VIDEO: I Didn't Expect We Would Reach There in Half an Hour, Says Pashinyan After Visiting Academic Town

During the latest meeting led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, issues related to the master plan of the Academic Town and transportation infrastructure were discussed, as reported by the government's press service.

Members of the Board of Trustees of the Academic Town Foundation, as well as Tobias Keil, Deputy Director of gmp International GmbH Architects and Engineers, which designed the master plan, participated in the discussion, alongside heads of responsible departments.

Tobias Keil stated that it is easy to reach the Academic Town from major cities in just 2 hours, thanks to its favorable location close to the airport and the North-South highway. Details were provided regarding the placement of universities, housing, road networks, and landscaping. He emphasized that the design process took into account the Tamanyan project, aiming to connect with the historical context of Yerevan.

“Last time we discussed the integration with Hayfilm. We had four successful teams that presented interesting projects on how to revitalize the Hayfilm studio area. I hope we can bring these ideas to Armenia,” added Keil.

He also highlighted that the project's scope includes the topic of sustainability, as the Academic Town is for the future and needs to focus on themes relevant not only to today but also to tomorrow.

According to the Prime Minister, there are no more macro questions related to the city's concept, and it is time to address the conceptual points. “From a vision perspective, we have practically seen every step of the process. We have had questions but no reservations. Of course, this is what we want,” stated Nikol Pashinyan.

During the meeting, the format of conducting a technical and economic analysis of the transportation and road network and other alternative means of transportation was also discussed. The procedures for developing urban development and property management models were reviewed.

Regarding the development of transportation infrastructure, the Prime Minister referred to his tour from the 'Sasuntsi David' train station to the Academic Town area. “To be honest, I did not expect that we would go there and reach in half an hour at least from the first segment today,” said Nikol Pashinyan, adding that accurate modeling of transportation infrastructures requires creating a model of the average person who will live in the Academic Town and commute daily.

Also discussed were the range of works that can already be initiated. It was noted that after the approval of the Academic Town master plan, the design work for the railway and cultural segments will commence. As a result of the discussions, the Prime Minister gave relevant instructions to the officials regarding various issues related to the project's implementation.