Author: Greg Madatian

MVRDV has announced its plans to transform an existing valley in armenia into a base for sustainable agriculture and ecotourism. gagarin valley is already inhabited by around 11,000 inhabitants across several villages but this ambitious masterplan will add 12,000 new housing units, 10,000 plant species, and a host of innovative facilities such as a spherical building for agricultural education at the heart of the valley.

the massive project was commissioned by the armenian non-profit organisation DAR foundation for regional development and competitiveness, and MVRDV’s proposal was unveiled on tuesday (january 11th, 2022) to armenian government officials. 

image © MVRDV

named after cosmonaut yuri gagarin, gagarin valley is situated in armenia’s mountainous highlands, close to lake sevan and just only 50 km from the capital yerevan. the landscape comprises a patchwork of different plots of land across a 34,000-hectare area.

the goal of this project, developed by MVRDV and local partners, is to make the valley an attractive destination for both future residents and ecotourists—in line with armenia’s aim to attract 2.5 million tourists a year by 2026.

the agro center will be located at the heart of the valley

MVRDV’s proposal begins by preserving and reinforcing the 10,000 plots and the existing roads in the valley. a network of walking and cycling paths will then be added to connect all the villages. the plans also include planting different species on each plot to make the landscape visually more attractive and stimulate economic diversity.

water management will be improved with the restoration and enlargement of the route of the hrazdan river, a new canal system, water reservoirs in the mountains, and other water sources to irrigate farmland. canals, public paths and greenery will also be inserted along boundary lines to improve the water system. 

‘the area is named after yuri gagarin, who was the first human to orbit the earth; he saw the planet’s vulnerability, a house in need of extra care, as many other astronauts have since stressed. I share that concern: stimulating biodiversity, improving water management and the ecosystem is of great importance for the future of the gagarin valley and the world,’ says MVRDV founding partner winy maas. ‘the valley can be seen as a series of test fields for the 10,000 species that will soon flourish there, an enrichment that will give the area the appearance of a garden of eden.’ 

stacked vertical villages will have green roofs

as for the architecture, MVRDV proposes to transform existing buildings—some of which date from the soviet era—into new buildings to reduce material wastage. traditional armenian farmhouses will form the inspiration for the newly built homes, to which green, vegetated roofs will be added. this new future and the innovative, sustainable housing will make the valley attractive for different target groups and make the area attractive again for young armenians.

existing buildings, some from soviet times, will be transformed to waste as little building material as possible

the proposed facilities include a market hall, a commercial center, a center for the arts, and a sunken stadium for 4,500 visitors. the heart of the valley will be formed by an educational agricultural center, around which the highest density can be found, with houses stacked to form vertical villages.

‘we designed a sphere that acts as mini-planet, where the classrooms surround a spherical void and where all the species of the valley and beyond are shown and monitored’, adds maas. ‘the sphere will be surrounded by a central park that contains all the species – a scientific arboretum, reflected in the mirroring sphere. gagarin would have loved it, I think.’

10,000 different species will be planted in the valley

project info:

name: gagarin valley

location: gagarin, armenia

year: 2022
client: DAR foundation for regional development and competitiveness
size and program: 33,828 hectares – agricultural & eco-tourism masterplan, housing 35,000 residents (11,000 current residents + 24,000 newcomers)

architect: MVRDV
founding partner in charge: winy maas
director: enno zuidema
design team: emilie koch, chun hoi hui, luisa correa de oliveira, nahid aghaie tabrizi, dirco kok, amrei gutmann, tasos antonopoulos, hadi boudouch
sustainability advisor: daniel de witte
strategy and development: elija kozak
copyright: MVRDV winy maas, jacob van rijs, nathalie de vries

partners:
client team: DAR foundation for regional development and competitiveness (arsen aghajanyan, margarita gevorgyan, sarhat petrosyan, ani aghajanyan, aram gharibyan, nune manukyan, arevik abrahamyan, alvard avetisyan, hayk bianjyan, vladimir bianjyan, seda grigoryan, angelika tamaryan, anahit nahapetyan)
water management: deltares (begona arellano jaimerena, perry de louw)

visualizations: A2 studio (rafal hanski)
economic consultant: CIVITTA armenia
terms of reference: storaket architectural studio
tangible heritage research: mazaz expedition team
intangible heritage research: hazarashen armenian center for ethnographic research
biodiversity research: armen gasparyan, ivan gabrielyan, arthur alaverdyan, vasil ananyan

hydrological research: alexander arakelyan
GIS creation: artak piloyan
model assistants: varant yessaye hadjian, marat mayilyan, ani avetisyan, gayane aramyan, liparit atabekyan, isabella harutyunyan, grigor nalchajyan

For more photos, go to 

Christmas is a time when we pray for light and hope to emerge in areas affected by violence and hardship.

In the small Armenian territory of Nagorno Karabakh (known as Artsakh to its Armenian residents) there exists a wonderful symbol of life and hope that has emerged from the destruction of two brutal wars that took place there in 1988-1994 and in 2020.

