In Armenia, the “Hayfilm Studios” in Yerevan are what the “Cinecittá” is in Rome, Italy and “Hollywood” is in Los Angeles, USA. However, over the last 30 years many buildings in the Film City have been put to different uses or have even been demolished. Over time, the studios have lost their glamor – though not their potential. For this reason, the scholarship students of this year’s spring workshop of the gmp foundation, the Academy for Architectural Culture (aac), have produced designs for a revitalization of Armenia’s Film City.

The aac supports students in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, and landscape conservation. For four weeks, from February until March 2024, a total of 16 scholarship students have been busy on designs for an upgrade of the film production facility dating from 1976. The Yerevan city administration wishes to have an upmarket, international establishment for artistic work, studios for film production, a cinema complex, a film museum with archives, and facilities for gastronomy. The starting point for the four group designs are the former Hayfilm buildings. By retaining the existing buildings, it is possible to maintain people’s emotional connection with the existing studio site. The additional new structures provide the necessary space for modern usage and will allow the public to experience the new City for Dreams.

The results of the workshop are available to view in an exhibition at the aac studios on the Rainvilleterrasse Campus until 26 April 2024.

Please download here the complete press text as well as images.