Published in Nouvelles d’Arménie Magasine (February 2008)
The most beautiful gift AGBU could ever make to Armenian youth: a modern university center, located in downtown Yerevan, planned to welcome 1000 students each year in a state-of-the-art facility designed by Aris Atamian.
Nouvelles d’Arménie Magasine: In our previous issue, Alexis Govciyan, new AGBU Europe chairman, announced the creation of a large University Complex in Yerevan. Could you please give us some more detail about it?
Aris Atamian: AGBU decided to invest in three major projects in Armenia: summer camps, a summer resort around Lake Sevan and the Melkonian complex, which is the flagship program for this decade. This project is especially important for the Diaspora but is located in Armenia. The aim is to establish a university center with a capacity to welcome 400 students each staying three to six months, thus able to house a thousand people each year. The decision was taken in October 2007 at a world meeting of the AGBU Center Board. The land, measuring one and a half hectares and ideally located in downtown Yerevan, has been purchased. The complex, situated 700 meters from Republic Square will be accessible from the second ring road. Construction, scheduled to begin at the end of this year, or at the latest in early 2009, will take two years to complete.
NAM: Why was this project chosen?
AA: When one realizes how strong a mark a two-week holidays in Armenia impresses on the young, one can only imagine the greater impact of a three or six months stay. We want to provide an opportunity for students to uniquely experience the Homeland at a key moment of their life. This is not a tourism project. This is an ambitious and realistic project for the youth.
NAM: What will be the eligibility criteria of students?
AA: The program is aimed at Diaspora undergraduate or graduate students who wish to benefit from a graduate program in Armenia. In recent years, American and European Universities have encouraged students to participate in study-abroad programs for one or two semesters. Students from the Diaspora would participate in the context of an exchange program like Erasmus, with prior agreements between their universities and the academic institutions in Armenia. Agreements are currently proceeding with American, French, Russian and Armenian Universities in Armenia.
NAM: Will this Center only welcome the students from Diaspora?
AA: No. 20% of the best students from Armenia will have opportunity to study in this Center and to benefit from free accommodation, in order to build harmony between Diaspora and Armenian youth. It is a flagship project for AGBU, but it is also an essential project for Armenia. The program, though primarily benefiting Diaspora youth, will also be important to accomodate guests invited to Armenia as well as Armenians from Yerevan.
NAM: Why is this complex named after Melkonian?
AA: Our project is named the Melkonian Complex because it will be sponsored in large part by funds obtained through a partial sale of the Cyprus land. The transitioning of the Melkonian vision to Armenia is also the realization of the original dream of the Melkonian Brothers who wanted to initially establish the academy in Armenia. At that time it was not possible, but 16 years after independence it is, therefore helping promote the development of Armenian youth from around the world. The Melkonian Institute in Cyprus was progressively closed between 2004 and 2007, while at the same time, the concept of creating a major University in Armenia took form under the Melkonian Complex name. It is a logical sequel to the original vision of the Melkonian brothers. Clearly the objective of the stay of Diaspora students in Armenia lies not only with their university courses, but also with the implementation of a project in Armenia devoted to Diaspora youth. For those who claim AGBU exclusively supports projects in Armenia, I wish to remind them that 80% of this project is an investment is for the Diaspora. The only way to connect all components of the Diaspora is via Armenia. Without being a demagog, I don’t know of any best meeting point. And for me, language should not be a barrier.
NAM: In what spirit did you create your design?
AA: The complex will have a panoramic view of the city and an easy access to downtown Yerevan. This site will be visible both day and night. We wanted a modern architecture with Armenian textures. I think we should not always build in a neo-conservative style just because we are in Armenia. The complex will house modern facilities with reminiscences of the Armenian symbolic. An Armenian chapel made in glass will be placed on one of the plazas. We hope our project will be an example. Of course it will conform to anti-seismic standards and be as flexible as possible to evolve in time. The outward appearance of the Centre will consist of windows. Today’s technology allows us to avoid problems caused by changes in temperature so common in Yerevan.
NAM: How this complex will be structured?
AA: As the complex is placed on a hill, the 10% slope allows us to have two ground floor levels. In fact, all of the functionality will be built around this double base, above which will stand the three buildings housing students and professors. The buildings will be divided into three zones, modeled after the Cité Universitaire de Paris, named United States, Europe and Russia. The idea is not to separate the Diaspora (we want to mix them all together), but rather to attract donors. The structures will be very simple using Armenian rocks, not tuff nor basalt. The complex will have single and double rooms with facilities for the disabled. We aim to provide what is best to Armenian youth.
NAM: Is it possible to organize symposiums in the University complex?
AA: Of course, as well as exhibitions. On the upper ground floor there will be reception hall, an exhibition room, three types of restaurants, an international Armenian chess center and the administration office of the University. The lower ground floor will be comprised of classrooms, language labs, a media library, a sport hall and a lecture hall with the capacity to receive 500 people. Our objective is to create a functional and user-friendly complex, certainly not monumental nor ostentatious.
NAM: What is the cost of such a project ?
AA: We are working on costs details. It is difficult to give the definitive costs because most supplies come from outside Armenia. During the past ten years, Armenia has made a colossal effort regarding high quality construction, but unfortunately all innovative processes and finishing work are still imported. This is changing; I know there is now glassmaking in Armenia.
NAM: Is this your first project in Armenia?
AA: Absolutely. It was my dream to build in Armenia. Our ambition at the architectural level is to encourage modernity and sustainable development. The latter concept has not yet made an impact in Armenia because of other priorities, but our aim is to create a harmonious development. We cannot escape progress. We are not here to teach lessons, as even in Europe, the concept of sustainable development is relatively recent. We simply wish to show by this example that another type of construction is possible. The more AGBU will carry ambitious plans, the more high-performance teams will want to participate.