ELITOMANIA. THE ART OF BUILDING
James Hakobyan

Lragir, Armenia
July 23 2007

What is underway in Yerevan has an official definition – urban
planning. However, after a deeper look it becomes clear that the
ongoing building has nothing to do with urban planning, at least for
the simple reason that the building for which the center of Yerevan is
in a mess now is absolutely incompliant with the demands of Yerevan
at present. It is enough to make inventories, like the president of
Armenia Robert Kocharyan likes to put it, to make sure that it is
incompliant, to make an inventory of the problems of Yerevan and what
now is being built in Yerevan. Let’s start with the problems. They
are many, of course, but the most important ones could be enumerated:
passable roads, apartments, not elite ones but for a major class
of the society, because even the official data show that about 80
percent of available housing is worn. Hence, roads, apartments, as
well as green area and relieved center because it is evident that
for some capacity of the center it is necessary to finally spoil the
center because what had been foreseen by the architect Tamanyan does
not suppose such heavy traffic at the center.

Now it is time to make an inventory of "urban planning" efforts. What
is being built in Yerevan? It is obvious to everyone, and perhaps
nobody would let me cheat them, but even if they allow, I simply cannot
cheat anyone. The city needs roads. No significant efforts are made yet
to relieve traffic in the center of the city through other ways. And
what are these ways? It could be multi-level parking, improvement of
operation of traffic lights, removal of minibus routes from the city
center. These are some of the efforts that could be made if there
was wish to make traffic in the center at least a little bearable and
predictable. After all, the authorities should acknowledge that it is
also a political issue because one day the drivers stuck in a traffic
jam at some intersection will become the critical mass who will be
full of deep indifference towards political stability in the country
and will do what failed in more dangerous periods for the government.

Yerevan needs new apartments because the old ones are worn and are
already dangerous for residents, as we witnessed a few days ago. What
does the government offer in return? The government does not encourage
a social housing policy but the so-called elitomania. Elite buildings
are erected everywhere which only the oligarchs who build and the
government officials who sign their license can afford to buy. And
these buildings directly affect the two major problems of the city:
green area and heavy traffic. The major part of building is at
the center of the city which means it is becoming heavier. Besides
apartments business centers and places of entertainment are being
built, which means that the center is loaded with not only residents
but also people who come to the center to work or to have fun.

Besides, most building is done at the expense of green areas, and
the vivid evidence to it is the recent incident at Pushkin Street.

There is no need to tell to what degree the so-called urban planning
programs address the problems of the city. Perhaps it is clear
to every citizen that what is being built, including the subways,
will not make life in Yerevan easier and more comfortable because
it is impossible to cram the center and make it comfortable at the
same time. The center is not made of rubber, it is not elastic. It
is impossible to add concrete and cut trees at the same time and
claim that this is for the sake of the comfort of the citizens. The
government had better confess that urban planning in Yerevan is the
only way to keep the economy of the country alive. In other words, a
problem of employment is solved, that’s all. Of course, employment is
not bad, it is even necessary. But when it is not for the future but
at the expense of the future, it already causes concern, especially
that it is impossible to build Yerevan endlessly.