A group of five scholars from Kadir Has University’s (Istanbul) Art and Design, and MEF University’s (Istanbul) Art, Design and Architecture faculties, including vice-rectors, head of department, visited Armenia from January 21st to 23rd 2019.
Aiming to enhance academic and professional cooperation between the two neighbouring countries in the field of architecture, the visit was organised as a follow-up to the previous collaboration initiatives between National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia (NUACA), and MEF and Kadir Has universities in Turkey. In February 2018, a group of scholars from NUACA visited Istanbul to explore possibilities of collaboration in the field of architecture. This visit paved the way for a joint summer school programme implemented in June-July 2018, in which architecture students from NUACA and MEF University designed and built a playground for the children of Armenian-citizen migrants in Istanbul, within the framework of MEF University’s Design Build Studio.
Within the scope of this visit, the scholars from Turkey were hosted by NUACA. Following a short tour of NUACA campus, the academics from three universities had a roundtable meeting and exchanged ideas on how to further academic cooperation between their institutions, informed each other about their undergraduate and graduate programmes, and discussed the possibilities of organising a joint summer school in Yerevan that will be held with the participation architecture students from both countries. The scholars from Turkey made presentations within the scope of the public lecture that was held at NUACA. The participants of this lecture had the opportunity to learn about the works and legacy of Sinan the Architect, contemporary art and urban space in Turkey as well as MEF University’s Design and Build Studio experience and its working principles.
During the programme, the participating scholars also had meetings with Storaket and Skillshop architectural studios, and were informed about their projects of various scales. The group was also hosted by IDeA Foundation in Armenia, and learnt about their architectural and renovation activities. Thanks to these meetings, the participants were able to understand the overall landscape of architecture in Armenia, its main trends, as well as to explore academic and professional cooperation possibilities with their counterparts in Armenia.
Türkiye’den Mimarlık Uzmanları Ermenistan’ı Ziyaret Etti
As part of the programme, the group also explored the major architectural and cultural sites of Yerevan, with the guidance of art historian Ara Petrosyan. In order to get acquainted with the multi-layered cultural and architectural heritage of Yerevan, the participants made excursions to some of the notable museums, major sites, and architectural buildings of Yerevan including the Matenadaran Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, Parajanov Museum, The Cafesjian Center for the Arts, Cascade complex, Katoghike Church, the Opera and Ballet Building, Republic Square as well as the Kond District. The group also had a short trip outside of Yerevan to visit Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery.
Turkey-Armenia Dialogue Programme series are implemented by the Hrant Dink Foundation
in partnership with Gyumri Youth Initiative Centre
with the support of UK Government’s Conflict, Security and Stability Fund.
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The cultural component of the programme has been realised with the support of the Chrest Foundation.
