Irina Markina, Curator of the Architectural Heritage Festival
Architect, restorer, vice-rector of the Institute for the Art of Restoration, state expert in the field of historical and cultural expertise, academician of the Academy of Architectural Heritage, advisor to the President of the SA of Russia, chairman of the Council on Heritage of the SA of Russia
What is the idea of the All-Russian Festival "Archheritage"?
This is the first all-Russian competition of works related to the architectural heritage. Heritage contests have been and are being held in the regions - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tobolsk and others. But they exist in isolation. The All-Russian Festival "Arch Heritage" was conceived not only as a review competition of works, but also as a platform for the exchange of experience among specialists from all over the country. Perhaps there is no such level of monuments in the Primorsky Territory or Khabarovsky as the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, the restoration project of which is being developed by Studio 44 (it was awarded the gold diploma of the festival).
But restorers in the distant region now have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in preserving cultural heritage sites while exploring innovative techniques. Within the framework of the festival, a large business program was formed: round tables, master classes, lectures and discussions, conferences - their participants were able to deeply study the issues of preserving the architectural heritage and left, enriched with this knowledge.
Can you tell about the level of restoration in Russia using the example of some project?
A representative jury worked as part of the Best Cultural Heritage and Development Object competition. The jury consisted of doctors of architecture and art history, experts from the Ministry of Culture of Russia, academicians of the RAASN, restorers of the highest category, such as Elena Valerievna Stepanova, Maria Vladimirovna Nashchokina, Larisa Valeryanovna Lazareva, Lev Nikolaevich Lavrenov and others - just an Olympian of Russian restoration.
The level of competition entries is very high. For instance,
a complex of buildings for a thermal power station in Pskov, a monument of constructivism, restoration of the complex with adaptation for housing. What's interesting about this job? First, the research part, which answers the question of what is the object of restoration and what is an element of adaptation. One of the main criteria for determining authenticity is the subject of protection. Without this document, we, certified experts, are not entitled to evaluate projects. The subject of protection is developed by historians, art historians, architects. National standards are in force in Russia. They regulate the quantity, quality and completeness of sections of projects for the preservation of cultural heritage sites. Everything has been preserved in the CHP restoration project, including the building structures.
Tell us about the Archlegate awards
St. Petersburg took away almost all gold diplomas. Studio 44 under the direction of Nikita Yavein was awarded for the project to recreate the Chinese theater in Tsarskoye Selo. The theater is located in the so-called "Chinese village". The family of Emperor Nicholas II actively used it, watched fashionable theatrical performances. While the building is in ruins. The theater was destroyed during the war. Today, thorough research has been carried out in the archives, photographs of past years have been collected. Its three-dimensional model was presented at the competition. The coloristic solution of the theater facades is shown very tactfully. Modern architects often like to attach something to a monument, either for beauty or in order to increase the building volume. There are no conjectures in the project for the restoration of the Chinese theater. This is a complete repetition of the object at the beginning of the 20th century. When implemented, we get a fully recreated heritage object in its identity.
Will the materials and technologies of the early twentieth century be observed?
Certainly. No reinforced concrete, no modern polymeric materials (these are mainly plastering and painting materials under European licenses, they can be used in the restoration of 20th century objects that were built using cement mortars and reinforced concrete). And in the Chinese theater, manufacturing restoration firms must keep the brickwork on a binder mortar without the use of cement. If the binders are lime, lime must be present in the plaster layer.
It is believed that the secrets of handicraft are lost today. Who will make the monuments? Are there any artisans?
This is a debatable question. We do not have statistics on industrial restorers. How many companies and teams that professionally restore, for example, monuments of wooden architecture? One, two, and missed them. The University of Civil Engineering prepares chief engineers for the construction industry. They gain experience in the practice of restoration. And those who work with their hands - masons, white masons, metalworkers, tinsmiths, painters - still exist, but these professions are dying out. Some colleges train such specialists, but it is difficult to track the quantity and, moreover, the quality. There are 26 architectural and restoration colleges in Moscow and several more throughout the country, but their graduates after graduation do not find a job. They are not taken to restoration firms because there are no orders. When a restoration firm wins a tender, it is not known how many and what restorers there are. Now the Ministry of Culture is conducting raids, looking at the qualifications of production workers. It happens that a company is deprived of its license.
