The beginning of the design was preceded by a simple but indicative intrigue. Two years ago, Dmitry Alexandrov built a new one next to an unnamed constructivist building - Georg Plaza. Then, inspired by the neighborhood, the architect gave the new building forms that evoke memories of the architectural avant-garde of the 1920s. It turned out an essay on the theme of the avant-garde, which, being built, looks quite organic next to its neighbor. Now the architect decided to develop the effect that had arisen.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. So, Aleksandrov built the "Georg Plaza", in part inspired by a constructivist neighbor. The new house received a gold diploma at last year's Zodchestvo, the Quality Architecture 2006 prize, and was nominated for the ARX awards (nomination Architectural Implementation from the Position of Development). And after a while, a completely different customer suggested that the architect reconstruct the now old, neighboring building for class A offices.
The house, hidden in a side street not far from the house of pioneers, is not a masterpiece of constructivism, but it is attractive for its adherence to simple truths - the entire facade has large ribbons of windows, a box-case, a corridor system, initially there were offices, then a research institute, which is moving. Of the excesses, only the accordion of triangular bay windows uniting the two lower floors, and a round window above the vertical of the staircase. The house is considered an early Iofan (even the author is not known for sure!). However, the building fascinates rather not by its uniqueness, but by its belonging, tightly knocked down, moderately massive, worker-peasant and uncomplicated.
It turned out to be the same inside - solid, monolithic, requiring no major reconstruction, in contrast to its fellows from reeds that have thundered all over the world. The frames in the windows are still original. Accordingly, the entire structural basis of the building will be preserved, the walls will be insulated, the carpentry will be replaced, the attic floor will be built on, and an underground garage will be added.
The garage, which will have to be brought under the existing building, is conceived in an original and economical way - there is one floor in it, but there are three cells, a "mechanized parking" will be used to drive the cars. All together it will allow placing 27 cars, and a few more in the yard.
Inside, after reconstruction, 800 sq. m of usable area, in particular, due to the built-up new attic floor. Thus, the building will be equal in height to its new neighbor Georg Plaza. Some partitions will be removed inside, the frame will be strengthened, and metal elements will be introduced. Two new elevator shafts will be added and communication blocks will be moved apart. At the outer end, instead of rusty fire escapes, a vertical row of balconies with metal columns will appear.
In addition to leveling the height, some more techniques are designed to bring the house under reconstruction closer to Georg Plaza. The facades will be painted in the same color: it will only change slightly, darken a little and turn yellow. The house will receive a gray granite plinth, and striped paneling on tape windows, running across, echoing the diagonal rhythm of the Plaza windows.
The old, constructivist house is separated from the Georg Plaza by a narrow passage. The houses already now look like two buildings of the same ensemble - one is simpler, constructivist, the other is "neo", in comparison with it it is almost a palace. History has something of a manor: an architect came, saw, made it similar to what it was. Then they returned to the old house, they also reduced it a little to the new one, and we got a constructivist ensemble - perhaps, the neighborhood of Le Corbusier's Centrosoyuz house, which can be seen from the upper windows of Georg Plaza, contributes to this.
