From 1 to 9 February 2013, an intensive course "Home for Russian Winter" will be held at the MARCH architecture school. Boris Bernasconi, Anton Mosin, Evgeny Shirokov, specialists from Werner Zobek's bureau are invited to lecture at the MARSH Winter School. We talked about winter, green architecture and "smart" home with the curator of the Winter School Nikolai Belousov and the teacher of MARSH - the author of the first "active house" in Russia, Alexander Leonov.
Why was winter chosen as the theme of the intensive and - exactly the house for the Russian winter?
Nikolay Belousov:
Russian architecture has always had a difficult relationship with winter, the whole history of our architecture is literally a reaction to extreme conditions. Russia is a country of snow, where white is the main color, and cold and "general frost" are almost our main symbols for the rest of the world. But we live in this climate and have always tried to protect ourselves from the cold, with all the ensuing technical burdens and architectural restrictions.
The task of a modern architect is to use new technologies for this purpose, to solve the problem of cold in modern ways. And not just decide, but do it smartly, get additional qualities of the building in the design process.
Alexander Leonov:
Summer is considered to be the most comfortable time of the year - and it is at this time that we spend very little time at home, we often go on vacation, to nature. Needless to say, a tent will do for the summer. In winter, you can't do without a house. It is in winter that we truly live at home, without going outside all day. There are wonderful holidays in the winter. We want to see winter as the best time to stay at home.
What are the features of "winter" construction?
Nikolay Belousov:
We will try to expand students' ideas about "winter" construction, to push them to solve new problems. I would like to teach the audience how to react to frost through form and design. In other words, if a person is cold, he will wrap his coat tighter, if an architect is cold, he will begin to use certain technologies and design standards. It is precisely these standards that we will teach him.
The architect must understand that in Russia a country house is surrounded by a snow cover 30-80 cm high, and the roof becomes heavier and thicker - and that this is not just interesting information, but a problem that must be taken into account when designing. In technology, there is such a concept - a limiting state, boundary conditions that determine decision-making. And in Russia in winter, external factors, you see, are completely different than in summer.
Alexander Leonov:
We propose to consider the house from the point of view of two factors - the owner's life scenario and the technical requirements of modern building practice. First of all, the course participants themselves will have to tell about life. The lecturers of the course will familiarize the audience with the current trends in architecture and technology, the peculiarities of operation, the economics of construction and structures.
We have invited specialists in various fields: construction from wood and alternative local materials (straw, for example), heat engineering, ecology, "green" standards and their application in Russia. There will also be lecturers from Germany, in particular from Werner Sobek's bureau, who will talk about the European experience. Our leading architects: Anton Mosin, Boris Bernasconi and, of course, the curator of the Winter School Nikolai Belousov will talk about green projects in Russia.
Our task is to establish interactions between the parties ¬– to connect professionals from different fields to achieve the desired result. The main skills are the ability to ask a specialist the right questions and set adequate tasks.
What is the advantage of green architecture?
Nikolay Belousov:
For me, as for a “wooden” person (Nikolay Belousov heads the “NV Belousov Architectural Workshop”, specializing in wooden architecture), an important role is played by the fact that wood is the only renewable material. That is, if we cut down a tree and build a house out of it, then in fifty years another tree will grow. The rest of the materials - brick, concrete, glass, metal - are, of course, beautiful, but such miracles have not yet been learned.
The undoubted advantages include the ease of construction of the building, heat circulation, obvious comfort and much more. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to answer this question within the framework of one interview - this is a too large, serious topic, the topic of a "smart" home - we will immerse ourselves in it all 8 days of the Winter School.
Alexander Leonov:
I believe that the term “green architecture” should become synonymous with “common sense”. When we create an object, it is first of all necessary to honestly answer the question "why are we doing this", the project must be filled with intellectual meanings. Green architecture is not only about complex engineering solutions, it touches on the issues of expediency, efficiency, optimal solutions. To study these issues, experimental objects are created, a kind of concept cars for housing construction, in one of these projects I was lucky enough to participate - I will tell about the experience of creating an Active House in Russia as part of the Winter School program.
What do you expect from the students of MARCH Winter School?
Nikolay Belousov:
I am waiting, first of all, for the included head - we will try to give as much information as possible, and the listeners will need to reflect all the knowledge gained in their project of a country house. The term "smart" home simply means that it was created by an intelligent and talented architect who understands the philosophy and concept of green architecture. I am interested in how students will combine their ideas with existing opportunities in this area.
Alexander Leonov:
Labor. Participants must accept that the Winter School course is the experience and knowledge that must be gained through working on their own project. They should have a need to ask questions. All decisions must be explained. Personal ideas, both real and futuristic, ambitions and opportunities - all components of life should form the basis for designing a dream house in the conditions of the Russian winter.
talked Leonid Gavrilyuk
