In December 2015 the “Intellectual Renaissance” Foundation bought the world-known novelist, American-Armenian playwright William Saroyan’s house in Fresno and intends to turn it into a Saroyan house-museum. The foundation aims to reproduce the atmosphere of Saroyan’s house, so that each visitor can get to know Saroyan’s lifestyle.
According to the release by the foundation, the head of the foundation Artur Janibekyan has founded the “Saroyan House Museum” project, established links with the relatives and family members of the renowned novelist. A competition has been announced to design the house museum with the final round held in Yerevan. “Storaket” architectural studio has been named the winner of the competition that has proposed novel solutions and new technologies to be applied to the design of the project. Saroyan and his heroes will acquire 3D layouts to be transferred and live in the space of 114sq.m, where Saroyan used to live and create. According to the idea, Saroyan will receive the guests of the house himself, tour the premises and confer with them. The interactive museum will erase time and space as orientation elements.
The Foundation has obtained all the necessary agreements with the Fresno City Hall and intends to officially open the house-museum on the 110th birthday anniversary of the novelist slated for August 31, 2018.
After the reconstruction, the house-museum will become a center for Saroyan studies. The foundation plans to collect books, furniture items, paintings, souvenirs and personal items, which would describe Saroyan’s character. It is noted, that some of the Pulitzer-winner literary heritage of the writer is kept at Stanford University, while others at Saroyan Foundation.
The Saroyan House Council will oversight the process comprising literary critics specialized in Saroyan studies throughout the world.
The foundation will also launch the saroyanhouse.com web site, which will contain information about Saroyan’s life, as well as the future activities of the Saroyan house-museum and the upcoming events. Through the website, the visitors will be able to take a virtual tour around the museum.
