Russian architects talk about biennale

Thoughts and recommendations from different architects. The exhibition, it's advantages/disadvantages and of course the best pavilions.

Interviewed by:
Dmitry Leonov

19 June 2018

Interview

We asked: What do you think about biennale' theme and it's influence; what are the best biennale's exhibitions; what influenced you personally?

zooming — Laguna's view from the terrace on the top of the British pavilion. Photo: J. Tarabarina, archi.ru

Nikita Yavein
This year biennale’s theme is a very widely formulated, you can connect almost anything to the subject. Hence there is a great deal of stairs and empty pavilions which I think denotes a kind of "flattening" of the world, a result of a universal desire to achieve instant success. And this trend towards simplification appears depressing to me.

I thoroughly enjoyed Biennale of Aravena, there were a lot of moments that I well understand; I believe that only regional schools are worthy of interest now, while the mainstream ones are a bit dull, regional studios were shown then.

Perhaps, undeniably the most interesting architectural experience is the Swiss pavilion, and I totally support the jury which has awarded them the first prize. Japanese Pavilion is always cute, with its hand graphics.

Renzo Piano exhibition is really interesting. The projects on display are clear and very well known, but the script and the directing behind the show is genial and create new feelings; I recommend visiting it to everybody, it's a fresh new way of demonstrating architecture, although there is so much more scenography there than information.

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Sergey Kuznetsov

From my experience of participation in Biennale, I believe that the theme offered by the curators is very abstract, and to be honest, the vast majority of the participants hardly follow it. Any exhibition can be tied up to a certain subject one way or the other.

Of course, curators' manifesto declares the general trends of the architecture today, and shows that the Venice Biennale sets the tone in the world. Nevertheless all national pavilions are made by curators the way they see fit. As a result, we have interesting installations which are more tied to the current events in the countries that take part in biennale, than to the general theme.

I agree with the choice made by international jury and I think that Switzerland and the United Kingdom have presented the best pavilions. The English have presented the theme of this year (freespace) literally, they left empty space inside, but have erected the observational rooftop with magnificent views onto the Giardini gardens and the lagoon.

The Swiss had an element of a game, they demonstrated how different can be dimensions of living quarters. I can also name the Dutch, really liked their pavilion.

I think that it is only right to invite bright interesting curators. Architects should see the entire exposition to understand which direction the whole thing is going. And this is the main task of the Biennale. Architects visit it, take note that things can be done this way, or that way, and then use it in their work.

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Vladimir Kuzmin

Do the exhibitions fully reflect the theme of Biennale? Perhaps they do, insofar as it appeals to such a global term like "freedom."

"Free space" is understood as much widely as possible, from a literal emptiness to detailed projects of "liberation" of spaces: of their functions, characteristics, of materials and formation technologies.

My absolute favourite is the Swiss Pavilion! The real game with physical scale of living spaces and their scales impressed me, and forced to literally to feel the effect of "Alice." Dutch Pavilion - Orange cells with "secrets" in them, and behind them. Giant "bubbles" in the Pavilion Scandinavian countries ... Blue podium-amphitheater in the Belgian Pavilion ….. virtual "window in the universe" in the Hall of Venice...

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Natalia Sidorova and Daniel Lorentz

The Swiss Pavilion concept of playing with scale, is simple. Quality implementation and attention to detail including the size of parquet boards and door handles made the actual experience very convincing.Also the Japanese Pavilion with various formats and techniques of art graphic on urban spaces is something to stare at for a long time.

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Anton Nadtochiy

We were able to visit Arsenale with a guided tour – and maybe this is the reason why we liked Arsenale most of all, particularly the part that demonstrated various artistic and space organization strategies from architectural firms that were invited by the curators – from Benedetta Tagliabue to Olgiati.

In Giardini, as always, the Swiss pavilion looked great – last time this place featured a powerful project by Christian Kerez, and this time around the pavilion was just as interesting and conceptual; it deservedly won the first prize.

But I must say that I was still more impressed by the pavilions located beyond the confines of Giardini: the Catalonia pavilion, which was made by RCR, was a fantastically beautiful installation.

The pavilions of the so-called “new countries” deserve more and more attention, being very carefully executed in a high quality manner – the pavilions of Mexico, the Philippines, and Luxembourg. China made an enormous installation that was made with a 3D printer and it veritably worked as a landscape object. It is clear that this is an unmistakable hot trend of today that will develop very quickly.

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Mikhail Beilin
The first Pavilion that I saw was the Swiss Pavilion. It remained the most striking, interesting and elegant.

Most of the time I spent in the main pavilion of Biennale, which was my major impression. I think is was all about texts, not images. It was incredible pleasure to read all of this. I especially liked the exposition dedicated to Luigi Dominioni of whom I have never heard before.

I very much liked the breadth of the "free space" interpretation. The exhibition is much less gearing towards social aspects as compared to "The reports from the front" of 2016. And, in my opinion, is much more devoted to architectural search, including in the past. To simply put it "free space" - is generally speaking everything that surrounds us. This Biennale is about architecture as a whole which is rather original in my opinion.

Biennale is always interesting. The indescribable pleasure of diving into architecture as a science and pure art which is lacking in everyday life. And special pleasure in Giardini and Arsenal-to read texts -descriptions to the exhibits. In lieu of a quite a bit of professional literature.

