
A Soviet-era airport, once the height of luxury, faces demolition in Armenia - cryogenic_soul
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6185497/Inside-Soviet-airport-height-luxury-faces-demolition-Armenia.html
======
mikepurvis
Very similar vibes to the mothballed TWA terminal at JFK, and a lot of the
same problems: beautifully architected indoor spaces which are way too small
to accommodate the large numbers of people needing to pass through (or wait
at) a modern airport, not enough internal separation to facilitate current
security needs, and tons of open staircases everywhere— basically zero ability
to comply with ADA or even fire regs.

See:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TWA_Flight_Center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TWA_Flight_Center)

~~~
mikepurvis
Just to follow on here, there are some much more evocative pictures of the TWA
building in this Wired article:

[https://www.wired.com/2015/08/max-touhey-twa-flight-
center/](https://www.wired.com/2015/08/max-touhey-twa-flight-center/)

And also on this blog, from a guy who snuck in during a layover:

[https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2018/01/25/twa-
fligh...](https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2018/01/25/twa-flight-
center-tour/)

------
toyg
It looks really nice, but this picture is revealing:
[https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1/2018/09/19/16/4396738-6185497-im...](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1/2018/09/19/16/4396738-6185497-image-a-28_1537371197221.jpg)

The bit on the left, I assume, is the modern terminal. Notice the scale. The
old building is small, for modern use. If it gets preserved, they must find a
way to generate some additional income, because it's probably too obsolete to
do that as an actual airport.

~~~
gregoriol
The old building is likely small, not adapted to modern security, equipments,
facilities and will cost much more in refurbishment and use. It also probably
was not that well built and/or degraded for years. Just replace it, new will
be better in this case.

~~~
dmos62
> replace it

The movements for preservation of architecture would likely have something to
say about that. A lot of people are tired of the whole demolish-build shtick,
and yet others find it insulting in its disregard for what they find to be
monuments. In my opinion, some of the most inspiring uses of space and
architecture today are happening in ex-abandoned, ex-unused industrial
buildings.

An example I've visited recently is the former Peugeot factory in Brussels [0]
that is currently used for exhibitions, concerts, or just hanging out at the
bars and food courts that have installed themselves there following a doctrine
of minimal intervention. Shortly it will be transformed into a museum of
modern art as an outpost of Centre Pompidou [1]. To quote the architects whose
proposal won: "We want to radically engage with and trust what is there." That
sentence pretty much sums up the trend I'm pointing out.

Another example is Rijeka, a city with a unique history, that has a heritage
of an abundance of industrial architecture and very unique urban planning.
Many of its industrial complexes lie abandoned, within earshot of city centre.
Some of them are being brought back to life, spurred, in large part, by the
European Capital of Culture 2020 that is happening there. This summer EASA
took place there [1]. It used the revitalised Export building (in the photos
look for the building that has "exportavo" witten on it). 600 people slept in
the same hall for two weeks. I was there, it was a cool experiment.

[0] [http://kanal.brussels/](http://kanal.brussels/) [1]
[https://www.dezeen.com/2018/03/23/car-factory-transformed-
ar...](https://www.dezeen.com/2018/03/23/car-factory-transformed-art-museum-
centre-pompidou-brussels/) [2]
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/107959684@N04/sets/72157670142...](https://www.flickr.com/photos/107959684@N04/sets/72157670142948327)

~~~
gregoriol
I'm not saying that all old buildings should be replaced: there are a lot of
good examples around, we have many here in Paris too, also thinking of the
famous Saarinen TWA Flight Center (still have to see some transformation
results on this one though).

However, this one, compared to other projects you mention, won't likely be
usable for art or other entertainment as it is located within the airport
area. It won't likely work again as an airport facility either, since too
small and not adapted to modern requirements. It could maybe become a hotel
like the TWA building, but that would likely cost a huge lot of money seeing
the current state on the pictures, and the need has to be justified, "tourism"
like for the Saarinen building won't probably be enough.

I'd be happy to argue "for" preservation, but the article does not show any
viable projects either: it seems like people want to preserve, but without a
clear idea about what to do with it.

