Curators of the BA (Hons) program
Interior Architecture & Design - Joseph Van der Steen, James O'Brien:
“The clear line between outside and inside is blurring in the relation of room to building, buildings to block, block to district and district to city, exterior and interior become a continuous component of a complex heterogeneous urban structure. We teach students to critically view the city, explore it in a contextually challenging manner, taking into account contemporary global architectural discourse, as well as being inspired by local history. Educational projects explore the possibilities of adapting and programming buildings in an ever-changing urban environment. The complexity of the combination of history and culture, politics and economics, society and the city form a special context that is interesting to study. The program raises two fundamental questions: What is the right building and what is its potential? How can the right building qualitatively change the urban environment?
In the 2016-17 academic year, our design studios of three undergraduate courses explored characteristic spaces of Moscow of different scale and complexity:
- the first course dealt with understanding the basic functions and forms, how the user and the architect influence them. Moving from simple to complex, students were able to sense the different scales of spaces and learn the fundamental methods of working with them.
- sophomore students considered the problems of porosity of Moscow's "clogging" on the example of "unfinished", unused and abandoned buildings, among which there was a forgotten pearl of constructivism - the workers' club of the "Hammer and Sickle" plant designed by Ignatius Milinis.
- the third course studied the potential for the preservation and adaptation of buildings and undeveloped areas, residential areas and industrial zones around the MCC in the context of the imminent demolition and destruction of the memory of the place. ***
First grade
Within the framework of the first module "Representing Space" students become familiar with space as the main material and the basic conventions of its representation.
The second module "Anatomy of Space" is devoted to the awareness of space as a multifaceted concept associated not only with volume, but also with other physical and metaphysical aspects. A series of tasks that help to perceive and test architecture as a process, as a series of studies and reflections that open the mental and humanitarian side of the profession - the relationship of architecture with cultural, social and political contexts. In Anatomy of Space, students first encounter the figure of a customer they must find in order to design a multifunctional piece of furniture for it, and then organize the entire living space around it, based on the wishes of the customer.
Oyat Shukurov, leading teacher of BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design: “An important place in the first semester is occupied by the workshop called "Introducing Materiality"dedicated to the study of building practices. It consists of two parts, first, students study a fragment of an existing building, drawing it and creating its layout, trying to reflect the construction methods and nodes with the greatest amount of detail. In the second part of this module, students are introduced to masonry, types of bricks and mortars, types of joints and plasters. The result of this module is brick columns designed and built by students."
In the second semester, already having an idea of the basic stages of design work, drawing techniques, drafting and making models, students begin the third module, "Serious Play", for which a whole semester is allotted. If the previous module focuses on the transition from an object to a space containing it, and their only function is residential, then in this module students take on the transformation of a particular area in the city, consisting of many spaces with different functions. The purpose of the semester is not only to deepen and expand the knowledge gained earlier, but also to understand space as a complex system of interacting subjects, and find ways to transform it.
This academic year, students have been exploring the possibilities of transforming a garage cooperative into a small self-sufficient village.
Basic functions were distributed among the members of the group (city hall, police, library, bank, medical institution, bakery, crematorium, etc.), which each student had to explore and, after thinking about the nature of a particular function, find in discussion with group a place for their object and develop a program for it, and then design the object.
Second course
Referring to Walter Benjamin and to the category of "porosity", we believe that the Moscow city "pores" are heavily clogged. The brief invites students to reflect on the "restoration of porosity" in Moscow. Students need to find and identify the “clogged pores” of the city, study them thoroughly, formulate the problem as a result of the analysis, and then come to a complex design solution that allows these spaces to be “turned on” and returned to the city.
The structure of the brief methodically and consistently combines theory with practice, research and design, while at the same time, the tasks set simulate the actual design stages set out in the RIBA standards and recommendations. The training module and brief is designed to develop students' critical and analytical skills, as well as various techniques of representation.
Mikhail Mikadze, Leading Lecturer at BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design:
“The city for us is a kind of primary inner space for discussion and study. In particular, we are interested in the metamorphoses of urban space, so the students and I carefully examine the potential of existing morphemes in Moscow, whether it be the first floors of residential buildings, abandoned or unused buildings, infrastructure facilities and other so-called “urban inconveniences”.
First of all, we ask students to engage in flanery in the space they seemingly know and try in the process of this “living” to take a fresh look at the familiar, to feel the nature of space and the relationship between man and his environment. The result of flanery is the discovery of an urban "blockage", whether it is an unfinished 90s, a factory that does not produce anything, or a boarded-up cultural heritage site. The next stage of the research, students consider these buildings or spaces from the point of view of values, both general cultural and directly personal. It is interesting for us to view Moscow through the prism of Lefebvre's formula "the right to the city", where the central point is the right to change the existing order of things - towards a better order.
Thus, gradually plunging into the process of understanding space through the search and development of a subjective narrative, critical thinking is formed - the cornerstone of all professional activity, which, in turn, leads to meaningful, responsible and emotional projects. ***
SICKLE AND HAMMER Architectural InstituteAlexandra Ivashkevich
The workers' club of the Hammer and Sickle plant is the clearest example of the ruthlessness of time and the irresponsibility of our society. It is extremely symptomatic that the avant-garde monument, an identified object of cultural heritage protected by the state, has turned into ruins. Initially, the concept of the cultural complex was conceived and designed by Ignatius Milinis in 1927-33. Hammer and Sickle has become a reflection of the key principles of constructivism: a free layout, large striped glazing, a ground floor raised on pylons, and open roof terraces. The complex was a manifesto for the revival of the planned economy during the first Five Year Plan. The building underwent significant changes during the reconstruction of the 50s: the facades and interiors were decorated with pilasters, rosettes and other details unusual for avant-garde architecture. In the 70s, the space between the pylons was built up with additional rooms. And at the very beginning of the 21st century, the interior was almost completely destroyed. At the moment, only a semicircular portico hints at the former greatness of avant-garde architecture.
Recreated on the basis of the former workers' club of the Hammer and Sickle plant, the architectural institute inherits the traditions of two liberal schools: UNAM and Black Mountain College, which defended freedom of thought, self-expression, and raised the level of competence based on practical experience. The design of an architectural institution consists of four fundamental parts of a whole: theory, practice, ethics and politics. The core of this project is the existence of an architectural practice on campus. Usually closed to a wide audience, an office turns into a friendly, open working environment that integrates theory with direct practice. The issue of interaction between architecture and society is reflected in the open public spaces of the designed institution, which allow for open presentations, meetings, lectures and other public events. The campus project also provides for a residential building that provides an opportunity for permanent residence in an architectural environment.
Cultural Center and Archives
Polina Muravinskaya
“Man is mortal, and his only opportunity to become immortal is to leave behind something immortal.” - William Faulkner
The unfinished garage complex at 11 Bolshaya Dekabrskaya Street is located between the Armenian and Vagankovskoye cemeteries in a residential area in the north-west of Moscow. This site is unique as it is a barrier between “life” and “death” emotionally and physically, where “death” is the cemetery and “life” is the residential area next door. To prevent the cemetery from approaching the living environment, demolition of the building is absolutely excluded. The general concept of the project was the theme of Life, Death and Immortality. According to this concept, the Cultural Center and Archives are a place of processes that can be described as immortal: information and memories collected in the archive, as well as the results of creative and scientific activities taking place in the center, are the embodiment of immortality.
The cultural center and archive is a smooth transition between two contrasting zones, because it has both functionality for visitors to the cemetery and for ordinary people. The Center has a flower shop located directly opposite the entrance to the cemetery. It is invisible to locals, but conveniently located for visitors to the cemetery. The project also provides a meditation space where people could spend time after visiting the cemetery. They can also visit the library, archive and small cafe, which are located on the first floor of the cultural center, or attend workshops, lectures and exhibitions that are located on the second floor. Visitors to the center can also go up to the terrace on the third floor or go to one of the courtyards, which have exits from each room in the center. The project also aims to solve some of the obvious problems caused by the unfinished state of the facility. In particular, make a convenient entrance to the cemetery and transfer all ritual services from the first floors of residential buildings in the area.
The project also foresees significant changes to the existing structure of the building. Only the communication nodes were left unchanged - the stairs and ramp, as well as the columns that define the navigation through the building. The facade of the building overlooking the cemetery hides its landscape from visitors. The first floor creates a sense of security through minimal use of daylight and austere forms. The second floor is spacious with diffused soft light throughout the day. The workshop area has a system of mobile partitions, which, if necessary, divide one large space into several different sizes.
