On 24 February, in the presence of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Dutch architecture firm MVRDV marked the start of construction for the EU TUMO Convergence Center. The new building rises on TUMO’s campus in Tumanyan Park, positioned above the Hrazdan River Gorge with open views across the city and toward Mount Ararat.
The project is MVRDV’s first in Armenia and a new chapter for the growing TUMO network. Since its founding in 2011, the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies has provided free education in technology and design to more than 100,000 young people. What began in Yerevan has expanded to 25 centers across Armenia and abroad, including Paris, Berlin, Mumbai, and Tirana, where TUMO occupies the Pyramid of Tirana redesigned by MVRDV.
The EU TUMO Convergence Center will expand the organization’s main campus, bringing together education, research, and industry under one roof. In addition to classrooms and training spaces, the building will host technology and design companies, conference facilities, and start-up support programs. The aim is to strengthen ties between students, universities, and the private sector, helping young people move more easily into professional life.
Architecture That Responds to Landscape and Purpose
The building’s form responds directly to its steep, elevated site. A 120-meter-long horizontal volume rests on a sunken base, projecting outward at both ends over the slopes. Large windows frame views north toward the river gorge and south toward Mount Ararat, a powerful symbol in Armenian history and culture.
The base podium lifts the structure to a prominent height and extends the landscape of Tumanyan Park onto the site, creating a sloped terrain that incorporates architecture and parkland.
“With TUMO’s hall on the hill, we created an innovation platform that brings together education and industry, the main forces driving progress,” said Winy Maas, founding partner of MVRDV. “The new facility represents the heart of Yerevan’s emerging tech campus but is positioned on the axis of history, an ‘Ark’ hovering over the gorge. Its cantilevered form mirrors the idea of standing on a precipice of change, reaching out toward the future. I think that’s a nice symbolism.”
Designed for Flexibility, Built for the Future
Inside, the building spans five storeys, organized around three large atriums that connect directly to the ground floor. These internal spaces structure the life of the building.
At the center is the “Grotto,” which serves as the main entrance along the building’s primary axis. It houses a café and digital lounge, designed as an informal meeting point for students, entrepreneurs, and visitors.
At the southern end, the “Valley” rises the full height of the structure and contains a flexible event hall. This space can host conferences, lectures, and public gatherings, reinforcing the center’s civic role.
On the northern side, the “Canyon” creates vertical connections between floors and supports co-working spaces of varying sizes. Together, these atriums draw daylight deep into the building. A translucent polycarbonate façade filters sunlight during the day and gives the volume a soft glow at night, turning the structure into a visible presence above the gorge.
MVRDV’s design extends the rocky terrain of Tumanyan Park into the site, forming outdoor areas for informal study, rest, and events. Pathways weave between seating areas and landscaped zones, encouraging movement and interaction.
An access bridge from the west leads visitors into the central Grotto and continues outward as a viewing platform over the river, reinforcing the building’s relationship with its dramatic surroundings.
Floor plates are arranged around two cores, allowing layouts to shift over time as TUMO’s programs evolve or as other organizations move in. This adaptability is intended to prolong the building’s lifespan and reduce the need for major renovations in the future.
Sustainability measures address both construction and operation. A bubble-deck slab system reduces the amount of concrete required, lowering the building’s overall weight and embodied carbon. The atriums act as thermal buffers, with separate climate systems and wider temperature ranges throughout the year. Anti-stratification fans and low-temperature floor heating help maintain comfort while limiting energy use.
Strengthening Yerevan’s Tech Ecosystem
TUMO’s existing program provides free education in technology and ecology to 12- to 18-year-olds, helping them build skills for an increasingly global job market. The EU TUMO Convergence Center broadens that mission by supporting adult learners and fostering direct links between higher education and industry.
The ceremony was attended by Marie Lou Papazian, founding CEO of the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies; Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan; Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport; Tigran Avinyan, Mayor of Yerevan; and Vassilis Maragos, EU Ambassador to Armenia.
Set high above the Hrazdan River Gorge, the EU TUMO Convergence Center positions itself both physically and symbolically at the meeting point of history and innovation. As construction begins, it marks a clear step in Yerevan’s ambition to strengthen its role as a regional hub for technology, design, and education.
EU TUMO Convergence Center
Project Name: EU TUMO Convergence Center
Location: Tumanyan Park, Yerevan, Armenia
Architect: MVRDV
Client: TUMO Center for Creative Technologies
Status: Under construction (construction started 24 February)
Program: Education, research, co-working, conference, and event facilities
Campus: TUMO Main Campus, Yerevan
Image credit: © MVRDV
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