ARMENIAN ARCHITECTS’ (CONTINUED) PRESENCE: THE 70S AND AFTERWARDS
With regards to the influence of Armenian architects on the development and modernization of Iranian architecture the 70s (particularly the second half of the decade) could be considered as a time of decline. Generally speaking, nearly all finest projects of these architects are built from the 40s until the second half of the 70s. These buildings are the heritage of the first-generation graduate architects, all of whom studied at overseas (mostly European) uni- versities and played an important role in the development and modernization of Iranian architecture in three de- cades. The introduction of the discipline into the country’s architecture and construction resulted in a change in the expectations and understanding people had of buildings, and gradually developed into the common and expected mode of architecture, at least for a part of the society. At the beginning, the educated part of the society (particularly in large cities) accepted to live in modern houses as it was common in Europe and as the newest fashion. The houses of the affluent distanced themselves from their traditional forms and developed gradually into its modern format. In construction, it became a sign of enlightenment and cor- rectness to commission educated architects. ‘Educated architects’, as Vartan Hovanessian persistently used the term, succeeded in paving the way for the next generation of their colleagues. It is notable that other factors such as formation of organizations and institutions (such as the Planning and Budget Organization) were also influential in regulating construction and distribution of labour in the course of the development of architecture and construction within the country. As academic architectural education developed, the ranks of educated architects was fortified with a consider- able number of architects graduating from Tehran Uni- versity, the National University (today’s Shahid Beheshti) as well as Iran University of Science and Technology (the third centre for educating architects) joining the construc- tion market: These were known as the architects of the second generation and were talented and fresh architects who took further the heritage of modern architecture established in the 50s and 60s. The economic boom of the 70s also prepared the means for popularizing architecture across different social layers. At this time, a considerable part of Armenian architects of the first generation reached the end of their presence in the professional domain: people such as Vartan Hova- nessian, Paul Abkar, Eugene Aftandilian and many others whose last works date back to these years (the first half of the 70s). The number of Armenians among prominent architects declined. It should be noted that from more than fifty graduates of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Tehran Uni- versity in architecture between the years 1942 and 1950, seven were Armenian. This ratio dropped drastically in the next decades. The interest on behalf of young Armenians to study architecture in those years could be ascribed to
the presence and fame of Armenian architects in this profession between 1921 and 1931 within the country. These architects were considered a symbol for the suc- cess and influence of the society of Iranian Armenians. This encouraged the youth to study architecture. In the second half of the 70s we witness the rela- tively pale presence of successful Armenian architects in the field of architecture in the country. Following the social changes and the instability of the professional domain, another group of architects step out of the cycle of profession due to the revolution and eight years of war (resulting in the stagnation of construction projects). Another group immigrated at this time: successful and well-known architects such as Leon Babaian, Zaven Simonian, Hamlet Hartonian, Harton Varteresian, and later Rostom Voskanian. However, there were also those among the second generation who continued doing ar- chitecture and constructing buildings. Although the fame of these architects never reached that of the previous generation, some of their buildings are worth mentioning and are described in this writing for the sake of familiar- izing the readers with their works.
Garni residential building, Tehran, Albert Ajamian
Residential complex, Khojir, Bernard Dror
Residential complex, Khojir, Bernard Drorمحوطه اقامتگاه سکونتى خجیر، برنارد درور
Hotel-Apartment, Baghdad, Ara Soukiasian
Basamad Azma company, Pardis, Bernard Dror
Majidieh Church, Hanry Agamalian
Majidieh Church, Hanry Agamalian
Porsche showroom, Tehran, Ara Soukiasian
Residential building, Damavand, Bernard Dror
Hotel, Tehran (Not built), Ara Soukiasian
Nova Hotel, Armenia, Arlen Stepanian
Road and Transportation Office, Hormozgan Jirayr Nazarian Residential building, Tehran, Hanry Agamalian