Construction has begun on the EU TUMO Convergence Center in Yerevan, a flexible new building designed by Rotterdam-based architecture practice MVRDV to support the long-term evolution of Armenia-founded educational nonprofit TUMO Center for Creative Technologies into a civic landmark for technology-driven learning.
Located on the organisation’s campus in Tumanyan Park, the project is conceived as a multifunctional platform that can adapt over time to changing educational, technological and industry needs.
The groundbreaking ceremony on 24 February was held in the presence of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The building forms an extension of TUMO’s main campus and is positioned on a hilly outcrop overlooking the Hrazdan River Gorge, with views towards the city and Mount Ararat.
EU TUMO Convergence Center to bridge education and industry in Yerevan
The EU TUMO Convergence Center will host a combination of educational programmes, conference facilities and spaces for innovative technology and design companies. The intention is to complement TUMO’s existing work by bringing together older students, young professionals and industry partners in a shared environment that supports both learning and research, while fostering start-up activity.
Founded in 2011, TUMO provides free education to teenagers and adults, focusing on technical and creative skills. The organisation has trained more than 100,000 young people through hands-on projects and self-directed learning. From its origins in Yerevan, TUMO has expanded to 25 centres across Armenia and internationally, including Paris, Tirana, Berlin and Mumbai.
The new building is structured to allow continuous adaptation. Floors are organised around two central cores, enabling flexible layouts that can be reconfigured for TUMO or external organisations over time. This open configuration is intended to extend the lifespan of the building by accommodating evolving spatial requirements.
MVRDV’s 120-metre cantilevered design over the Hrazdan Gorge
Architecturally, the project responds directly to its dramatic site above the Hrazdan River Gorge. A 120-metre-long monolithic bar rests on a sunken base and cantilevers over steep slopes at both ends. Large windows frame views north towards the gorge and south towards Mount Ararat.
The base podium elevates the building and extends the landscape of Tumanyan Park across the site. An access bridge from the west passes through the central entrance space — known as the “Grotto” — and continues outward as a viewing platform overlooking the river.
Inside, five storeys are organised around three large atriums described as “public voids”. The central Grotto forms the main entrance space and includes a café and digital lounge. At the southern end, the “Valley” rises the full height of the building and accommodates a flexible event hall. At the northern end, the “Canyon” connects floors vertically and supports co-working environments at different scales. The atriums introduce daylight deep into the building, while a translucent polycarbonate façade filters light during the day and gives the volume a subdued glow at night.
MVRDV’s flexible layout and low-carbon strategy at the EU TUMO Center
The project incorporates a series of measures aimed at reducing both embodied and operational carbon. Floor slabs use a bubble-deck system to reduce the volume of concrete and the overall structural weight.
Operational strategies include treating the atriums as thermal buffers, with separate heating and cooling systems and a higher variance in temperature throughout the year. Anti-stratification fans and low-temperature floor heating are used to maintain comfortable conditions in the atriums while reducing energy demand in adjacent working spaces.
Externally, the design extends the rocky landscape of Tumanyan Park onto the site, forming outdoor areas for informal gathering and movement. Scenic routes connect existing park features with new seating and relaxation areas, reinforcing links between the campus and its surroundings.
Through its adaptable spatial framework and integration of education, research and industry, the EU TUMO Convergence Center is intended to support TUMO’s mission of providing free education while strengthening connections between higher education and the technology sector in Yerevan.