For example, Izborsk fortress of the XI-XIII centuries. The firm that won the tender attracted unskilled workers. As a result, the ancient boulder masonry was damaged. The work has been suspended. Mikhail Milchik recorded this, and the company had to return serious sums to the state budget.
Do you have plans to revive the art of craft?
There are plans, but outside the planned economy, it is extremely difficult to control the training process. If this were put on the level of a state task, it would be another matter. There would be a government program: to train a certain number of specialists, for this to open so many educational institutions. But in a market economy, demand creates supply. And we have only a few restored objects.
What is the proportion of restored objects in Russia to those included in the register of monuments?
Look, there are about 50 projects in the catalog. For the entire Russian Federation, this is extremely small, so the question arises: in order to restore all the monuments - and there are more than one hundred thousand - funds are needed. Shown here are works where the development of the project was financed either by the state or by a private investor. About one quarter of these objects will be restored in the near future. It's just a little bit! With this number of facilities, systemic craft education cannot be created.
Today there is a small regional budget and a federal budget, which is also not very large. We have allocated about 1.5 trillion rubles for conservation, but this is a drop in the bucket. Anyway, thank you that the state has completed the financing of the design work for the Chinese Theater and the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoye Selo. Next year the Alexander Palace will be opened, everything is going well there. But this is federal money from the Ministry of Culture.
But "Levenson's Fast Print" in Trekhprudny Lane in Moscow, by Fyodor Shekhtel, was financed by a private investor, who restored facades and partially interiors for his own money. He adapted the building for offices with a change in the appearance of the interiors. But we are grateful to him, because the building has survived.
How did the jury decide on the Grand Prix?
The Grand Prix was awarded to the developers of the project for the preservation of the New Jerusalem Monastery in Istra. Reconstruction of the historical appearance of the complex and its adaptation to a functioning monastery. Part was financed by the state, part - by the Russian Orthodox Church. G. Medvedeva, S. Demidov, B. Moginov, S. Kulikov participated in the development of the project - the most experienced restorers of the country - this is the color of national restoration. The design work is very voluminous, although without constant funding, but our restorers are devotees. They just did a little feat, and all members of the jury unanimously said that this was the Grand Prix. Research and projects were made on all the walls of the fortress walls, tents and towers (Moginov B. M.). He was also awarded the Commemorative Medal of the Union of Architects of Russia. P. D. Baranovsky.
Now, after the closing of the festival, the Union of Architects of Russia is sending letters to the government of the Russian Federation, the State Duma of Russia, to the governments of cities and regions, so that the works of the restorers will be marked with awards.
Now urbanism is in favor, cities and territories are trying to develop throughout the country. The historical monument has such a powerful cultural and symbolic potential! But what if the revival of territories begins with heritage? Maybe it makes sense to involve other ministries in the restoration?
I think yes. At one time, I put forward the following formula: "Preservation of the architectural heritage today - a grant for the sustainable development of the city in the future." A separate heritage site is definitely a symbol. But I would like to see him in a restored historical environment. At the "Arkhnazediya" competition "Regions of Russia" was presented: projects to restore the historical environment of the city. And such an object was brought by the Tula region - "Project for the regeneration of the historic Belyov". For this work, the Tula region received a gold diploma. According to the project, it is planned to completely restore the Belevsky Kremlin, and preserve the one-two-storey historical buildings for future generations. The restorers identified the historical layout, worked on the complexes of streets and squares, looked at how to improve these territories, what functions to introduce into these spaces in order to create a comfortable environment. The confectionery industry of Belevskaya marshmallow is developing very well. But there is nowhere to stay in the city. In Soviet times, there was one hotel, always closed - suddenly someone from the "regional committee" came - and the house of a collective farmer. Now many guest houses will be opened right in the historic center.
What other restoration technologies were shown at the "Arh Heritage"?
Restoration of the historical landscape. For example, TsPKIO them. Gorky in Moscow. It is a complex from the Soviet 1930s. Not only architecture is interesting here, but also garden and park solutions. They received a silver diploma for work on flower gardens, small architectural forms, for the return of a planning structure destroyed in the nineties. It is important to note that there are structures in Moscow that are ready to restore and improve parks, because an organization such as Gorpark has been formed between the facility and the Moscow City Department of Culture. In general, objects of the twentieth century are a fertile topic, because they are almost always well documented. Thanks to the Museum of Architecture. A. V. Shchusev that they kept the funds. All restorers find invaluable information there.
