History, Heritage and Urbanism Initiative
Tumanyan is a place with a strong character and layered history. Everyone who comes here has something to learn from its stories.
The region of Tumanyan is rich in prehistoric sites that attest to early human habitation. Nearby medieval monasteries – Odzun, Horomayr, and Kobayr (perched right across the gorge from Tumanyan) – stand as witnesses to the flourishing Armenian monastic tradition that once defined this region. To the north lies a major commercial mining zone. The Alaverdi mines, in operation since the 18th century, tell the story of industrial development in Armenia and its ties to communities of Greek miners from the Ottoman Empire, to whom many local families trace their ancestry.
Tumanyan itself is a monument to Armenia’s twentieth-century history. A model of Soviet modernism, it was designed as an industrial and architectural project shaped by socialist planning. Its fireproof brick and textile factories once shipped production across the USSR. The town boasted a hospital, school, House of Culture with a theater, a public bath, and a local history museum. The central square remains a fine example of provincial architectural planning that echoes the layout and aesthetics of Soviet Yerevan.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the town changed rapidly. Manufacturing stopped, infrastructure decayed, and many public buildings, including the factories, were privatized.
These structures now exist in a twilight space between public memory and private ownership – visible reminders of collective purpose now serving individual interests or standing empty. At the same time, alongside decay and dispossession, new architectural forms and social practices have emerged, reflecting vernacular creativity rooted in necessity and local knowledge.
These structures now exist in a twilight space between public memory and private ownership – visible reminders of collective purpose now serving individual interests or standing empty. At the same time, alongside decay and dispossession, new architectural forms and social practices have emerged, reflecting vernacular creativity rooted in necessity and local knowledge.
Our presence in Tumanyan contributes to this evolving landscape. We feel a responsibility to reflect critically on its transformation and on our own place within it. To this end, we collaborate with historians, art historians, anthropologists, sociologists, and local residents, whose work and lived experience help us think critically about history, memory, and the ethics of artistic practice.
