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NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIA
University with a 100-Year History
The summary of the University year is a compulsory tradition that acknowledges the retrospective evaluation of events and developments of the past year, enabling their careful arrangement in bookshelves to be guided by them for the next few years and strive for filling the gaps.
We will start the summary of the year from its second as in October the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia enjoyed the most significant events and activities. Our University celebrated its 95th anniversary. The jubilee events were diverse such as a conference and an exhibition, medals, awards, titles, multilingual greetings, meetings and agreements.
The celebrations commenced on October 26, at the Yerevan City Hall. Yerevan Mayor’s gold medal was awarded to NUACA Vice-rector of International Relations, Dean of Urban Economy and Ecology Faculty, Head of Automobile Roads Chair and the Student Council President. Right in City Hall the exhibition of NUACA faculty works was solemnly opened in tandem with the 8th international conference entitled “Architecture and Construction- Modern Problems”; attended by our University representatives and
The opening of new laboratories and studios was another significant event in the list of jubilee events marking the 95th anniversary of NUACA. International specialists, NUACA professorial staff and its supporting organizations and partners attended the solemn opening ceremony of numerous labs such as the research and scientific labs of Hydraulics, Construction Items, Construction Materials and Products, Ground Mechanics, Freon Cooling and Heating Multizone Centralized Systems, as well as the openings of the architectural studio, architectural design studio and the University session hall. During those days the “Honorary Doctor” titles were awarded to Jurgen Reshendorfer, Vahan Tanal, Davit Miqaelyan, Ashot Tamrazyan, Marlena Raychik and Ronald Altun.
During the conference cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed with the Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture and Czestochowa University of Technology (CUT) and with the engineering consulting firm Mahab Ghods. Congratulations were received from various corners of the world, numerous university rectors, leading experts of the field and many officials.
NUACA Vice-rector on Financial Affairs Marina Ghazaryan was awarded with “Saint Nerses the Graceful” medal at Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the fact was significant and honorable for our University among the awards and honorable titles received during the year.
Not under the Armenian skies but again for Armenia it was important that NUACA participated in the International Congress on Earthen Constructions in Lyon, France for the first time. In this prestigious conference our country was represented by NUACA. Directly invited by Lyon’s Mayor NUACA Rector Gagik Galstyan, Vice-rector on Financial and Information Issues Marine Ghazaryan, the acting Head of the NUACA Chair of Theory of Architecture, Restoration and Reconstruction of Historical and Architectural Heritage, Fine Arts and History Emma Harutyunyan and the Professor of Architecture, PhD Lyuba Kirakosyan attended the conference in Lyon.
The year was also productive for hosting foreign partners, obtaining new perspectives and cooperation agreements. In the framework of the Armenian-Italian cultural cooperation NUACA hosted the Italian delegation headed by Rita Gonelli- the architect and expert of the Italian Foreign Ministry’s Agency on Cooperation Development. The purpose of the visit was to establish a “Regional Centre for the Restoration of Monuments”; while our university, which they believe is the best educational cradle, could be highly effective with its proper specialists and lab of monuments’ preservation and restoration.
Dr. Peter Gevogyan form the American University of Armenia delivered a lecture at our University dedicated to solar energy. For further strengthening of the Armenian-German relations NUACA also hosted the Mayor of Milda city, the member of German Bundestag and the President of the German-Armenian Forum Mr. Albert Vayler awarding him the title of the “Honorary Doctor”.
Long-term friendship and cooperation have a tendency to be continuous. Thus, the director of French Saint Etienne Higher School of Architecture Jacques Port together with his wife visited our University. The two sides signed an agreement to strengthen the cooperation and define exchange programmes of both lecturers and students in the fields of architecture, urban construction, design, interior and architectural heritage.
During the year our University also hosted the MARCH-Moscow School of Architecture delegation in the framework of their study and working visits including the school director Nikita Tokarev, artistic director Yevgeny Ass, the architect Alexander Brodsky and Nikolay Malinin. The quests and hosts had university meetings, toured in the National Museum-Institute of Architecture and indulged master classes for the broad mass of students. Joint Armenian-Russian working days were well established.
Unfortunately, the losses constantly walk along the achievements. Large-scale clashes on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in April were mighty and the irreparable stroke for everyone. Tribute to courageously fallen heroes, events of respect and commemoration did not relieve the pain, yet emphasized that the Armenian spirit is unconquerable. Among those heroes was our student- the 20 years old Adam Sahakyan. After him we also survived the pains for the “Courage” and “Military Service”; medals awarded by the RA President Serzh Sargsyan and the NKR President Bako Sahakyan, condolence letters of friends, acquaintances and strangers, withstand with the memories that do not vanish and a few months later- the exhibition opened in the “Tamanyan”; hall of the National Museum-Institute of Architecture named after Alexander Tamanyan under the patronage of the RA State Committee for Urban Construction adjacent to Government and by the bold efforts of the Committee President Narek Sargsyan. The graphic works of Adam were exhibited in the event of gratitude and remembrance, the event that brought together Adam’s family and kinship, his friends and people who were simply proud of him.
And just a few days ago, the University decided to grant a scholarship in the name of Adam Sahakyan. Already since January of 2017 “Termoros-Ar” company together with Ararat Bank will grant 3 students who had already served in army or partook in 4-day war and are from the NUACA faculties of Architecture, Construction and Design with 110. 000AMD.
These painful events triggered Artsakh authorities to delegate the Artsakh hero, the NKR National Assembly MP and the NKR Security Council Secretary Vitali Balasanyan to NUACA as an “ambassador”. The visit had immeasurable significance on the borderline of life and death. Dwellings near the borders should be reconstructed, have protected shelters from bombings, convenient housing and schools are needed. Cooperation proposal to our university was not accidental. Our specialists and modern devices will enable us to recreate more sheltered, safer, reconstructed and refurbished Artsakh.
The year was also the last for the NUACA’s head of Architectural Design and Architectural Interior Design Chair professor Garry Rashidian and was a jubilee year for the renowned architect, academician Jim Torosyan. He would turn 90 this year.
A summary of the passing year is just a report for accomplishments and pending deeds. The real summary is the result, while the result is the cooperation, agreements, inky hands of the student who knows the value of education, diligent and devoted work of tireless employees, mutual respect and understanding within the colleagues. What is said will perhaps sound simply as a Christmas missive, but the words have supernatural power, hence we do hope that one day they will become a reality.
With hope that 2017 will be a peaceful, healthy and happy year, we wish you a Happy New Year and Merry Christmas.