Zeki Furkan Sarilican, a third year PhD student and a Rutgers University Presidential Fellow, was one of three scholars awarded the Tri-State Chapter’s Emerging Professionals Grant to attend the 19th International Docomomo Conference in Los Angeles, March 17–22, 2026. He shares his takeaways from the conference below.

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Receiving the DOCOMOMO US/New York Tri-State International Conference Grant meant a great deal to me, both academically and personally. As a PhD student, opportunities like this are incredibly meaningful, but they are also often financially out of reach. This grant made it possible for me to attend and participate in the 19th International Docomomo Conference in a way that would have been almost impossible otherwise. I am sincerely grateful to the New York Tri-State chapter for this support, which allowed me not only to be present at the conference, but to fully engage with its sessions, discussions, and architectural tours.

It was especially significant that this international conference came to the United States for the first time in roughly two decades. That made this year’s gathering feel even more important: it was a rare opportunity to take part in a major international conversation on modern architecture without the additional financial burden that overseas travel would normally require. For me, being able to attend under those circumstances was truly invaluable.

My research focuses on the transnational circulation of the Modern Movement, especially the ways American architectural ideals were translated outside the United States. At the conference, I had the opportunity to present my paper, “The Final Façade: International Style at Robert College,” which examines the final building of Robert College in Istanbul as a moment of architectural transition and as a case study in the international life of modernism. Presenting this work to an audience of scholars, preservationists, and architects was one of the most rewarding parts of the experience. It gave me the chance to share a project that is central to my dissertation and to receive thoughtful feedback that will continue to shape my research moving forward.

What made the conference especially memorable, however, was not only presenting my paper but also experiencing modern architecture so directly through the organized tours. Attending tours, Claremont Modern, A Day with Charles and Ray: Living and Working at the Eames House, and From Tradition to Tomorrow: The Architecture of Paul R. Williams gave me a much richer understanding of Southern California modernism. Each tour revealed different dimensions of modern architecture, its relationship to domestic life, landscape, race, design culture, and urban history. As someone who often encounters architecture through archives, plans, and photographs, it was deeply meaningful to experience these places in person and to think through modernism as something lived and inhabited.

I also appreciated the sense of community the conference created across different generations and areas of expertise. It reminded me that Docomomo is not only a scholarly network, but also a community of people deeply committed to the study, preservation, and public understanding of modern architecture. That was especially inspiring to me. I deeply appreciate Docomomo Tri-State’s support, and I hope to participate as actively as I can as a member in the future. I will do my best to remain involved and contribute to its programs and community.

I am truly thankful for this grant and for the opportunity it made possible. It supported an important professional experience at a crucial stage in my PhD, and I will carry its impact with me in my work ahead.

— Zeki Furkan Sarilican