*** Third course
The final graduate year of study allows students to combine all their skills to conduct a wide range of research and development of an integrated architectural project. This year, we looked at housing and public space placement in 20th century industrial buildings and speculated about how reuse can serve as a basis for how we think about a city, its heritage and general housing and space standards.
In recent years, the legacy is increasingly becoming unnecessary for modern Moscow due to its "outdatedness", the question of the consequences of erasing the memory of the city is omitted. Thus, heritage has become a polarized theme in the broader context of urban development or regeneration, is it necessary to remember the past in order to move into the future?
This year, we focused on the opening of the MCC and industrial areas located near new stations on this transport artery. The integration of this railway line into the city's civil infrastructure, as opposed to the industrial network, opens up the potential for the redevelopment of these areas of Moscow, which are mainly industrial for housing and public amenities.
We took a critical look at buildings and courtyards in these areas to determine their potential for reuse, with the intention of offering an alternative mindset to the constant cycle of demolition and renovation that pervades any city. With a focus on defining the legacy of 20th century industrial architecture, we are actively trying to integrate the city's existing building stock into its vision for the future.
The year was structured in such a way that each module can be integrated into the theme of the thesis project in order to create a single synthetic field. During the first semester, through each module, we critically assessed the areas in which the building was located, and compiled a detailed individual report for each site (Generator module), carried out technical inspection and analysis of buildings, considered their structural condition and potential (Contemporary Technologies”), As well as delving deeper into theoretical aspects, studying intellectual developments in relation to housing throughout the 20th century (Degree Essay module). In the second semester, we methodically set about designing, rigorously testing and modeling ideas. When working with buildings and surrounding areas, it is important not only to capture the character of the space and articulate it, but also to ensure modern living standards. These two conditions are not mutually exclusive and with a more critical approach to the city and how we can restore our existing building stock, it turns out to integrate the “memory of the place” into the future of our city. This is achieved through a conceptually sound and technically rigorous process of researching and testing ideas. We strive for design proposals that combine architectural thinking with technical and engineering reality. Thus, the projects of the graduates of our program, consider the problem of reuse of buildings in its entirety, taking into account all the variety of factors affecting the urban space and society. *** New Khokhlovka
Evgeniya Khashimova
With the emergence of the MCC, some of the adjacent industrial areas immediately came to the attention of developers, while the rest are still in a deplorable state.
One such example is the Nizhny Novgorod region. In the age of industrialization, the land belonging to the village of Khokhlovka was completely built up with factories and factories, workers came to replace the villagers, and only the name of the street remained a reminder of the historical settlement.
Today, the area, known as the largest industrial area of the city, is in fact not such, since most of the enterprises have already been abandoned. The people living here suffer from the inconveniences associated with the urban planning of the place, its isolation and lack of the simplest functions necessary for life.
Thus, the goal of the project was to find opportunities for the development of the territory so that it would fit into the modern character of the city, but at the same time did not lose its own.
Since there are no any types of medical institutions on the territory, it was decided to adapt the chosen place - an abandoned Soviet laundry - into a residential complex with the function of a clinic on the ground floors.
A special feature of the new dwelling was the goal of bringing back the spirit of community, characteristic of both the villagers and the working class, through the creation of a series of public and private spaces.
Such a system will solve the problem of separation of streams, chaotic overlap of various kinds of spaces on each other and at the same time will help to bring a friendly, similar to the village atmosphere.
The value of the project lies in the fact that while preserving the characteristics of the spaces with which we work, more significant and global aspects can be preserved. That is, attempts to find an approach to the already existing architecture and the search for ways to adapt it to new functions help people inhabiting the territory to continue their established way of life and keep in touch with their culture and history.
*** Rostokinskaya factory Labor of Alexander Ushakov
The creation of a social environment on the territory of the Rostokino fur factory is the formation of a point of attraction and integration of residential microdistricts in the Rostokino district. First of all - This is the introduction of the necessary urban infrastructure for current and future residents, which is associated with the development of basic services and the emergence of cultural and educational programs. The residential part of the project is a different approach to the design of apartments compared to residential complexes, which are currently under construction near the area itself and within the MCC. The size of the space, the height of the ceilings and the amount of daylight in the existing structure of the factory buildings are potential advantages from which the atypical design of apartments is created, as well as the achievement of the comfort of semi-closed public spaces.
