Revitalization of outdated city districts is complex due to their unique historic, social, economic, and political contexts. The choice of solutions for these “problem sites” is often reduced to a dilemma between two extremes. In the first approach - radical intervention with demolition, like in Le Corbusier’s “Plan Voisin”, we destroy a part of the city with its entire legacy to start from tabula rasa. The competing approach is “revitalization by renovation” to preserve the atmosphere, style, and aura of the area. However, this option forfeits the opportunities of the 21st century and manifests as butaforie of forms. Such binary consideration of two extremes is unproductive and even harmful since it polarizes the public discourse and disregards the spectrum of available opportunities. The current proposal rejects unwarranted dualism with extreme solutions, successfully retaining the spirit and heritage of the “Firdusi” district while upholding the integrity and social responsibility of modern architecture.

The densely constructed old districts of small European cities owe their perpetual vibrancy to the activating effect of small squares or public spaces. In “Firdusi” district, it was the main street that organized and modified surroundings. The current proposal inserts new public spaces and proposes regulations to allow the remaining fabric to evolve naturally, based on demand for services. While the forms and locations of the squares are chosen to minimize demolitions and to follow the fabric of the district, no arbitrary shapes are inserted to generally follow the master plan approved by the Municipality. Arguments behind this decision are the importance of all the parties involved, as well as the suggestion that the current approved plan might benefit from negatives of its volumes.

Based on these public spaces, some existing buildings, garages and structures smaller than 30 sq.m. are demolished, rendering some areas available for new construction. For these spaces, the proposal only provides typology and regulations, but no specific designs. As it was once done along the Firdusi street, landowners and developers will create new structures to formulate facades and storefronts around the public spaces, fully representing the vernacular architecture of the district. However, the new regulations will ensure healthy and ecologically sound development of the site.

While the central area of the district will mostly host programs such as cafes, stores, restaurants, hotels, a library, and others, over time the perimeter construction around squares will also materialize with morphology typical of Yerevan with its residential blocks in a smaller scale. In the northwestern part of the district, the proposal foresees a residential building stretching from Khanjyan street to Byuzand, which will complete the perimeter. The body of the building will be elevated above the existing two to three story buildings; however, its orthogonal wall structure will allow it to touch the ground in the blank spaces without modifying the existing plan. The entrances to the center of the district will be marked by the voids in the building, resembling the arched passageways (dalans) in the residential block of Yerevan.