The «City Talks with Mark Grigoryan» podcast series delves into the urban and architectural landscape of Armenia, aiming to uncover the complexities that shape our cities. This podcast focuses on design, architecture, and urban planning, exploring their interconnectedness.
The series highlights the architectural beauty of cities, their historical significance, and future potential by facilitating meaningful dialogues among experts, local residents, and various stakeholders. These discussions create opportunities to address urban challenges and explore viable solutions.
As the concluding installment of the podcast series, the second «LIVE Podcast with Mark Grigoryan» panel discussion was held under the title «Reimagining Architecture.»
The panel featured distinguished speakers, including Aram Shatvoryan, Dean of the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia; Marianna Karapetyan, Founder of the architectural bureau «Electricarchitects»; and Stepan Azaryan, Founder of the design company «Backbonebranding.»
During the session, the panelists discussed how to infuse new life and meaning into historic buildings, how societal needs influence the redefinition of architectural significance, and whether such initiatives should be driven at the state or business level. They also highlighted essential boundaries to consider in the reimagining process. Successful international practices were presented, such as the transformation of London’s former power station into Tate Modern, a globally recognized contemporary art museum.
The discussion also covered issues related to the city’s master plan, sidewalk accessibility, and the development of young professionals in the fields of architecture and design.
Following the panel discussion, a Q&A session provided attendees the opportunity to share their thoughts and pose questions to the speakers and Mark Grigoryan.
At the end of the event, a small quiz was organized to assess the participants’ knowledge of the subject matter. The winner received a copy of Mark Grigoryan’s new book, which showcases maps of Yerevan from various historical periods.
In summary, the final panel discussion of the «LIVE Podcast with Mark Grigoryan» offered a unique platform for addressing critical architectural and urban planning issues while fostering public dialogue and enhancing educational initiatives within this vital sector.
