Erdoğan Bayraktar, Turkey’s Minister of Environment and Urbanization, attended the launch of Bio Istanbul, the “smart city” which will include a state-of-the-art children’s hospital, a biomedical research and development park and will consist of green buildings, working and social spaces.
Bio Istanbul is a project under development by Bio City Development Company (BCDco) and TOKI’s Emlak Planlama Proje Yönetimi, with the support of the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and TOKİ.
In his speech, the Minister described this project, which started four years ago, as “a world-class project”. Noting that the improvement of people’s health and quality of life throughout the world is of the utmost importance, the Minister said that the only children’s hospital that can compete Bio Istanbul in terms of infrastructure, facilities and research potential is located in Zurich, Switzerland.
According to Erdoğan Bayraktar, the project will create 20,000 new jobs and hopes to attract Turkish doctors, scientist and professors living abroad who wish to return to Turkey to continue their research. The residential component of the project will host a population of approximately 10,000 and will consist of green, energy-sufficient buildings.
The focal points of the ‘smart city’ are Istanbul Children’s Hospital, the Innovation Campus and Bio University. Together, they are the source of the highest concentration of prestigious high caliber scientific and medical jobs ever established in Turkey.
The development includes residential communities, built around courtyards and gardens within secure grounds; and neighborhood amenities comprising a vibrant ‘downtown’ area centered around a lively pedestrianized streetscape of retail and commercial outlets. The buildings are low-rise, with underground private parking facilities and extensive play areas in safe, car-free zones.
Bio Istanbul is expected to be completed within three years.
Source: The Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization
