The building design takes cues from the storied history of Armenia, the diverse and unique cultural heritage of the Armenian people, the dominant presence of the site, the multiplicity of program needs and opportunities, and the beauty of the surrounding and distant landscape. The vertical mass of the building is located at the southern end of the site, making it the dominant focal point when travelling toward the site on Teryan Street. This location maximizes the views from the hotel suites, serviced apartments and the residential living spaces toward the city center and Mount Ararat in the distance. The horizontal mass of the building is spread across the site, promoting the overlap of interior and exterior spaces and the mixture of public and private programs. The larger form of the building is the product of delaminated volumes that peel open in response to programmatic adjacencies, the circulation of people through the building, and to capture views framed through perforations in the building envelope. Prominent views from the building are highlighted to heighten the occupant’s awareness of what lies beyond their immediate space. By opening voids through the project in both plan and section, the building acts as a filter, allowing light to penetrate deep into the center of the building. Visual access between the programs sponsors the active and passive participation of the occupants and promotes a sense of community. Given the prominent location of the project, the program must address an additional layer of issues and support the opportunities that come with them. For this reason, the building accommodates more programs than typically required for a hotel. In addition to the residential tower, hotel and guest services, serviced apartments, the business center and a gym for health and fitness, our project includes a large conference and exhibition wing, dining, high-end shopping and multiple public and semi-private terraces, including areas from which to view the city and surrounding landscape. The building addresses the functional needs of the hotel, but also acts as an attraction for international tourists, thus promoting positive growth and progress for the region. The building provides a range of experience, from monumental ballrooms and exhibition halls to small areas that can be enjoyed by individuals or groups. By splitting the mass into multiple bands, we expose a number of these spaces throughout the building; on the interior, as well as the exterior. The design takes advantage of these openings by mixing the circulation of people with the activities in which they participate. Project Design - Kory Bieg, OTA+