The valley will contain 10,000 plant species and, with the help of innovative facilities and future proof housing, will add 12,000 new housing units.
Named after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the project is located near Lake Sevan, the largest lake in the Caucasus and only 50 kilometres from the capital Yerevan. Surrounded by mountains, roughly 11,000 inhabitants live in several villages spread throughout the valley. The landscape consists of a patchwork of different pieces of land, of which the local community owns about one third.
The aim, which will be realised in consultation with local parties, is to turn the valley into a versatile and future proof landscape that is suitable for sustainable agriculture on various scales, and to become a more attractive place to live, as well as an area for ecotourism and recreation, serving as a destination for people to walk, hike, cycle, and ride horses.
The first step towards this self-sustaining valley is to embrace the history of the area. The 10,000 existing plots will be preserved and reinforced, and the water system in the dry region will be improved by lining the boundaries between them with canals, public paths, and greenery. This forms the base of the valley masterplan, reducing evaporation while enhancing water buffers and biodiversity. On each plot, different species will be planted, which will make the landscape visually more attractive and stimulate economic diversity.
Existing roads will continue to form the starting point for connecting all the villages and additional walking and cycling paths will be created within existing structures. Water management will be improved, with the restoration and enlargement of the route of the Hrazdan River, in combination with the new canal system, and water reservoirs in the mountains and other water sources can be used to irrigate farmland.
The Gagarin Valley has several villages, some featuring buildings from Soviet times, which will be transformed into new buildings to waste as little material as possible. Traditional farmhouses will form the inspiration for the newly built homes, where green, vegetated roofs will be added.
The vision proposes a market hall, a commercial centre, a centre for the arts, and a sunken stadium for 4,500 visitors. The heart of the valley will be formed by an educational agricultural centre, with houses stacked to form vertical villages.
We designed a sphere that acts as a mini-planet, where the classrooms surround a spherical void and where all the species of the valley and beyond are shown and monitored. The sphere will be surrounded by a central park that contains all the species – a scientific arboretum, reflected in the mirroring sphere.
Winy Maas, Founding Partner, MVRDV