Yerevan Republican Square reconstruction inopportune: Armenia’s Union of Architects
05.06.2013,
15:10
Reconstruction of Yerevan’s Republican Square is risky as it may destroy the downtown architectural concept, head of Armenia’s Union of Architects Mkrtich Minasyan said.
YEREVAN, June 5. /ARKA/. Reconstruction of Yerevan’s Republican Square is risky as it may destroy the downtown architectural concept, head of Armenia’s Union of Architects Mkrtich Minasyan said.
Yerevan Mayor’s Office announced an open contest of concepts for the Republican Square reconstruction. The proposals should be submitted before August 29. Best design proposals will be selected for modernizing the square situated in the center of the capital. The proposals should take into account the heavy traffic on the square and its negative consequences.
“As the contest terms are not formulated clearly and no limitations are set for how far the changes to the square may go, large-scale reconstruction proposals may also be brought up”, Minasyan told a press conference Wednesday. But this kind of changes, according to the architect, may cause irreversible harm to the square concept.
Speaking about possible construction of underground parking area on the square, Minasyan said that the place should be studied by archeologists first.
Holding this competition now when there are still lots of streets in poor condition is inopportune, the architect said. According to him, the heavy traffic could be eased by improvements toward the square, not touching the square itself. -0-
