TV presentation of Karen Balyan’s “Phoenix Darbinyan” Monograph (photos, video in Armenian)

Professor, architect theorist, specialist in the history of modernism Karen Balyan claims that Phoenix Darbinyan had a unique style and handwriting in architecture. “That is exactly what Hasratyan was doing. He was educating the citizens.”

Who built the capital in the 1960s with modern European architectural solutions? Newmag's new book is about the great national project of Yerevan Mayor Grigor Hasratyan, the construction of Yerevan and its main implementer, architect Phoenix Darbinyan.

Aram Aramyan was the deputy mayor at that time. His son Arar Aramyan claims that Darbinyan’s works are exceptional even nowadays. “He has suggested extraordinary and unique solutions in his works. That is why those buildings and structures are still relevant and seem to be contemporary.”

Phoenix Darbinyan's rich creative path began with a water fountain, a small student project, and ended with the construction of the Great Fountain beautifying Yerevan. The first building was the "Ani" hotel, the last one was the building of the Metro department. After the death of Phoenix Darbinyan, professor Karen Balyan published an article about the architect entitled " The architect who gave a smile to the city". The article was about the fountain in Khanjyan Street Park, the last major work of the Master. Eventually, the title of the article became the title of the book. “Almost everything presented in the book has been destroyed. Projects, special structures and buildings were not preserved.”

  

The Hasratyan book series each year will publish a conceptual work dedicated to the Armenian architecture or paintings of the 20th century. Hrach Qeshishyan, the executive director of the foundation notes that the first book in this project is the monograph about Phoenix Darbinyan. “We have managed to publish our first product. I would like to thank Newmag for publishing this book. This is a valuable, educating book, which gives a unique chance to reassess the lost values of our architectural heritage.”

Many of Darbinyan’s creations were not preserved, but it is possible to find his breath everywhere in Yerevan. In the early 1950s, Kievyan, considered a suburb of Yerevan, became a central street in a few years. Phoenix Darbinyan was an essential participant of the large project, which reconstructed Kievyan.

In the 1960s, thanks to the efforts of Mayor Grigor Hasratyan and architect Phoenix Darbinyan, Yerevan became a modernist city. European tourists were visiting Yerevan, as it was considered to be a city with the most contemporary and modern architectural solutions of the Soviet Union.