Vehbi Koç Trade House exhibition opens at VEKAM

The Vehbi Koç Ankara Studies Application and Research Center (VEKAM) is hosting a comprehensive exhibition that delves into the early Republican era of Turkey. Titled "Vehbi Koç Trade House: A Leap of Progress on the Path to a Contemporary Civilization," the exhibition focuses on the economic, social, and cultural transformations that shaped the nation. It is presented as part of the Koç Community's 100th-anniversary celebrations.

Curated by Alev Ayaokur and İrem Alpay, the exhibition is open to the public free of charge at VEKAM's new building, Büyük Apartman, in Ulus. It will run for a year, until June 5, 2027. The event has already attracted visitors such as members of the Koç Family, Koç Holding CEO Levent Çakıroğlu, and Koç University Rector Metin Sitti, along with other senior executives from the Koç Community.

The exhibition showcases Ankara's historical significance not only as the new capital after the declaration of the Republic but also as a site for implementing modernization ideals. It covers a broad historical spectrum, including the impact of railways, urban planning policies, industrial initiatives, and the conditions created by wartime economies. The narrative positions the young capital as a laboratory for the economic, social, and cultural imagination of a new country.

Central to the exhibition is the journey of Koçzade Ahmed Vehbi Ticarethanesi, tracing its establishment from a modest shop in Karaoğlan Çarşısı to its evolution into an incorporated company. This process is examined through the lens of modern management practices, institutionalization steps, and international collaborations. The exhibition connects Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's vision of a contemporary civilization with Vehbi Koç's entrepreneurial spirit, placing them within the same historical context.