Armenian designer and illustrator Nvard Yerkanian explores the legacy of Armenia’s modernist architecture in Fragile Concrete, a picture book built from a series of 30 detailed illustrations that document some of the country’s most distinctive architectural landmarks.
The project began long before the book itself. Yerkanian created the first illustration in 2016, but the idea traces back to her student years, when she was involved in an initiative dedicated to preserving modernist architectural monuments in Yerevan. Many of these structures were once celebrated symbols of a forward-looking era, yet over time their forms have been altered, neglected or partially erased.
Fragile Concrete emerged as a way to draw attention to this overlooked heritage.
Many of the buildings featured in the project have been dramatically changed over the decades. Renovations, additions and urban development have often obscured their original structures. Through illustration, Yerkanian removes these later layers, restoring the buildings visually to their intended form.
“In my illustrations, I remove the layers of transformation to bring the focus back to the original form and structure,” she explains. “This allows viewers to appreciate the architects’ ideas and vision without the visual noise of present-day changes.”
Colour plays a key role in shaping the tone of the work. Rather than presenting the buildings through nostalgia or decay, Yerkanian uses a bright palette that echoes the optimism that surrounded these architectural projects when they were first conceived.
“They were bold visions of the future,” she says. “I wanted the illustrations to reflect that energy.”
The illustrations initially appeared as individual art prints and merchandise before eventually being gathered into a book. The first edition of Fragile Concrete was published in 2023 in a print run of 500 copies, and Yerkanian is currently working on a second edition of the publication.
The project continues to function both as a visual archive and a form of advocacy, reminding viewers of the cultural significance of these buildings and the importance of preserving architectural history.
Nvard Yerkanian is an award-winning Armenian graphic designer and illustrator based in Venice, Italy, where she runs her own design studio. Her practice combines research-driven design with visual storytelling across illustration, publishing, identity design and digital media. She is also the co-founder of the WHY Graphic Design Festival in Florence.
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