Based on the idea of “Continuous architecture, with a sense of place,” Khadem Studio won the competition. Due to controversies over the site, the project went on hold, the site was changed and in 1997 the project was started on a new site and was awarded to Mozhan Khadem’s office of Boston Design Collaborative, Inc. (BDC), for master planning as well as the architectural, landscape and interior designs of the entire facility.
The initial program was for a 200-acre university and over 1,000,000 GSF of buildings consisting of a student center, library, administration building, business school, science building, school of humanities, school of engineering, gymnasium, student center, and dining facilities, 19 dormitories for 900 students, 102 faculty housing units, daycare center, president’s house, infirmary, firehouse guard house, central plant, and service building. Later on, a West Campus project on a nearby site was also awarded to and designed by BDC/ Mozhan Khadem. The university design and construction were completed in 2000 and were dedicated in the presence of the President of Turkey, the Koc Family, and the University faculty, students, and staff.
Since 2001 many buildings and additions have been added to the campus. In 2018 a major expansion, consisting of many special laboratories and clean rooms, was also added. Currently, as of this writing (in the year 2022), the total built area of Koc University’s main campus in Rumelifeneri and the nearby smaller West campus is about 300,000 M2 (3,000,000 F2), accommodating about 7,000 student enrollment, (a population of about 10,000 including faculty and staff)…
Mozhan Khadem’s office has designed all the required future buildings of the university including the expansion of the Gymnasium, Performing Arts Center, The University Entry Crescent, 500-car underground central parking structure as well as 500 graduate student dormitory facilities.
Koç University
Koç University (Turkish: Koç Üniversitesi) is a non-profit private university in Istanbul, Turkey. It started education in temporary buildings in İstinye in 1993 and moved to its current Rumelifeneri campus (designed by Mozhan Khadem) near Sarıyer in 2000. Koç University is ranked highest in Turkey according to the 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings and 2022 QS World University Rankings. Koç University currently (2022), consists of Colleges of Social Sciences and Humanities, Administrative Sciences and Economics, Science, Engineering, Law, Nursing, and Medicine. Koç University offers 22 undergraduate, 29 graduate, and 30 Ph.D. programs. It is in two locations.
The university accepts international students from various countries and has an extensive network of over 250 partner universities including the University of California and other universities such as Northwestern University, Cornell University, and Georgetown University.
Koç University has become one of the most prestigious universities in Turkey. The university attracts many of the highest-scoring students from Turkey’s top high schools such as Koç School, Robert College, Uskudar American Academy, and Istanbul High School. The majority of classes (over 95%) at Koç University are taught in English (a few exceptions are found only in the School of Law and School of Nursing).
The Architectural Design Concept:
Mozhan Khadem: When I first saw the magnificent site overlooking the Bosporus and the black sea, located in one of the most strategic geographic areas of the Middle East, located in Europe overlooking Asia, I was overwhelmed by its great beauty. It recalled to my mind many of the events this land had witnessed in the past. In those moving moments, a line from the Masnavi of Molana Jalaleddin Rumi crossed my mind in which a merchant who had lost his beloved parrot tried to inter his bird. After opening the gate of the bird’s cage, the dead parrot came to life and flew away at an astonishing speed. In these profound poetic and mystical lines Rumi says:
“The dead parrot flew away so fast, as the Sun of the Orient rushes into Turkey land”
In these lines, Rumi is referring to one of the important Eastern as well as Turkish / Persian philosophical concepts, the concept of the “Orient of Light”, which was later introduced to western philosophy as “Ex Oriente Lux”. At that moment, moved by the physical beauty and the cultural significance of the panoramic view of the Bosphorus, connecting the two continents of the Asian east and the European west, I decided that the idea of the “Orient of Light” should become the foundation upon which the architectural design concept of the Koc university must be based.
Therefore, in the design of Koc university the concept of the “Orient of Light” has been symbolized by a grand iconic entrance portal, namely the “Portal of Knowledge/Light”. It opens up to the east, to the rising sun which symbolizes the “Sun of Knowledge”. and leads one to the vast plaza of “Koc Meydan” where people can socialize, interact and engage in discourse and exchange of ideas so important for the enhancement of the intellectual life of the university. The “Koc Meydan” leads one into a series of smaller courtyards and open spaces each designed for evoking different moods of interaction, privacy, repose, introspection, and motion. The walk through these spaces can be likened to a “Memory Walk” wherein one finds both antique and modern, artistic and historic examples of Turkish culture and history. The different university buildings have not been designed as separate structures, they were designed as “Continuous Architecture” of a singular building wherein different colleges are all interconnected and wherein only the courtyards, not buildings, would acquire names like “Courtyard of Humanities, Business, Science, Engineering, etc.” This concept of “Continuous architecture” with a sense of place, is the quintessential idea of the architectural design of Koc University and is consistent with the wholeness and interconnectedness of all academic disciplines and life.
