I have lived the first 21 years of my life in Ajapnyak district, in a “Khrushchev-era” apartment. Four of us were living in 28 square meters, the balcony was turned into two sections where my sister and I were living. I was not absolutely feeling upset, both morally and materially. Moreover, this building with 6 entries and no architectural value is dearer to me because it is an integral part of my life. If building 8 on Leningradyan Street is demolished, I feel pain and probably several dozens of people will share my feelings. Certainly, it will be no pain for the rest of the residents in Yerevan, Armenia and Armenians.
The center of capital is certainly different. It is a cultural environment, which connects the memories, the stories and may be the myths of hundreds of thousands of people. We used to come here from Ajapnyak, Masiv or the 3rd District, as well as from Yerevan and other places outside Armenia to breathe the air of the City. Here, it is important not only that the buildings in the center of the capital are architectural masterpieces but also to what extent they are associated with the city’s cultural environment. The building, item and stone acquire significance not because they are “beautiful” or “ugly”, “functional” or “non-functional”, a “barn” or a “palace” by the decision of the “judges” but due to their historical, cultural and psychological “richness”.
By saying “Afrikyans’ home”, we refer also to the attitude to the life, business and philanthropy, which the businessmen carrying this last name were having. The Opera Theatre building is not only Tamanyan’s masterpiece but also a place where wonderful performances were staged and great artists have performed. Otherwise, “functionally”, now, a bigger and better-suited building can be constructed for contemporary performances.
“Stalin-era” buildings on Moskovyan Street are filled with the spirit of Stalinism and the Stalin nomenclature. A very similar to them, the North Avenue, is loaded by chance or by luck with rich and mostly tasteless and ignorant people’s spirit ordering such buildings. These buildings are big not only because the builders wanted to “squeeze more money” from it, there is also an “aesthetic” delicacy here: the tasteless people view the beauty as something big and shiny. While, as producer Ruben Babayan has said on one occasion, the heat comes from small rather than big things.
Read also
Now, the remaining buildings on Aram Street in under the plan of insatiable builders. I am afraid that the society will begin protesting against it when they will be demolished in a night.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