On the "against" side, there are a lot of new projects replacing old buildings
that have been a huge success.

------
cpursley
As a westerner living in Russia, I love seeing all the old soviet stuff
(despite the dark history). Ok, maybe not the soviet apartment blocks. But
many of the statues and brutalist structures are very unique and I truly hope
they're preserved. None of the new construction here is nearly as interesting.

~~~
pavel_lishin
I grew up literally behind the Moscow Academy of Sciences, and loved looking
at that building every day.

It was also fun when they started tearing down the statues; just these huge,
metal bodies and heads laying in the courtyards for us kids to clamber over.

------
ocschwar
If you can't readily tell at a glance whether a building was designed as a
minimum security jail, you can't expect the people around it to want to
preserve it.

------
k-ian
If Yerevan is going to spend a bunch of money on something architectural, it
would be nice to see the Yerevan Cascade finished... it's beautiful, til you
get to the top, and see a 200 foot pit...

------
mamikonyana
I was always surprised how little people care in Armenia about the old
airport. Imagine you land in an airport that is nothing like all the other
"conventional" airports with high ceilings and huge open areas. Wouldn't you
want to just fly to Armenia if your experience starts in a museum like
airport? Probably Armenians would not care too much to frequent in the old
terminal, but it could be a nice turist attraction, no?

~~~
pytyper2
The people would agree with you, local business owners would agree with you,
but the leaders are basically organized crime types, corruption is rampant,
most money dedicated to this project would be stolen and end up in London and
Toronto real estate. They also suffer from the influence of Russia, i.e.
destabilize as many former soviet countries as possible in order to benefit
from the chaos. That part of the world is in for a lot of trouble over the
next 50 years.

------
bemmu
If you liked the photos, you might also enjoy this site about abandoned
buildings in Japan: [https://haikyo.org/](https://haikyo.org/)

------
RileyJames
This is exactly the kind of thing I like to explore when travelling. Albania
was amazing because these kind of relics are everywhere. There are no fences,
guards, demolition or repair.

It would be nice if they could just leave it there, and let people explore it
at their own risk.

------
subpixel
If you enjoy seeing old soviet architecture in disarray (and other
curiosities) you may want to check out
[http://englishrussia.com/](http://englishrussia.com/)

------
ausbah
It kinda looks like MCI in Kansas City taken to the extreme.

------
e_d_g_a_r
If foreigners want to pay to fix it up and maintain, great; otherwise Armenia
should destroy it and move on.

------
yborg
I'm surprised at how much it's deteriorated in just 10 years if it was last
open in 2008.

------
raverbashing
Luxury and Soviet Era really don't go together. See Berlin Schönefeld for an
example.

~~~
CaptainZapp
Never been to Schönefeld, but even Tegel is a bit of a disgrace for the main
airport of the German capital.

There's always Berlin Brandenburg, which should open any day now.[1]

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Brandenburg_Airport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Brandenburg_Airport)

~~~
lb1lf
-In Tegel's defense, it was built when area was definitely at a premium, seeing as it was in former West Berlin which simply didn't have the luxury of expanding into the surrounding farmland.

The other West Berlin Airport - Tempelhof - was marvellous, though. Built
during Weimar Republic years when air travel was for the wealthy few, the
terminal was (and is!) as monumental as a palace.

~~~
VK538FY
I also have a soft spot for Tempelhof. The shape of the structure and the
interior are magnificent.

[https://www.fotocommunity.de/photo/im-flughafen-tempelhof-
ho...](https://www.fotocommunity.de/photo/im-flughafen-tempelhof-
holger70/32164924)

I know that it probably wouldn't work as a modern airport but I wish that
there had been a way. It's so weird and... Berlin. Love it.

------
fergie
In 10 years time these soviet-era monuments are going to be coveted and
preserved.

