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Urbanlab Yerevan, or urbanlab EVN, is an architecture-planning practice and research-advocacy institution, based in Yerevan, Armenia. Established〔History of urbanlab EVN establishment: http://urbanlab.am/en/how〕 in 2006 by architects (Sarhat Petrosyan ) and (Sevada Petrossian ), urbanlab is the result of a long term collaboration between the two architects in different formats since their graduation from National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia in 2003. == Background == In 2004, right after graduation and after their win of the Recognition Prize for a collaborative design entry at a competition ((Derli House, Residential Complex )), Sevada Petrossian and Sarhat Petrosyan, joined by another fellow architect, established Architect's Lab. While practicing architecture, Architect's Lab members teamed up with young activists to raise concerns about urban issues of Yerevan, protection of immobile heritage and community involvement in decision-making process of urban planning. Notable issues, in which the team was involved, included raising awareness for the value and conditions of the medieval neighborhood Kond (a project, on which urbanlab Yerevan is still working), saving (Sevan Hotel ) (an early 20th century constructivist building in central Yerevan) and the campaign for saving the late 18th-early 20th century urban fabric of central Yerevan which was under threat of demolition and disappearance because of the construction of Northern Avenue. The latter campaign failed and Northern Avenue was completed in 2007. In 2007, urbanlab team (as Sarhat and Partners) was invited by French-Swiss Architect Pierre Rambach as executive architects for the implementation of Yerevan’s Lovers' Park (formerly Pushkin Park) landscaping project. In February 2010, by the (decision ) of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the Open-Air Hall of Moscow Cinema was taken off of Armenia's Protected Immobile Heritage list, paving way for its demolition and the rebuilding of Saint Paul-Peter church which used to stand here until early 20th century. Once again teaming up with activists, urbanlab founders started a successful campaign for saving the cinema hall from destruction, by employing social networks ((Save Cinema Moscow Open Air Hall page ) on Facebook gained more than 6’000 members in a very short time) and rallying for signatures, collecting over 23,000. Until today Moscow Cinema Open-Air Hall is operational. ”This has been the first case in the post-Soviet history of Yerevan where a major construction project was halted because of public opposition. As such it stood in stark contrast to earlier construction projects that were carried out during the 2000s, even though there had been both public criticism and civic campaigns directed against these projects as well.“,〔Zolyan Mikayel, "Armenia’s Facebook Generation:Social Networks and Civic Activism in Armenia", Newsletter of the Institute of Slavic, East European,and Eurasian Studies of the University of California,Berkeley, Fall 2010, Volume 27, Number 2, page 7; http://iseees.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/u4/ISEEESNL_Fall_2010_Web.pdf〕 states historian Mikayel Zolyan in his paper “Armenia’s Facebook Generation: Social networks and civic activism in Armenia” published by the University of California, Berkeley. Establishment of urbanlab Yerevan Institute for Democratization of Urban Planning was announced on November 8, 2011 during a PechaKucha (presentation ). According to the official announcement by the firm, their efforts are "focused on the democratization of urban planning. We are a collaborative research-based design team working to improve the built environment by ensuring and advocating community involvement in the decision-making process of urban planning combined with an inalienable right for people to live in a healthy and sustainable environment. Our efforts are directed towards re-evaluating and cultivating the social role of environment builders, urban planners, architects, social scientists and other professionals".〔Press release, announcement of urbanlab EVN establishment (in Armenian); http://urbanlabyerevan.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-post_9.html〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Urbanlab Yerevan」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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