When we found ourselves locked in our apartments, we felt especially acutely the imperfection of layouts and public spaces. How can the house, apartment and space in which we live help us in development? And what needs to change in the cities for this?
The author of the Pro-development project, public figure Nikolai Dunn talked about this with the head of Asadov's Architectural Bureau and co-founder of the national initiative "Living Cities" Andrei Asadov.
Nikolay Dunn:
How do you think architecture shapes human consciousness?
Andrey Asadov: I'll start with myself. The task of the architect is to think about the space as a whole and to lay down strong techniques in projects that allow achieving a new quality of the environment that transforms a person. And this is, in a sense, alchemy. What I have to work with on a daily basis. In what space a person is located, such a way of thinking and acting is formed in him. Give a specific example to make it clear. If you live in a square house, then you have, conditionally, square thoughts or what?
When I was still studying at the Institute of Architecture, we had an optional course "Bioenergetic Impact of Architectural Forms". Even then I realized that an architect is a very responsible profession when you physically influence a large number of people. In this sense, there are traditional forms, for example, the Russian hut with rectangular structures, which come from the nature of the material. And it cannot be said that there is something terrible in this.
On the other hand, there are sacred temple buildings: Russian and Gothic cathedrals. This architecture raises human consciousness with an irrational height. Being inside, you feel like a part of something bigger.
But in cities, the presence of a human scale is important. The Moscow City complex, for example, lacks it greatly. Although in the same New York, despite the huge scale of skyscrapers, there are elements of improvement, such as art objects and other solutions, which do not allow the resident to feel like a grain of sand and be overwhelmed by it.
That is, there should be objects at the ground floor level that give the feeling that the city is taking care of you?
Yes, these are important elements of a comfortable public space. This is the very topic that has been powerfully developing in our country lately. And this is very cool. Building is one thing, but the urban fabric itself, which connects everything and gives the disparate objects a common meaning, is another.
Let's talk a little more about skyscrapers, Khrushchev buildings and residential complexes, the so-called cheloveinniki. What lineup are they launching in the minds of residents? I talked with one builder who churns out microdistricts, he said that when flying over his houses, he himself saw the image of crosses in them. That is, he compared his works with a cemetery
Let's not forget that at one time these objects had an important role. Khrushchevkas were built for the resettlement of communal apartments, when, out of inhuman conditions, a large number of people were able to be accommodated in separate housing.
Agree that development is moving gradually. Now we see that the industrial format of life does not correspond to modern times. Cities are transitioning to individual environments. And architecture is a powerful tool for that. Even using external, facade solutions, it is possible to create a more pleasant, light, not overpowering and even inspiring appearance of the living environment.
In the period of recent isolation, we all felt the lack of outdoor spaces: balconies and loggias, which are at least partially connected with the outside world.
What, in your opinion, is the achievement of architecture over the past 20 years?
Oddly enough, this is a return to the human scale of a medieval city - a kind of settlement of the 21st century. Historical development always goes in cycles. And now we are experiencing a return to a more comfortable, neighborhood, traditional, individual building, to a living environment with a human face.
In a number of projects we have worked out these principles, for example, when we announced the Nespalny District project for the Moscow renovation. Unlike traditional buildings, this is a fragment of a full-fledged, self-sufficient urban environment, where, in addition to residential and sleeping functions, there are work, educational, cultural, sports and public spaces, that is, any components that are controlled and initiated by the residents themselves. This environment encourages the development of micro-business and private entrepreneurship, which means that the space is already capable of initiating a social effect. And the creation of such micro-cities, self-sufficient residential complexes, I think, is the trend and achievement of the new time. It began, by the way, in the 1990s of the last century with elite residential complexes with built-in infrastructure.
Now a variety of infrastructure appears in both business-class housing and the comfortable segment.
Let's take a look at the house or apartment itself. What element, in your opinion, should be inside for a person to understand that he is definitely developing thanks to this?
I am convinced that the living space should be as neutral as possible so that nothing will put pressure on you. It should harmonize a person, bring him into a state of pacification and connection with himself. Therefore, I advise you to choose lightness and light. The apartment or house itself is a miniature image of the city. There should be a conventional city square for meetings and communication - this is the living room, the market square is the kitchen, and there must be quiet residential areas, ideally for each member of the family. This is not always achievable in urban areas, so it is important to allocate at least a place for privacy, which will be used by everyone in turn.
You can zone the space by means of architecture and furniture, but ideally it all starts with a competent layout. Therefore, even on such a miniature scale, it is important to consult with specialists.
People say that a man should build a house, raise a son and plant a tree. What should a home be like from a professional's point of view, and what does it mean to you?
The body is also a home for the spirit. You keep him in shape and ennoble him. A house in terms of a dwelling is already the next shell, like a nesting doll: body, house, district, city, country, planet.
Where are the trends in home architecture going?
I think they generally did not stop moving towards personal development. We are talking about freedom of expression, flexibility and transformation of space, because this is already an indispensable element of any modern building with any function to quickly adapt to different tasks.
Another important feature of modern architecture is an attempt to harmoniously interact with the natural environment. This is where a whole direction began - organic architecture, when a space artificially reproduces natural elements, for example, hills, mountains, caves, and unusual spaces.
Modern technologies practically remove the boundaries of the possible, only the laws of gravity and orientation still keep us within certain limits. The floor can now flow freely into the walls and then into the ceiling, creating a continuous organic space.
Also interesting is the technology of media facades, when a grid of small LEDs is created over the entire surface of the walls, which form a giant screen at a certain distance. Due to this, the architecture of the city comes to life. But it's important to apply this in moderation and not overdo it.
One of the newest tasks of architecture is to come to terms with nature, to let it inside cities, in order to turn them from concrete bags into islands of natural space. City administrations are beginning to understand that it is important for competitiveness and attractiveness to have zones for communication and interaction of people with each other.
There is a good example in Moscow - Zaryadye Park. It is located in the heart of the city as a full-fledged protected area. This is one of my favorite places to come and dissolve. I call this living architecture. I recently formulated 7 principles for myself.
Let's name them, will it be such a gift to our readers?
The first is a multifunctional and self-sufficient space. It is a city within a city that has everything that is necessary for life and full development.
The second is organic geometry. Cities and buildings don't have to be rectangular. Free organic spaces feed a person and reveal an irrational principle in him.
The third is intermediate spaces: terraces, balconies, loggias. This is a vital connection between man and the external, natural environment.
The fourth is the image. Each building, especially a socially significant one, can have its own soul. This is the component that will be appreciated and will be passed on to descendants. Such a building will want to be preserved and restored.
Fifth is flexibility and transformation. People's lifestyles change much faster than the life of a building, so it, like the person himself, must be able to quickly adapt. The events of the last year show that without the ability to transform, there is no chance of survival.
Sixth is a healthy living environment. The building must use modern technologies for a healthy microclimate, with plenty of daylight and heat conservation.
Seventh is integration with the natural environment. Architecture as an artificial habitat must necessarily be in balance with nature and, ideally, become its continuation.
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Below is the full version of this conversation:
Experts of the Living Cities community will continue to talk about the urban environment on August 13 at the thematic day “Urban Design and Communication” of the VII Forum of Living Cities “Time of Creators”. Details here >>>