~~~
expathacker
Will we have a hipster fad of "Retro-brutalism"?

~~~
firasd
I think the Delhi metro is a good example of appropriate contemporary usage of
brutalism: [https://imgur.com/a/oJm9qHy](https://imgur.com/a/oJm9qHy)

If the concrete was plastered and painted it would look bad after only a
couple months in the sun and rain. (Medieval rulers had a similar idea but
using red sandstone instead of concrete:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Fort#/media/File:Red_Fort_...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Fort#/media/File:Red_Fort_Front111.jpg)
)

------
julienreszka
Good riddance

------
argsv
Off-topic, on a reasonably fast connection on a machine with Intel i7 and 16
GB of RAM, this page loads slowly and scrolling is painfully slow and not
smooth. No ad blocker because this is a new machine and new setup. Of course,
I will add an ad blocker extension.

~~~
boomskats
Frankly I'm struggling with the fact that there are links to that fascist
shitrag on the front page of HN. I should have looked more carefully.

For anyone else interested in the subject but not wanting to give the DM
traffic, the discussion here is around the proposed demolition of the Old
Terminal at Zvartnots Airport.

~~~
coldtea
> _Frankly I 'm struggling with the fact that there are links to that fascist
> shitrag_

Maybe we should gather and burn its print copies /s

It's an article. Enjoy it or not on its own merits.

~~~
boomskats
It's an ad-supported site which I'd have preferred not to support. I don't
want to read their 'articles', much like I don't want to click through to a
breitbart article.

I guess it's all there though, I just missed it. I'll just have to be a bit
more cautious as to what I'm clicking on when I'm on HN in future.

~~~
coldtea
> _It 's an ad-supported site which I'd have preferred not to support. I don't
> want to read their 'articles', much like I don't want to click through to a
> breitbart article._

Others do, however. Are you in favor of shutting them down or forbidding links
to them?

And who would determine which are OK to link to?

Some elite? Common consensus? Yeah, because either of these has worked great
in the past...

Also, how about toning down the hyperbola a little ("fascist"). It's
DailyMail, a known popular low-quality gossip right-wing newspaper. Hardly
fascist though (except in the all too common sense of "Everyone I disagree
with is Hitler").

------
Nursie
That is a hideously ugly building.

It doesn't say "city of the future" to me, as the author seems to suggest, but
city of the past. And not the glorious past or the beautiful past, but a
period of architecture dominated by harsh lines, masses of exposed concrete,
and the idea of architecture expressing domination over the land and over the
people who used it.

Brutalism, here in the UK, is largely seen as an ugly mistake. I would
categorise this with it.

~~~
bopbop
That's likely subjective, as I think it's extremely aesthetically pleasing -
I've always seen Brutalism as having strong links with the Bauhaus style,
something else I have high regard for.

I won't argue with your city of the past argument as I'm not sure I'd term it
as the dominant architecture of a city of the future, but I think it
definitely has a place. I would argue against Brutalism expressing domination
over people - I've always seen it more as expressing function in form, which
would be the opposite. Given it's close ties to Soviet architecture I can see
how a lot of the buildings built in the style would have literally been used
for the oppression of individual will, however.

Also, with regards to it's opinion in the UK and worldwide, Brutalism is
experiencing something of a revival:

[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/06/t-magazine/design/brutali...](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/06/t-magazine/design/brutalist-
architecture-revival.html)

[https://www.europeanceo.com/lifestyle/brutalisms-message-
may...](https://www.europeanceo.com/lifestyle/brutalisms-message-may-be-lost-
as-it-gets-a-revival/)

[https://houseandhome.com/decorating-design/brutalism-
revival...](https://houseandhome.com/decorating-design/brutalism-revival/)

~~~
pjc50
> Brutalism expressing domination over people - I've always seen it more as
> expressing function in form, which would be the opposite

It expresses the architect's idea of function, which may or may not have
anything to do with the actual users. However, whenever the actual users of a
building complain about the poor UX (noise, leaks, discomfort difficulty
finding things in the layout) or their feeling of unhappiness induced by the
blankness, it's traditional for Modernists to tell the public and users that
they're wrong. It's that elitism which more than anything else characterises
the failures of Modernism, of which Brutalism is a part.

~~~
bopbop
I can see how building a process directly into a building can lead to an
inflexibility with changing the process.

I think the argument you're making lends itself well to a criticism of any
pre-planned system.

