In Fındıkzade, a densely layered neighborhood in Istanbul’s historic and vibrant Fatih district, constructing a high-quality micro-museum with a complex narrative required a truly multidisciplinary design and implementation process. As one of the first of its kind in Turkey, the Dental Health Museum was conceived to raise public awareness in the field of oral and dental health while preserving scientific and sectoral memory.
The project was designed through a collaboration between KOOP Architects and Mithra Istanbul, who also undertook all phases of implementation. The museum was brought to life through the close cooperation of specialized teams in interior architecture, exhibition design, content creation, graphic design, production (documentary and animation), and engineering.
Located within the lower three floors of a typical mixed-use apartment building, the museum transforms a conventional structure—originally used for residential and commercial purposes—into a meaningful public space. The first intervention was to redefine the building's façade with a simple yet bold gesture to establish a clear civic identity.Horizontally organized over three levels, the museum offers a program designed to balance functionality and visitor experience: a reception and children’s workshop on the ground floor, a seminar room and service areas in the basement, and administrative offices on the upper floor. A minimalist material palette and carefully detailed interiors create a spatial atmosphere that gives priority to knowledge and clarity.
The exhibition scenario takes visitors on a thematic journey from the archaeology of teeth to modern dentistry. The narrative unfolds through layers such as “Tooth Anatomy,” “Oral Care,” “Dental Diseases,” and “Dental Industry,” enriched by digital applications and visually driven graphic content. Rather than delivering didactic information alone, the exhibition offers a multi-sensory experience—visual, tactile, and auditory.
The museum’s production process also involved original content creation. Documentaries and animations specifically developed for the museum were integrated into the spatial and graphic language by KOOP Architecture and Mithra Istanbul. This created not just a physical or interior intervention, but a cohesive whole where content, design, and presentation work in harmony.
With its modest scale but significant impact, the Dental Health Museum stands as a powerful example of adaptive transformation, collaboration, and interdisciplinary design. For KOOP Architecture, the project highlights an architectural approach that transcends construction—expanding into cultural, educational, and social dimensions.
Client: Dental Materials Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association
Partner Office: Mithra İstanbul
Team: Y. Burak Dolu, Yeşim Kartaler, Enes Zeki Kavaklı, Ceren Muratdağ, Erkut Özer, Gamze Yeşildağ, Veli Arslan, Eyüp Çavuşoğlu, Ecehan Erarıcı, Sueda Demirci, Müge Tulumcuoğlu
Project Date: 2021-2022
Indoor Area (m2): 450
Type: Interior Architecture, Exhibition Design
Program: Museum, Office
Scope: Concept Design, Schematic Design, Detailed Design, Construction and Exhibition Contractor
Photograph: Saleh Malek
