One of the well-known architects of Rostov-on-Don in the early 20th century was Zakiev Arutyun Khristoforovich, a Russian architect of Armenian descent, who held the position of city architect of Rostov-on-Don for several years.

Arutyun Khristoforovich was born on March 24, 1874, in Nakhichevan-on-Don to the merchant family of Khachatur Akopovich and Siranuhi Kikorovna. They had seven sons and two daughters.

In 1894, he graduated from the Petrov Real School in Rostov-on-Don. In 1895, he was called up for service in the Russian Imperial Army, and in 1898, he entered the Riga Polytechnic Institute. In March 1899, due to student unrest, all students were expelled, and only in 1905 did Zakiev manage to continue his studies. He graduated from the institute in 1908 and on May 28 of the same year received the title of engineer-architect, which allowed him to engage in construction work and the design of buildings and structures.

In 1910, he returned to Rostov-on-Don, where he worked as an architect until the arrival of Soviet power. He undertook both private commissions and duties as the city architect. During the Bolshevik regime, he headed the commission for the major repairs of buildings for several years and held various positions. In 1928, Arutyun Khristoforovich moved to Yerevan, where the situation was calmer than in the Don region, which was engulfed in de-Cossackization and political repression. In Yerevan, he became the chairman of the City Construction Control and one of the organizers of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, where from 1930 until his death in January 1945, he served as the dean of the faculty of construction. He is buried in Yerevan.