The Cultural & Social Narratives Laboratory in cooperation with the Heinrich Boell Foundation Yerevan Office-South Caucasus Region launches a new project titled “Blue Yerevan: Urban Memory and the Transformation of Yerevan's Water Infrastructures in the Post-Soviet Era.”
Yerevan's urban environment has undergone radical transformations, leading to the destruction of not only pre-Soviet and Soviet architectural layers and sites but also the massive alteration of public spaces, particularly — green and blue zones. The Getar River has been nearly erased from the urban landscape, while the Hrazdan River has been stripped of its public and recreational significance, primarily due to irregular urban development. The latter not only addresses the disappearance of various water channels but also the transformation of the symbolic and functional significance of certain water infrastructures such as fountains, pools, and reservoirs. Due to rapid and chaotic construction, these elements often either vanish completely or become enclosed and isolated within private property, ceasing to belong to the public and the city.
The goal of the “Blue Yerevan” project is to examine and analyse the transformations of water infrastructures within Yerevan's urban landscape and explore their impact on the city's social and cultural memory. In the face of climate change and the extensive gentrification of various urban areas, particularly public spaces, it is extremely crucial and urgent to thoroughly examine natural resources within the context of the urban environment. Focusing on water resources and infrastructure, the project seeks to raise public awareness about the importance of "blue zones" in urban environments, emphasising the role of water in ecology, cultural and social memory.
The proposed project will particularly focus on the following cases:
- Rivers: Getar River, Hrazdan River,etc.
- Lakes and Reservoirs: Kanaker HPP, Yerevan Lake, etc.
- Pools and Fountains: Extinct and preserved fountains in parks, yards, and other urban spaces
- Swimming Pools: Public sports facilities and baths
At the end of the project, a bilingual publication, a thematic webpage, and analytical articles will be published.