HART's partner in Nagorno Karabakh, the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre

During the Nagorno Karabakh war of 1988-1994, it is estimated that about 50,000 people were wounded. Both soldiers and civilians were left disabled and lacked even the most basic medication for pain relief. In 1998, a bomb-damaged building in the capital of Nagorno Karabakh, Stepanakert, was reconstructed as the region's first and only rehabilitation facility for people with disabilities. Specialist courses for local nurses were held and in 2005, the Rehabilitation facility was re-named the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre.

Since then, a state of the art hydrotherapy pool has been installed, a day care centre for young children with mental and physical disabilities has opened, and a specialised sub-centre for the treatment of children with autism and cerebral palsy have been added.

These have helped secure the institution's reputation as a 'Centre of Excellence', providing physical therapy, speech therapy, hydrotherapy and psychologist sessions, that are unique to the region.

By 2021, the centre had 73 staff including 25 nurse specialists who treated 160 inpatients and almost 400 outpatients, including home visits throughout the region.

The centre's inspirational Director and Founder, Vardan Tadevosyan, told us: "For decades, I, my staff and patients have suffered the consequences of conflict in our homeland.

"But the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Centre represents the courage, resilience and spirit of our people and is a symbol of light and hope for the people of Nagorno Karabakh and the whole region.

"Throughout the pandemic and at the start of the 2020 conflict, the centre continued to provide the best possible care for their disabled patients, until the scale of the conflict forced the centre's temporary evacuation."

Vardan has proved innovative in breaking many of the entrenched Soviet stigmas surrounding disability. While children with physical or mental handicaps have often been segregated, his nursery embraces children with and without disabilities who serve as path-breaking examples of integration.

He has also broken the Soviet prejudice against the employment of people with disabilities, initially employing, for example, a blind psychologist for telephone counselling.

He says: "We are proud to have transformed the lives of people with disabilities, who would otherwise have been isolated and neglected, both those paralysed and injured by war, and those with inherited or accidental disabilities."

The Karabakh Conflict of 2020

Between 27 September and 9 November 2020, a second brutal war took place in Nagorno Karabakh.

As Vardan says: "We were subject to constant military offensives by tanks, helicopters, cluster munitions and Smerch rockets.

"These caused mass displacement with over 100,000 civilians forced to flee their homes and over 14,000 civilian structures destroyed or damaged."

Advanced drone technology and superior Turkish-backed Azerbaijani forces, assisted by several thousand Syrian jihadist militants imported by Turkey, played a significant role in leading to Armenia's defeat.

After the capture of the key strategic town of Shushi, which overlooks Nagorno Karabakh's capital, Stepanakert, Artsakh was forced to accept a Russian-brokered ceasefire and a 'peace' deal that resulted in the handover of 70 per cent of Artsakh's territory, including hundreds of Armenian religious and historical sites, back to Azeri control.

During the war, over 5,000 lives were lost on both sides and thousands lost their homes.

The social, psychological and emotional impact of this on the Armenian population of Artsakh cannot be overstated. And the scale of anti-Armenian, anti-Christian rhetoric; the denial and obliteration of Armenian heritage; and the refusal by Azerbaijan to release Armenian prisoners of war only heightens the residents' continued fear for the future.

Hope emerges from the ashes of destruction

Despite the severe and ongoing hardships of the recent conflict, the rehabilitation centre continues to flourish. It has reopened and expanded its work to accommodate injured soldiers. Needs have multiplied and the number of patients treated each year is expected to double to more than 2,000, with patients receiving physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, speech therapy and psychological treatment.

Vardan told us recently: "Despite all that has happened and the continuing uncertainty, we still mark celebrations when patients and staff come together to share fun and laughter. Patients feel valued and prioritised. Our work is centred on compassion and determination and despite all the suffering, it goes from strength to strength.

"I am very happy with the patients' progress and they love the staff and friendly environment. This year we will have 1,300 people visiting the centre. The home visit programme is three times bigger than before and we continue the kindergarten and autism centre. As for the soldiers, we don't want to put them on a waiting list. They are seen as soon as they apply. This is why my staff are working much more intensively."

Whatever the politics of war, it is always the innocent who suffer and in many places, provision for the wounded and disabled is, at best, inadequate. But for all the suffering and uncertainty in Nagorno Karabakh, the spirit of compassion and courage continues, and in the face of all odds, light and hope continue to emerge from the ashes of destruction.

Rev Dr Andrew Ashdown is Advocacy Development Manager at Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART). To support the work of HART, including its support of Nagorno Karabakh's Disability Rehabilitation Centre, visit www.hart-uk.org/donate

During his address to the national parliament, on December 13, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced that Turkey was ready to normalize ties with Armenia. The new breakthrough includes mutually appointed envoys, and the resumption of charter flights between Istanbul and Armenia's capital, Yerevan, according to the foreign minister. The December 13 announcement comes just months after a series of positive diplomatic signs between Turkey and Armenia.

