The building is the first paper factory of Turkish Republic and was founded in 1934 by Turkish government. It was active in production, until it was taken over by Kocaeli Municipality in 2005. By the time of its shut-down, the whole industrial complex was composed of 5 factory buildings and social facilities. Municipality commissioned to refunction the area with a recreational and cultural use, whereas the very  first factory building would being re-used as a science center and paper museum.

Conservation and Adaptive Re-use Project of SEKA Izmit First Paper Factory consists of documentation, restitution, preservation-conservation stages.  In the documentation stage, (i) the present condition of the building with all interior elements, machines, engines, mechanical equipments and parts are documented, (ii) building materials, structural and material detorations are analysed, (iii) the reasons of these detoriations are determined an solved. In the restitution stage, a survey towards bulding's history and former periods were conducted; its phases belonging to different periods were drawn. Preservation-conservation and adaptive -re use project of SEKA The Science Center and Paper Museum was prepared with an approach, with a main consideration of the continuity of time and space. As far as possible, building was preserved regarding its industrial history and patina, however in order to answer the contemporary needs of its new function and user group, necessary structural improvements and spatial solutions were implemented. 

For more information: Ka. Ba. Conservation of Historic Buildings and Architecture Ltd.