The “Portal of Knowledge/Light” symbolizes the role of Turkey as the gateway for the flow of knowledge between the East and the West. From east to west before the Renaissance and from west to east after the Renaissance.
In designing the master plan of the university, aside from the courtyards all other open spaces were designed around specific social functions and were given names. For example, the “Bosphorus Terrace open space, is a walk on the eastern perimeter of the academic campus connecting the “Koc Meydan” with many mini portals of light leading one into the courtyards of different colleges. Many places are designed along this walk for repose as well as interaction. Another example is the “Campus Common”, the vast green open space in the heart of the campus with a tiered built-step-like seating arrangement where students and faculty can gather to see special casual sports as well as major graduation events.
Staff by Project:
- Mozhan Khadem (Principal in Charge, Director of Design)
- Jim Wilkinson (Senior Design Coordinator)
- Branko Novakovic (Technical Coordinator)
- Avo Asdourian
- Matthew Ali
- Dan Castor
- Dan Dwyer
- Ipe Eguia
- Preston Lightsy
- Keith Millay
- Victoria Mohar
- Preston Richardson
- Marie Saidee
- Megan Webb
- John Weglarz
- Associate local architect: Metex, Istanbul
- Engineers: Arup, Istanbul
- General Contractor: Garanti-Kosa, Istanbul
Koc University Expansion Projects Commissioned since its dedication in 2001 (from 2001 to 2019); Mozhan Khadem was commissioned to design the following expansion projects for Koc University after the inauguration of the Rumelifeneri Campus in the year 2000 :
1. 2017, 2018
Redesign the 6,000 SM (over 60,000 SF) Block 6 of Koç University Post Graduate Dormitories (and convert it to one hundred single-room accommodations) for men and women Master’s degree students.
Commission for the design of the future Koç University “Post Graduate Dormitories” and its related dining, social, maintenance, and parking facilities for five hundred (500) students consisting of accommodations for 300 Ph.D.,180 Masters, and 20 Married students within six (6) interconnecting blocks. The gross area of the proposed facility is over 27,000 SM. (over 270,000 SF).
2. 2016
December 2016: Commission to design the proposed “Koç University Entry Crescent,” the formal entry to the academic part of campus. It is a highly landscaped area with flower gardens, a reflecting pool, a fountain, and sculpture elements. It is designed in the form of a “Crescent”, the iconic symbol on the Turkish flag. It accommodates twenty buses for the drop-off and pick up of students and staff. It also includes a ceremonial ramp for VIP visitors. It will be built on a four-level underground parking structure that accommodates 500 parking spaces.
3. June 2014
June 2014: Commission to design a new Sports Facilities building for Koç University. The building will be located over the proposed underground garage for 500 cars and adjacent to the existing Semahat Arsel Gymnasium.
4. 2013
February 2013: Commission to design the Koç University Auditorium Building with a seating capacity of 1,500 consisting of 15,000 square meters for performing arts programs (including orchestra, ballet, musicals, theater, and opera). (DESIGNED FOR FUTURE CONSTRUCTION)
5. 2009
In 2009: Commission to provide the interior design services for his previously designed ‘Campus Club”
6. 2008
Koç University: Campus Club, 2008
7- 2003
In 2003 Commission to design a central underground garage for 500 cars for Koc university.
Central Garage for 500 cars. (2003- 2004)
This facility will provide 500 underground parking in close proximity to the heart of the campus and easily accessible to Faculty, Students, and staff.
1. 2013
July 2013: Commission to design a significant expansion to Koc university including:
“Engineering Sciences Technology and Cleanroom Facilities.”
The task started by revising the Koç University Master Plan and providing the design of a New Academic Building to accommodate the expansion requirements of the Colleges of Administrative Sciences, Social Sciences, Sciences, Law, and Engineering. The New Academic Building would include about 50,000 sq m of high technology science and engineering laboratories, clean rooms, classrooms, seminar rooms, and offices. It would be located at the north end of the academic campus. It was designed as the continuation of the architectural weave of the existing Koç University academic buildings.
