Preserving Architectural Memory

By Jane Britt Greenwood

"The Armenian Weekly", 2007 Year End Special Issue, Volume 73, No. 51-52, December 22-29, 2007

When natural disasters, political agendas or economic development threaten the architectural heritage of a country, city or neighborhood, citizens are faced with losing the ties that bind them to that place. The reminders of who we are and where we come from are inherent in the architecture that surrounds us, yet we often do not realize it until those reminders no longer exist. Dwellings embody the memories of our youth; yet in Yerevan, memories associated with courtyards, wooden balconies and lace curtains softly blowing in the breeze are disappearing every time a historic house is demolished.

When it comes to issues of conservation and preservation, the need to restore small-scale residential architecture is often overlooked in favor of maintaining those structures perceived as having more important civic and/or religious value. Dwellings are repositories of changing lifestyles and because it is a familiar architectural typology, families are more apt to manipulate and change it themselves. Despite these visual changes, the memory of what came before remains evident in the hierarchy, composition or organization of materials, structure and architectural components such as windows and doors. Therefore, preserving these structures gives important insight into the evolution of a country and culture over time.

This article presents the efforts of three organizations to document the residential vernacular architecture of Armenia in order to raise awareness of this endangered architectural species. The purpose of the documentation process is not to suggest that houses of the 21st century should look like those constructed in the 19th century; rather, there needs to be an understanding of how residential architecture in Armenia evolved so that architectural memories of the past can be re-interpreted to create new memories for the future. Without these efforts, cultural identity associated with Armenian lifestyle will be lost.

Earthwatch Institute

During the summer of 2008—from June 14 to Aug. 21—research activities will be in the second year of a three-year project being funded by the Earthwatch Institute. This fieldwork, entitled “Armenia’s Architectural Heritage (www.earthwatchexpeditions.org/US/exped/greenwood.html) involves the documentation of houses constructed between 1840 and 1920 when the Armenian city of Gyumri was known as Alexandrapol. Unfortunately, the residential architecture from this time period is currently at risk of being destroyed due to economic development and to years of neglect in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in 1988.

Earthwatch is a non-profit organization with offices located in the U.S., UK, Australia and Japan that supports scientific field research by offering volunteers the opportunity to join research teams around the world. Each year close to 4,000 volunteers are recruited to help collect data in disciplines ranging from ecology, conservation, marine science and archaeology.

During the summer of 2007, three teams of volunteers—ranging in age from the mid-20s to the mid-80s—each spent 11 days listening to oral histories while they measured, drew and photographed five dwellings in the Kumayri Historic District, the residential quarter of Gyumri when it was known as Alexandrapol. The information gathered by these 17 volunteers will be used to develop a visual vocabulary of the elements and components of residential architecture that produce diverse and unique regional characteristics. This vocabulary—or pattern language—can then be used to guide the future growth and development of Gyumri while preserving and re-interpreting the vernacular quality of its residential architecture.

Heritage Conservation Network

While the Earthwatch project aims to document structures vis-à-vis drawings and photographs, the Heritage Conservation Network (HCN) workshop aims to document the buildings through a process of de-construction and re-construction. Arrangements are being made with the USAID/Armenia Public Works Program for this project to serve as a job training exercise for beginner masons. This workshop, scheduled for Sept. 2-12, 2008, will not only provide vocational training but will help bring life back to the historic stone residences representative of Gyumri during the Alexandrapol years.

HCN is a non-profit organization located in the U.S. that utilizes the skills and efforts of volunteers to help save the world’s architectural heritage. Whether novice or expert, participants will work alongside local residents to not only save the cultural heritage of this historically significant architectural enclave, but also help restore much needed housing stock. The goal of this two-week, hands-on workshop is to document and analyze vernacular construction techniques and methodologies. There is also an educational component in that the residents of Gyumri will learn about conservation and preservation activities that not only increase property value but also maintain cultural identity. A specific house has been identified and volunteer logistics have been worked out. Additional information can be found on the HCN website at www.heritageconservation.net. The goals of this workshop include demonstrating how preservation can be a cost effective and sustainable process, creating jobs related to restoration and re-construction, and increasing regional income through heritage tourism.

Historic Armenian Houses

The aforementioned research activities have been developed and designed to promote the mission of Historic Armenian Houses (HAH). Located in Yerevan, this non-governmental organization was formed in 2004 in order to identify, research, protect and preserve the historic houses of Armenia. In addition to the current work in Gyumri, long-term plans include the documentation and analysis of historic houses or dwellings in Ashtarak, Dilijan, Goris and Meghri. Ultimately, HAH aims to identify, locate and document surviving examples of Armenian residential vernacular architecture in Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The importance of these types of research activities have been validated through design charrettes and town meetings held in Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Whether rebuilding in the wake of natural disasters or in response to economic development, there is an urgent need to design and construct in a manner sensitive to the memory of people and places. Disseminating information that documents the process used for the Kumayri Historic District will provide a prototypical methodology that can be applied to other Armenian cities and towns looking to construct and design neighborhoods reflective of their national heritage. Whether repairing damaged structures or constructing new ones, identifying vernacular neighborhood, architectural and landscape pattern languages will provide a guide for designing and building structures consistent with the unique and distinct traditions inherent in Armenian culture.

Preserving Architectural Memory

The insightful quote by Sir Winston Churchill serves as a reminder that “we shape our dwellings and afterwards our dwellings shape us.” Therefore, as Armenia continues to experience a long-awaited and well-deserved building boom, it is important to pose the following question: What are the long-term ramifications when cultures are shaped by building types and styles that bear no reflection upon who they are or where they come from?

If you are interested in contributing to the work of the Earthwatch Institute (www.earthwatch.org), the Heritage Conservation Network (www.heritageconservation.net) or Historic Armenian Houses (www.historicarmenianhouses.org), please contact them to learn how you can help advance these projects. As the world becomes increasingly homogenized through a process of global standardization, cultures like Armenia are increasingly at risk of losing their architectural, cultural and national identity. The process of investigating and documenting the search for an Armenian visual vocabulary can produce educational models and planning tools for elected officials, architects, planners and citizens of Armenia. Developing and implementing design guidelines, master plans and other documents aimed at managing economic and physical growth will help protect and preserve the vernacular quality of Armenia’s architectural and cultural heritage. Along the way, the architectural memory of a unique and heroic culture will be preserved.