Finally, there will be a new, alternative, renewable geothermal, basic and relatively cheaper electricity source in Armenia. It is planned to build a geothermal power plant in Karkar, Syunik province, where the heat from the earth's own molten core can be converted into electricity. Syuniq province in Armenia is rich in geothermal resources, where Karkar, Jermaghbjur and Sisian geothermal mines are the most famous ones. The research works of such kind of geothermal resources in the area of Karkar had begun yet in Soviet Union. But they have become practical only in recent years. In 2015 July 21, the agreement on ''Geothermal Exploration Drilling Project'' signed between the RA and the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development was approved by presidential decree of RA. Deepwater drilling works started in July 2016. The drilling works of the first wells with the depth of 1500m and the second well of 1682m have been completed. The experiments and relevant analyzes connected with the project have been finished, too. The reports of the drilling results have been provided to nearly 50 major international organizations specialized in the field of geothermal energy. The total cost of the geothermal power plant construction project at Karkar site is expected to make about $100 million. Karkar geothermal power plant with a capacity of 30 MW will generate around 250 million kWh of electricity in a year. Currently, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund of RA is taking steps to find investors for the construction of a geothermal power plant. Preference will be given to those investor-companies which will offer the lowest price for the produced electricity. Investigations have been launched to reveal the precise sites of geothermal energy sources for construction of geothermal power plant. One of these sites is Jermaghbyur, where according to geological and geophysical explorations high pressure (20-25 atmosphere pressure) hot water (up to 2500C) resources are considered to be available in depth of 2500-3000 meters. Geothermal energy was first used in Italy in 1904. Today, similar power stations are operating in Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, the United States, Kamchatka (Russia), the Philippines and in a number of other locations.

The construction of the new district will soon start on the area near to Republic Square. The District 33 will be built on the plot of land between Tigran Mets Avenue, Hanrapetutyan, Buzand and Khanjyan Streets, with residential, public and service facilities, business centers, hotels, as well as with new ways of transport communication. The project construction site area is more than 5 hectares. According to the design, there are three intersecting radial streets will start from the round square with a diameter of 85 meters to the directions of Tigran Mets Avenue, Khanjyan and Buzand Streets. A unique, strictly round, square for Yerevan will be built in the center of the district with two-story underground parking lot. The round square will serve only as rest zone for walkers. Green zones, playgrounds, pools and some small architectural forms will be set up in the district. The construction area will be about 200,000 square meters with the building density about 33%. The permissible height of the buildings will vary from 27 to 50 meters, and only 3 areas neighboring Khanjyan Street will be allowed to build structures up to 60 meters high. The central square’s buildings permissible height will be up to 30-36 meters. The project is planned to be implemented in 3-4 years. At present, work is underway to develop the territory.

A well-known fact is that over time urban and architectural tendencies change, therefore, cities can lose their architectural and cultural heritage. From this point of view Yerevan is certainly not an exception. The proof of this is the construction works where a number of architectural monuments were dismantled or demolished. And yet the historical appearance should be preserved in all the cities, not only in the capital. All these changes should be realized in harmony with the existing environment. Old Yerevan project is a kind of way out of the situation. It is designed to recreate the lost heritage and to reveal to us the beautiful architecture and urban environment of Yerevan of 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The project will be realized on the area between the streets Abovyan-Buzand-Kohbatsi-Arami. 14 monument buildings will be joined to other 16 buildings dismantled in recent years. By the decision of the government, the buildings must have 3 ground floors plus attics. Since all the buildings in Yerevan were either single or two-story, the project architect Levon Vardanyan tried to give such concept, where added floors will not interfere with the visual perception of architectural monuments. According to the architect, the project will have 150 thousand square meters of usable area. He intends to recreate the atmosphere of old Yerevan with its courtyards, wooden balconies, cellars. 3 underground floors will stretch along the development. On the first ground floor there will be cellars and vault of buildings, under it will be located 2 parking floors for 1400 places. This will help to solve parking problem in the adjacent streets and significantly offload this part of city. Of course, the project caused some disagreements that recreated buildings cannot be called a monument. If you consider that the law on the protection of monuments says. “Historical and cultural monuments are state-registered, historical, scientific, artistic or cultural structures, their structures and complexes, occupied by them or historically connected with them ...... irrespective of the degree of their preservation” then with the above mentioned opinion it is difficult to disagree. The transference of the monument deprives its value, especially when new stones are used for the building recreation. From architectural and urban planning point of view this step can’t be considered an excuse. According to the architect, 17-meter plastic roof provided by the author can be considered as a solution for scale problem and separates the inner space from foreign environment, thus, deprives panoramas of adjacent high-rise building. Taking into account all the positive aspects of this project, on the other hand, we must note that Yerevan's urban development and architecture should not develop in this direction, since existing monument buildings on different parts of the city revive the city turning it into a quest. By Hasmik Terzyan

The Yerevan Circus, built over six years, will be put into operation in a year, becoming one of the most important cultural sights of Armenian capital. “The construction of the circus is difficult, because the building shape is round, and in this sense, it has its own features. A little more time and we’ll have a luxurious and modernized circus building. Finally, the actors will work under normal conditions, as they have been working in a building that has no basic conditions for many years”, says the art director of the circus Sos Petrosyan. The round shaped old building of the circus was built in 1962 on the site of the first wooden circus building of Yerevan. More than 50 years old building which was not repaired after its opening, was demolished in 2011, when experts concluded that it was inadvisable to repair it. The architect of the project is Vahagn Vermishyan. The construction is financed by Tashir Group. The roof of the former building was only 17 meters, which made it impossible to show most acrobatic tricks. Now the roof has a height of 27 meters, which will allow to show all modern tricks. Former building occupied 3000-3500 square meters, now it is more by 1000 square meters. Instead of old four-story building, the new one has 8 floors, two of which will serve as an underground parking. By the way, it is the only circus in the world that has underground parking. Instead of the previous 1560 seats, now the circus will have 2000 to 2500 seats, as well as three changeable arenas. The new building also will be fully equipped for wheelchair users.

Mega Mall Armenia will differ from the capital’s other malls with its bigger size. Currently it is the largest commercial building in Armenia with floor area about 105 000 sq. m. including parking lots and other serving areas. The main building’s area is 25 000 sq. m. Due to sloping terrain of the construction site part of the building has four stories, and another - five. Despite its big size and complicated structure, it will have quite simple orientation inside the building due to many helpful connections between the floors. Currently the finishing works are ongoing. Automated Underground Parking Lot Besides open parking lot located around the mall, there will also be 15 000 sq. m indoor two-story car lot with automated parking system. Before entering the line, the driver will see on the screen the number and location of free and busy parking places marked accordingly with green and red lights. Main Entertainment and Trade Places Mega Mall Armenia will have two-story entertainment and game zone (5800 sq. m.) where the first indoor karting in Armenia to open. A waterfall swing, a new kind of entertainment in Armenia, will also be placed at entertainment and game zone. There will also be a food court which will consist of 12 restaurants and cafes, 4 cinema halls and а big fitness club with 2000 sq. m. area. The main trade outlets will be a large computer electronics and appliances store (10000 sq. m.), Yerevan City hypermarket (5600 sq. m) and a wholesale agricultural market (2000 sq. m).