The Court of Knowledge (Light)
This New Academic Building and its related courtyards are designed to be a befitting architectural terminus to the sequence of interconnected buildings and courtyards that start from the main entrance portal to the Koç University academic campus, “The Portal of Knowledge (Light)”
“The Portal of Knowledge” which leads to the Koç Meydan and then to the sequence of the Business, Humanities, Science, and Engineering courtyards, with the addition of this New Academic Building, will terminate in the “Court of Knowledge (Light)”. It is called the “court of knowledge” because the interconnected New Building surrounding it houses all the scientific disciplines of the University.
The central feature of this courtyard is a Skylight/ Pool over the largest Engineering laboratory on the Campus, putting on display, for the students, faculty, and visitors, the content and activities of the laboratory below as well as the technological precision of the illuminated Pool/Skylight and nature above.
Memory Walk: This courtyard with its illuminated Skylight/Pool symbolizing Life (water), Light (knowledge and technology) is also a befitting terminus to the “memory walk” of the campus which spans from the Koç Meydan to the Engineering Courtyard. Walking along the path, one observes the cultural history of Turkey by viewing a collection of museum pieces starting with a display of objects from antiquity in the Humanities Courtyard to industrial examples of sophisticated machinery in the Engineering Courtyard.
In this last courtyard, the “Court of Knowledge”, the main display is the design of the court and its Skylight/Pool symbolizing the technological contribution of Koç University itself to the history and culture of Turkey.
On October 5, 2018, the construction of “Engineering Sciences Technology and Cleanroom Facilities” was completed and dedicated. Mozhan Khadem was invited to the campus to participate in the celebration of the University’s 25th anniversary. Celebration and the inauguration of this major KU expansion, consisting of 36,000 SM (over 36000 SF Semahat and Nosret Arsel Engineering, Science, Technology, and Cleanroom facilities) was dedicated.
2. 2015
May 2015: Commission to design the following buildings “Winter Garden” on the roof terrace of Koç University Student Center; Tennis court building in Koç University Student Dormitory area. (BOTH OF WHICH WERE BUILT).
3. May 2013
May 2013: Commission to design an annex to Koç University School of Engineering.
The new “Engineering Annex Building” provides the University with the much-needed additional amphitheater-size classrooms, faculty offices, seminar rooms, conference rooms, and a cafe facility.
4. August 2013
August of 2013: Commission to provide architectural design services for the following project:
Koç University English Preparatory School consists of 6,000 square meters of space (behind and to the north of the Suna Kiraç Library building).
5. 2011~2012
2011-2012, Commission to provide design consultancy and advisory services to Koc university and to Cannon Architects for the 2,000,000 square feet Health Sciences Medical Campus project in Istanbul. The project included Schools of Medicine and Nursing, a University Hospital, a Children’s Hospital, Diagnostic Treatment Services, a parking structure, and Student Housing Facilities.
6. 2011
March 2011: Commission to provide design services for the expansion of the Koç University Student Center.
7. 2006-2007
Commission to design a second smaller “West Campus” for Koc university: West Campus (New campus for one thousand students).
Due to a shortage of space on the existing site of the campus, the university bought a large parcel of property on the west side of the existing campus and Mozhan Khadem was asked to provide the design for the required facilities of the “West Koc University Campus
8. 2006-2007
Commission to design the Koc University New School of Medicine.
Mozhan Khadem was asked to design the facilities for a school of medicine on the existing Rumelifeneri campus including laboratories and classrooms for the first two years of the student’s medical education.
9. 2006
In 2006 commission to design an addition to the Koc University School of Science/Engineering, in a way that the addition to the exciting facility would appear seamless.
10. 2006
Commission to design the Koç University New Dining Court facility for 180 students in Student dormitory area.
11. 2005
Commission to update the Koç University, Master plan
12. 2005
Commission to design for Koc university: Outdoor Swimming Pool, Restaurant, and Clubhouse facilities design
13. 2005
Commission to design an addition to Koç University, existing dining facilities.
14. 2005
Commission to design an expansion for Koç University: existing food court for 50 students.
15. 2001
Koc University Design Guidelines; Done and adopted by Koc University
In March 2001: Commission to provide a comprehensive “Design Guidelines” document for future campus buildings and expansion facilities.
1. 2005
In 2005 Mozhan Khadem was commissioned to design, Koç University: Expansion of dormitory facilities for an additional one thousand students.
Commission to design for Koç University, additional expansion of dormitory facilities for 150 students.
2. 2007
Commission to design a new “Outdoor Ice Skating Rink” for the university in the “Campus Common”.
