Yerevan

Northern Avenue, the main pedestrian connection and axis in Yerevan, capital of Armenia, already has over 80 years’ worth of narratives imbued upon it. Bearing the name of Araratian Street when it was first proposed on the master plan of architect Alexander Tamanyan in 1924, it fits into the Soviet ideology of a socialist plan presented in the shape of a Garden City. It was proposed to link the main administrative Republic Square (Lenin square at that time) to the cultural Freedom Square where the National Opera was under construction. The street was named after Mount Ararat, an important biblical symbol for the Armenian people, towards which the city and the axis were oriented.
Although Araratian Street never was an official name, in the Late Soviet era, the name “Northern Avenue” started to be used more often in order to designate it. There was speculation that the vocabulary was changed first to reduce “nationalistic” risks, and then in order to please northern decision making city Moscow.
The idea of the construction of the Araratian Street resurfaced in the 1960’s, when several competitions and proposals were put into discussion, but again none of those was put into the plan.
After gaining independence, when the first economical activities started in 2000’s, the Yerevan Municipality, with the support of the President of the Republic, initiated an extensive real estate development at the heart of the city. The “clean-up” of the area from remaining buildings and houses, most of them with historic value and under protection, was already in progress only a year after the proposal was initiated in 2000. Northern Avenue was inaugurated in 2007, as only half of the new buildings were ready for operation and habitation.
Seven years after first being put to use, an extensive renovation was carried out to fix construction mistakes and make the area more welcoming. A year later, it has now become obvious that this process is part of another broader development which aims to re-use the top underground parking floor as an underground mall. The mall is to be named Tashir Street and is going to be parallel to the Northern Avenue above it. 
The development of the narrative of the “Avenue” oriented by national pride, Moscow and global commerce is a unique timeline of the last century of urban transformations. Although it was imposed by the political elite at both municipal and national levels, the implementation of the project has been quite different and has found resistance, in all periods of time, from the local population.
The study of the space shows some spatial design errors and uncertainties; but it remains one of the main arteries for evening walks, even though the buildings surrounding it are often void of people and the shops present products priced way above the buying capacity of the local population.

In the area that current Yerevan, capital of Armenia, occupies there are several ancient settlements - Shengavit (4-3 millennium BC) and Erebouni fortress, several irrigation canals and Dalma Gardens that date back to 1st millennium BC. The urban area has constantly been inhabited and shaped current urban landscape based on technical prospects of the time. Today’s urban landscape and pattern have references from 13th century when central part of the city was shaped. Hrazdan river as a main water source for agriculture was a focal point for economic activities started from ancient times. Based on this; most of the settlements, including Shengavit, were adjunct to the river or with an easy access to it. Dalma Gardens that still is an important piece of land being used for agricultural purposes is connected to Hrazdan river with a canal that in some parts is in use till today. This system was used till 1950’s when especially in northern parts of Hrazdan gorge Yerevan inhabitants, immigrants from Diaspora and rural area inhabitants used to cultivate fruit trees and vineyards on terraces dated to ancient times. This raise graveled or sometimes paved terraces, stair-rows and water canals are remaining in some areas of gorge, where the transformation of landscape is visible. These are mostly located in those areas with gentle steepness and water access. It is seen mostly in north-eastern and south eastern (next to Yerevan reservoir) parts. This man-made phenomenon was subject of study during last few years by authors of this paper. They tried to map the area, study the topography, understand typology and consider photo archives and oral histories that will be presented for the first time in this article. It will not only raise awareness on these types of heritage that are new on preservation field. It will also promote revitalization of the whole gorge area as a unique landscape that mixes natural and man-made heritage. It will highlight the importance of restoring this landscape and the need for re-using it with its traditional purposes.