The first book in the Pelin Derviş Publishing Project, Düşünme ve Görselleştirme Aracı Olarak Türkiye’de Mimari Maket | 20. Yüzyıldan Bir Kesit, was published in collaboration with the Architects’ Association 1927. An expanded English version of the book, titled Architectural Model in Türkiye as a Tool for Thinking and Visualization | A Fragment From the 20th Century, is prepared in collaboration with VitrA (available in PDF format).

The book includes a selection of texts on the place of the model in architectural practice–education–history and archive, as well as the life stories, professional works and productions of eight model makers: Sami Pazarbaşı, Sidel Pazarbaşı, Yusuf Z. Ergüleç, Selahattin Yazıcı, Mehmet Şener, Varjan Yurtgülü, İhsan Kostak, Murat Küçük.

The first output of Pelin Derviş’s research project, “Architectural Model in Türkiye”, was an exhibition at Studio-X Istanbul in 2017. The book includes both the exhibition that brought the project to fruition and the archival work and discussions with METU Faculty of Architecture and Salt Research, with whom Pelin Derviş collaborated throughout the process.

The subtitle of the book indicates the emphasis on the 20th century. However, it must be admitted that the book emphasises the second half of the 20th century more than the first half. The reason for this is not really due to a determination that there is a weight in the 20th century or such an interpretation. It would be more correct to define the reason as a haste to record the sources of this period while we still have access to them. Because the sources that we can still talk about and have access to documents may suddenly become inaccessible. It is necessary to take these sources seriously and to remember that they may not always be there. This is one of the main reasons behind the intention of the Pelin Derviş Publication Project.