An architect and academic has designed a low-lying, curvilinear and high-technology youth centre.
The Guest House in Debet, a village in the northern province of Lori in Armenia, is part of a Smart Campus that helps Armenian youth live prosperous lives.
The building as a whole had to embody these various aspects acts as a “portal” to connect them with the wider world and help them keep pace with advancements around the globe.
Architect Paul Kaloustian's said: “The contemporary structure is a step towards proving that we can improve living conditions and uplift communities.
“The architecture is a hymn to the landscape of Armenia. Beyond the main structure a sheer wall nestled in the descending landscape marks the entrance to the guest quarters.”
The volume and massing of the sheer wall contrasts curved sheets of glazing offering views of the landscape unravelling beyond.
Kaloustian is head of Paul Kaloustian Studio based in Beirut, Lebanon. He received his masters at Harvard Graduate School of Design and has worked with Herzog and de Meuron in Basel.
Kaloustian, who has also taught at Boston Architecture Center and the American University of Beirut, build the 600m2 Guest House for the Children Of Armenia Fund (COAF).
The non-profit group uses community-led approaches to reduce rural poverty, with a particular focus on youth.
It funds educational, healthcare, community and economic development programs serving more than 28,000 people in rural villages of Armenia.
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