Construction has begun on the EU TUMO Convergence Center, a bold new educational and innovation hub designed by Dutch architecture studio MVRDV on a hillside site overlooking the Hrazdan River Gorge in Yerevan, Armenia. The project expands the existing TUMO campus in Tumanyan Park, creating a shared environment where students, researchers, start-ups and technology companies can collaborate within a single flexible structure.

Founded in 2011, TUMO has become internationally recognised for offering free education in creative and technical disciplines to young people. With more than 100,000 participants and centres extending to cities such as Paris, Tirana, Berlin and Mumbai, the Yerevan expansion represents a major step in scaling its mission. The new building not only supports students but also introduces spaces for industry partners and entrepreneurial activity, positioning it as a bridge between learning and professional practice.

The design takes the form of a striking 120-metre-long volume that appears to float above the landscape. Sitting atop a partially sunken base, the building cantilevers dramatically at both ends over steep terrain, increasing visibility from across the gorge and reinforcing its role as a landmark. Large glazed openings at the north and south ends frame expansive views toward the valley and the distant silhouette of Mount Ararat, anchoring the architecture within Armenia’s distinctive geography.

A translucent polycarbonate façade wraps the entire structure, allowing the building to shift character throughout the day. During daylight hours, the material filters sunlight to create soft interior illumination, while at night the centre glows outward like a lantern, subtly revealing the depth of its internal atriums.

Internally, five storeys of flexible learning and workspaces are organised around three full-height atriums connected to the ground level. These spaces include a central entrance hall with a café and digital lounge, a bridge that doubles as a viewing platform, an event hall for lectures and conferences, and adaptable co-working areas. Environmental strategies are integrated into the design, with separate heating and cooling systems for the atriums, anti-stratification fans and low-temperature floor heating helping reduce energy demand.

Structurally, the building uses a bubble-deck slab system to minimise concrete consumption and overall weight, while two central cores and open floor plates allow future reconfiguration. Surrounded by landscaped pathways and viewing points extending the rocky character of Tumanyan Park, the EU TUMO Convergence Center is designed as a long-term platform for collaboration, strengthening Yerevan’s position within Armenia’s rapidly growing technology ecosystem.

Visualizations © MVRDV Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries