We asked three questions: what was 2016 remarkable for their bureau, for Russian and for global architecture.
Julius Borisov, UNK project
For bureaus:
“Three events:
- We have completed the construction of Skolkovo.
- We started to build Luzhniki with might and main.
- We started designing with Rosatom.
And most importantly, we have added about 25 more wonderful new specialists."
For Russian architecture:
“If we talk about the industry, then quite unexpectedly from all sides, and even from the highest level, it sounded that everything: norms, approaches to design and construction, to urban planning, are worthless. This is a good sign. In the minds of not only architects, but also those in power, the thought began to ripen that it is impossible to build the way we have been building for the last 50 years."
For world architecture:
“The Apple capmus was completed almost without cuts. This is not a global thing, not super-outstanding in terms of architecture, but from an ideological point of view, it is a mega project. It's like the advent of electric cars or Tesla cars. This is a new step."
*** Anton Nadtochy
Atrium
For the bureau:
“This year has been very busy for our company. The most significant project for us was a high-rise residential complex near Gagarin Square. In the active phase of construction is the residential quarter "Symbol" on the territory of the "Serp and Molot" plant, where we are also designing an educational center, a park, a bridge - a whole micro-city with its own environment. This year we participated in many competitions and were engaged in designing a new office, which we plan to move to after the New Year."
For Russian architecture:
“We can say that now there is a strong demand for an individual architecture and an understanding that it gives a significant competitive advantage. The task of creating unique objects is increasingly being posed. Finally, the customer became interested in the result being consistent with the design solutions."
For world architecture:
“This year's Venice Biennale, in our opinion, especially clearly demonstrated the ongoing split within the world architectural community. Social architecture and urbanism confidently prevail over personified architecture, public opinion prevails over the author's position. Without diminishing the importance of the first, we are looking forward to when the scale will again swing in the other direction. From what he saw, the greatest impression was made by the Confluence Museum Coop Himmelb (l) au in Lyon."
*** Evgeny Gerasimov, "Evgeny Gerasimov & Partners"
For the bureau:
“The main thing is that we continue to develop. In addition, an important event is the release of the Judicial Quarter project, on which we are working together with the SPEECH bureau, from the expertise. This year our workshop celebrates its 25th anniversary. For this event, we have timed the release of the catalog of all our projects and buildings. A personal exhibition of the workshop's works was held at the Russian Museum of Ethnography.
For Russian architecture:
“Anniversaries: 25 years of EGP, 10 years of SPEECH”.
For world architecture:
"Zaha Hadid died - this is a great loss for world architecture." *** Nikolay Pereslegin
Kleinewelt Architekten
For the bureau:
“During this year, the number of employees in our bureau has become exactly three times more than a year ago. Projects of more than a million square meters are in the works, at various stages of development. In addition, we won several closed tenders that were held for large commercial properties and we competed in them with very strong bureaus. These victories are a serious professional score for us”.
For Russian architecture:
“The era of unrestrained consumption is leaving. The attitude towards what is money, what is the cost of living, the cost of maintaining architecture is changing. The ability to save money, know the price of money, and make only important purchases are good skills that translate into architecture. The architectural and construction industry has begun to pay more attention to all design decisions that affect the economy, how a building functions, what materials it is built from. In housing, the demand for small apartments is growing. And our task is to make sure that even in an apartment with an area of 30 m2 the family was comfortable and pleasant to live. In this situation, an additional environment is of particular importance, some kind of public spaces that compensate for the small area of the apartment. As a result, the overall quality of life is improving."
For world architecture:
“The past Biennale seemed strange to me. Not from the point of view of some separate pavilions, and not even from the point of view of the declared theme, but in general, it feels like some important meaning of this event has been lost, which was almost always inherent in it before. In this regard, paradoxically, the figure of the curator - Alejandro Aravena, of course, became a separate discovery, and this is a positive discovery”.
*** Natalia Sidorova, DNA ag
For the bureau:
“The beginning of the construction of our large urban development project“Gorki”(RC“May”), in which we developed both planning solutions and individual buildings. We now have a modern city-village hybrid. In addition, here we have worked out the general, topical, in our opinion, principles of attractive residential development, including: connection with the landscape and context; low-rise housing; block buildings with courtyards without cars; active improvement …"
For Russian architecture:
“As a trend, one can single out the growing attention of developers to the quality of architecture in the mass residential development, and as a result, the involvement of leading architects in the design of such projects. A good example is ZILART. More than 20 teams are working on projects for its residential areas, including our DNA group. This tendency is explained, on the one hand, by the spirit of the times, and on the other, by the support of the chief architect of the city."
For world architecture:
“The possibility of widespread use of interactive tools in the work on urban planning projects. For example, the service
Google Earth Timelapse is very convenient for architects and urbanists. Timelapse - time-lapse photography from 1984 to 2016. The service allows you to select any point on the planet for viewing. And, like a time machine, go on a kind of journey through space and time, look with what dynamics, in which direction any city has changed over the past 30 years: its borders, building density, landscape … ". *** Alexander Skokan, "Ostozhenka"
For the bureau:
"The most significant was the return of Andrei Gnezdilov."
For Russian architecture:
"Discrediting domestic urbanism on the example of Moscow landscaping."
For world architecture:
Death of Zaha Hadid. Although I was not a fan of her. This is not only an emotional event: she was one of the main trendsetters in architectural fashion. *** Sergey Skuratov,
Sergey Skuratov Architects
For the bureau:
“Long-awaited move to our own, new and spacious office. Emotionally, this is the most important event in the life of a workshop. Those who have already visited it will understand me. We get a completely different work experience. In addition, my dream to design and build a theater has finally come true. Many thanks to LSR and personally to Andrey Molchanov."
For Russian architecture:
“Together with Yuri Grigoryan, Alexander Tsimailo, Nikolai Lyashenko, Vladimir Plotkin and a dozen more talented young architectural teams, we are working on a project for the development of the second and third stages of ZILART. This joint work, I hope, will have a resonance, at least on the scale of the industry."
For world architecture:
Venice Biennale. Although I never got to it. The unexpected death of Zaha Hadid. This is a huge loss for our workshop. Completion of two highly anticipated buildings of Herzog & de Meuron: the Philharmonic in Hamburg and the Tate Modern in London."
Vladimir Plotkin, TPO "Reserve"
For the bureau:
“The most significant event for me was the invitation to give a lecture in Strasbourg at the building of the Council of Europe. It seems to me that the fact of inviting a Russian architect is important not only for me personally. I was surprised by the warm welcome and attention that was given to me.
In addition, I must say that I liked how our house on Krasin Street ended up. It caused different responses, but I'm happy with it. I am satisfied with our work on the competition for the "Gray Belt of St. Petersburg" and the resulting project. However, I cannot say that I managed to understand what the real goals of this competition were. It seems to me that it was a research competition and therefore no prizes were awarded for work on the main problem. After all, in the end, the awards were awarded only for the solution of separate, relatively small, fragments of the considered territories."
For Russian architecture:
“I would say that I cannot single out anything. There were no high-profile contests. The main feature of this year is that everything was quiet and stable. There is nothing wrong with that."
For world architecture:
“Many beautiful houses have been built, but I would call the tower 432 Park Avenue in New York, designed by Raphael Vignoli. Super-elegant, super-thin tower. Incredible beauty. She has enriched the skyline of New York and has become a new landmark. Looks amazing."
Sergey Choban, SPEECH
For the bureau:
"For our bureau, the most important event of the year was the SPEECH Project exhibition at the Moscow Multimedia Art Museum (MAMM), which tells about the work of our office over the past ten years."
For Russian architecture:
"The emergence of a large number of young promising architectural firms, especially in Moscow."
For world architecture:
"Opening of the Elbe Philharmonic".
Oleg Shapiro, "Wowhaus"
For the bureau:
“Our year has been marked by work on a large project for the reconstruction of the Polytechnic Museum and the creation of the Museum Park; this is our main job. Its beginning is lost in time and it is difficult to predict its end yet. The complex work includes new design, and adaptation, and restoration, and exhibition design, and landscape design. We work on a project with a large team, including large design institutes, engineers, restorers and conservation experts. In the framework of the Museum Park project, we are cooperating with the author of the concept, Junya Ishigami."
For Russian architecture:
“I would single out the state program for the improvement of Russian cities and monocities. This is an important event. And we are glad that we stood at the origins of this movement, influencing the formation of such decisions with our projects. The more cities a normal environment is created, the better. It is clear that each city will have its own problems. Everyone is afraid of regulations. But regulations are foolproof. They will help cities to become better and raise the professionalism of local specialists”.
For world architecture:
“I would single out the trend in the development of cultural, primarily museum projects outside the centers of historical and business cities. The largest museums in the world, such as the Louvre, the Victoria and Albert Museum, open their branches or buildings for funds in the periphery, on the outskirts, in new areas. The tendency to concentrate culture in the center is breaking down. And this is also relevant for Russia. For example, a branch of the Hermitage is being built on the territory of ZILART. For Moscow, which is 80% of the periphery, the advancement of culture outside the Third Transport Ring is a very important trend. ***
