Zeki Sayar and Architect

Zeki Sayar (1905-2001) is one of the most recognized architects among the legendary 1928 graduating class of the Academy, and thus among the architects of the early Republican period, after Sedad Hakkı Eldem, and one of the rare architects who managed to remain active in the architectural environment for a remarkably long time. This recognition cannot be considered independent of his close relationship with the architectural magazine Mimar / Arkitekt, which holds a very important place in Turkish architectural history and constitutes the most original documentation of our Republican era architectural publishing.

For these reasons, the Chamber of Architects Commemoration Program for the 2010-2012 period, beyond focusing solely on an architectural profile, also encompassed Arkitekt magazine, which can be considered Sayar's masterpiece. The book "Zeki Sayar and Arkitekt" aims to make sense of and position the production field of a considerably long period spanning 50 years, starting from the early Republican era. It presents its compilation by tracing the publication journey of Arkitekt and the magazine's sphere of influence, in parallel with Sayar's architectural production, his identity as a publisher-thinker-critic, and his active role in the architectural environment.