Osep Sarafian Passes Away at Age 94

Born in Arnavutköy in 1932, Sarafian attended Getronagan School and St. George’s Austrian High School before graduating from the Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Department of Architecture in 1956. After working in Istanbul for several years, he moved to the United States to pursue a Master’s degree in City Planning at the University of Pennsylvania. During this period, he became a student of the renowned architect Louis Kahn, whose influence resonated throughout his professional career.

In 1960, he began working at the architectural firm Minoru Yamasaki & Associates in Michigan, where he took part in numerous significant projects. After five years in the US, he returned to Istanbul, where he signed off on various individual projects across Turkey, as well as collaborative works with Nişan Yaubyan and Güntekin Aydoğan. His portfolio included hospitals, university campuses, sports facilities, stadiums, public buildings, and residential structures. In 1980, he settled permanently in the US and rejoined Minoru Yamasaki & Associates. He had the opportunity to execute diverse projects in countries such as the USA, Spain, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Under his firm's name, he also participated in and won several international competitions in Turkey.

Following his retirement as Vice President of Minoru Yamasaki & Associates in 1994, he established his own office in Michigan, continuing to provide consultancy services in both the United States and Turkey.

Beyond his contributions to global architecture, Sarafian dedicated his retirement to the development of Armenia. He spearheaded efforts for the construction of schools, roads, sewage and clean water systems, and community centers in rural areas, facilitating development projects in 145 Armenian villages. In recognition of these efforts, he was awarded the State Order of the Prime Ministry of Armenia in 2015. Sarafian was a member of the Armenian Academy of Sciences and an Honorary Member of the AGBU. In 2023, he was also granted Honorary Membership by the HAYCAR Association, of which he was a member.

A funeral ceremony for Osep Sarafian will be held on January 24, 2026, in Michigan.

Note: Osep Sarafian’s biography was prepared with the contributions of HAYCAR.