"Melodia" was a legendary record store that opened in 1975 in Kirovakan (now Vanadzor). Today, only its weathered sign and the memories of local residents remain. To us, this is a priceless piece of urban history that deserves to be filled with light once more.

More than just a shop, it was a progressive musical hub that transformed the city's lifestyle. People would come here to sit in stylish red armchairs, put on headphones, and lose themselves in their favorite music.

We aim to set a precedent for high-quality restoration of small architectural forms in Armenia's regions and launch a digital platform to preserve local history for future generations.

Letter Restoration: We have already begun metalwork (funded by an initial grant), cleaning 7 letters from 50 years of corrosion.

Authentic Neon: We will manufacture glass gas-discharge tubes according to historical patterns to restore the authentic 1970s glow to the building.

Digital Archive: A QR code will be placed on the facade, leading to a digital platform filled with citizens' memories and music from that era.

Every year, Armenian cities lose unique visual heritage—old signs, mosaics, and decorative details. When they disappear, we lose the cultural layers that make history feel alive.

The Small Artifacts of Armenia initiative identifies, documents, and preserves these iconic elements of the urban environment along with their stories.

The project is being implemented by the Syun Agency team. The members of the collective possess professional expertise in heritage conservation: they hold master’s degrees from the "Re-school" program at the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia and have completed training with certificates from the leading French restoration school, École de Chaillot.

Aram Simonyan — Urbanist and researcher. Oversees the restoration methodology and architectural integration of the object into the urban environment.

Nadia Romanova — Art director and strategist. Responsible for the visual identity of the project and the development of the digital platform. 

Lilit Hovhannisyan — Project manager. Responsible for strategic planning, coordination of all implementation stages, and interaction with government agencies. 

At the moment, the project has already received a grant from the Awesome Foundation in the amount of 400,000 AMD — these funds are sufficient for a complete restoration of the metal base of the sign. Now we are collecting the remaining part of the amount necessary for the production of traditional neon, the creation of a digital platform, and the final installation. 

Each of your contributions is critically important for preserving those bits of Armenian history that such small artifacts carry within them. 

For partners and sponsors: The information plaque that will be installed on the facade of the building provides places for logos and mentions of our key partners. Мы будем рады обсудить с вами возможности интеграции и ваш персональный вклад в восстановление культурного облика Ванадзора. / We will be glad to discuss with you the possibilities of integration and your personal contribution to the restoration of the cultural image of Vanadzor.