The steps could signal an end to the icy relations that have plagued the two nations for over 30 years. Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 during the first Karabakh war in a show of solidarity with its long-time ally Azerbaijan. But it was not just the closed borders that hindered the ties between the two countries. According to Talha Köse, an Associate Professor in the Ibn Haldun University Political Science Department, “bilateral historical mistrust, negative perceptions, geopolitical confrontations during and after the Cold War and the lack of trade cooperation” also had a role to play. The two countries never even exchanged ambassadors.

The day after Cavusoglu's remarks, Armenia's foreign ministry spokesperson, Vahan Hunanyan, confirmed their readiness for dialogue:

Armenia has always been and remains ready for the process of normalization of relations with Turkey without preconditions, which is enshrined in the program of the Government of Armenia. In this regard, we assess positively the statement of the Foreign Minister of Turkey on the appointment of a special representative for the normalization of relations, and confirm that the Armenian side also will appoint a special representative for the dialogue.

Ankara said it was appointing Serdar Kilic as its envoy while Armenia has yet to name one.

Some regard the move as an attempt to improve Turkey's desperate economic situation and also bolster its relations with the US, which have been strained since Turkey purchased defense missiles from Russia — but others disagree.

Veteran journalist, Cengiz  Candar wrote recently that the country's decision to change its course with regard to Armenia had nothing to do with reaping foreign policy or economic benefits. Candar wrote that it was “the shift in the balance of power in the South Caucasus” that “has driven Turkey and Armenia to normalize their decisions.”

Turkey and Armenia were close to finding some common ground in 2008 after representatives from each nation met in Zurich and agreed to a series of protocols designed to normalize relations between the two countries.

Following the meeting, Turkey's then-President Abdullah Gul traveled to Yerevan to watch the first of the two qualifying World Cup matches between Turkey and Armenia. A year later, then-President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, traveled to Turkey's province of Bursa to watch another football game between the two national teams. These visits were described at the time as “football diplomacy.”

The negotiations eventually fell through after Turkey withdrew due to mounting pressure from Azerbaijan. Armenia formally declared the protocols null and void in 2018.

Now, the chances of Azerbaijan interfering are slim. “Before Armenia's withdrawal from this region, Baku saw Turkey's opening of the borders as a betrayal and harshly criticized it. Now, after the truce, this issue is off the table and it won't be a surprise to see a milder tone from Azerbaijan than in 2009,” said Ankara-based political analyst Hasan Selim Özertem in an interview with Eurasianet.

“Establishment of diplomatic ties and unlocking the borders are of critical significance for Ankara to realize its strategic aspirations in the South Caucasus and beyond,” wrote Turkish journalist Fehim Tastekin for AlMonitor recently.

But this is also a “painful topic,” in Armenia, according to reporting by the regional news platform JamNews. The issue of Turkey not recognizing the events of 1915, the absence of diplomatic relations, and Turkey's support of Azerbaijan during the 2020 44-day Nagorno-Karabakh War, makes it impossible for many Armenians to view Turkey as an ally.

When addressing the parliament, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey would consult Azerbaijan at every step, conveying a clear message that, unlike the 2009 Zurich protocols, Ankara will not keep Baku in the dark, wrote journalist Amberin Zaman for AlMonitor on December 15. “In so doing, Ankara is effectively linking progress in its own dealings with Yerevan to progress between Azerbaijan and Armenia to strike a comprehensive peace deal of their own, which is far from assured,” wrote Zaman.

The involvement of Azerbaijan is something that is received with caution in Armenia. “Most Armenian analysts and officials believe that Yerevan should pursue normalization with Ankara one on one, without Russia, Azerbaijan, or anyone else getting involved. Turkey, meanwhile, appears to be more interested in pursuing normalization in the framework of its proposed “3+3” platform, a regional body made up of the South Caucasus states and their neighbors: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, plus Iran, Russia, and Turkey,” wrote journalist Ani Mejlumyan for Eurasianet.

Beyond the diplomatic framework, Turkey is also interested in the potential economic prospects. According to the final point of the trilateral deal brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin and co-signed by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in November 2020, “all economic and transport connections in the region shall be unblocked.”

“At issue is a series of transport routes that have been closed since the early 1990s, cutting off Armenia and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan from international access. If these closed routes are all ‘unblocked,’ as the agreement stipulates, the most noticeable impact will be a reactivated north-south route that runs from Russia to Armenia and Iran via Azerbaijan,” wrote Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow with Carnegie Europe, specializing in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region. “A new good-quality rail network with minimal border controls would also boost east-west trade, especially if the Armenia-Turkey border, closed since 1993, is reopened,” noted de Waal.

The fragile Turkey-Armenia normalization process could be derailed at any moment, though Candar suggested the following steps could further strengthen the process:

First, the Armenian and Turkish special envoys will meet to discuss the opening of the land border. The process will probably be followed with the Turkish flag carrier’s landing on the tarmac of the international airport in the Armenian capital. The following step might be the appointment of ambassadors. If all of these are achieved, the railroad link between Armenia and Turkey, linking the latter with Azerbaijan, could be expected.