent a significant part of his life in Ankara and where his children were born, is classified as a Cultural Property requiring Second Degree Protection.
The Memory of the Capital
VEKAM continues its work in national and international fields, conducting research on Ankara and its surroundings, managing, storing, and protecting all data related to Ankara, and sharing and disseminating knowledge through interdisciplinary academic studies and events. With its rich library and archive, VEKAM acts as Ankara’s urban memory, housing digitized collections including rare books, maps, and extensive photograph and postcard collections. It has successfully become a primary reference center by incorporating all kinds of publications related to Ankara into its collection.
Peer-Reviewed Journal
Since opening its doors to the scientific community in 1994, VEKAM has contributed to academic work by organizing symposiums, panels, conferences, exhibitions, and seminars. In addition to symposium books, it publishes a peer-reviewed journal twice a year under the name ‘Ankara Araştırmaları Dergisi’ (Ankara Studies Journal).
In a statement made on social media, VEKAM officials announced, “We continue to write and research Ankara together in our new home on Anafartalar Caddesi.”