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Amir Idiatulin

In some of the national pavilions, the biennale theme – free space – is interpreted at its face value, literally as an empty void, the way the British did, to name but one example. Meditating on a given theme sometimes brings about a pavilion with a swing set (Pakistan), or sometimes a pavilion with a ping-pong table and merry-go-rounds (Romania). Considering a dwelling unit as a free space, the way it was done by the winning Swiss, is a controversial approach – for a modern human being, the very notion of “home” has drastically changed. A modern housing complex is programmed to perform a lot of functions, and we spend less and less time in our apartments; we need more of a “free space” in the city that’s outside.

It is clear that some of the pavilions were designed not with the architects in mind but to impress the mass audience. In my opinion, at such events one shouldn’t make such populist and specific statements, and should be laying more stress on the concepts and ideas that change the city and the people’s lives.

The biennale theme gets me thinking about the necessity of creating free spaces in the modern high-density urban construction, about searching for opportunities to use the architectural and town planning tools to form such oases for the city people. The architect’s challenge is to create and program such spaces, making them attractive to people. An instance of this is the statement that BIG made on this subject – the Danish showcased the project named Humanhattan 2050, an innovative system that is being proposed as a way to protect New York and other cities from rising sea levels and future storms.

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Magda Cichon

To me, the best pavilions in terms of getting across the architectural message were the curators’ pavilions – the Irish Grafton Architects, Shelley McNamara and Ivonne Farrell – where they presented their unique vision of the biennale’s main theme of “free space”. Thanks to the thorough preparation, it was great to spend inside all the three days. As an architect, I can only highly appreciate the tremendous preparation work: they were able to fill the spaces with light and air, and make them comfortable for the guests, without overloading them.

Among the national expositions, I would like to note the Nordic Countries Pavilion: three countries (Finland, Sweden and Norway) joined efforts to present an inspiring minimalist exposition that included moving objects exploring the theme of balance between nature and architecture.

Translated by Irina Vernichenko, Anton Mizonov

19 June 2018

Interviewed by:

Dmitry Leonov

Headlines now

Object

The Secret Briton

The house is called “Little France”. Its composition follows the classical St. Petersburg style, with a palace-like courtyard. The decor is on the brink of Egyptian lotuses, neo-Greek acroteria, and classic 1930s “gears”; the recessed piers are Gothic, while the silhouette of the central part of the house is British. It’s quite interesting to examine all these details, attempting to understand which architectural direction they belong to. At the same time, however, the house fits like a glove in the context of the 20th line of St. Petersburg’s Vasilievsky Island; its elongated wings hold up the façade quite well.

The Wrap-Up

The competition project proposed by Treivas for the first 2021 competition for the Russian pavilion at EXPO 2025 concludes our series of publications on pavilion projects that will not be implemented. This particular proposal stands out for its detailed explanations and the idea of ecological responsibility: both the facades and the exhibition inside were intended to utilize recycled materials.

Birds and Streams

For the competition to design the Omsk airport, DNK ag formed a consortium, inviting VOX architects and Sila Sveta. Their project focuses on intersections, journeys, and flights – both of people and birds – as Omsk is known as a “transfer point” for bird migrations. The educational component is also carefully considered, and the building itself is filled with light, which seems to deconstruct the copper circle of the central entrance portal, spreading it into fantastic hyper-spatial “slices”.

Faraday Grid

The project of the Omsk airport by ASADOV Architects is another concept among the 14 finalists of a recent competition. It is called “The Bridge” and is inspired by both the West Siberian Exhibition of 1911 and the Trans-Siberian Railway bridge over the Irtysh River, built in 1896. On one hand, it carries a steampunk vibe, while on the other, there’s almost a sense of nostalgia for the heyday of 1913. However, the concept offers two variants, the second one devoid of nostalgia but featuring a parabola.

Review

Midway upon the Journey of Our Life

Recently, Tatlin Publishing House released a book entitled “Architect Sergey Oreshkin. Selected Projects”. This book is not just a traditional book of the architectural company’s achievements, but rather a monograph of a more personal nature. The book includes 43 buildings as well as a section with architectural drawings. In this article, we reflect on the book as a way to take stock of an architect’s accomplishments.

Inverted Fortress

This year, there has been no shortage of intriguing architectural ideas around the Omsk airport. The project developed by the architectural company KPLN appeals to Omsk’s history as a wooden fortress that it was back in the day, but transforms the concept of a fortress beyond recognition: it “shaves off” the conical ends of “wooden logs”, then enlarges them, and then flips them over. The result is a hypostyle – a forest of conical columns on point supports, with skylights on top.

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Transformation of Annenkirche

For Annenkirche (St. Anna Lutheran Church in St. Petersburg), Sergey Kuznetsov and the Kamen bureau have prepared a project that relies on the principles of the Venice Charter: the building is not restored to a specific date, historical layers are preserved, and modern elements do not mimic the authentic ones. Let’s delve into the details of these solutions.

The Paradox of the Temporary

The concept of the Russian pavilion for EXPO 2025 in Osaka, proposed by the Wowhaus architects, is the last of the six projects we gathered from the 2022 competition. It is again worth noting that the results of this competition were not finalized due to the cancellation of Russia’s participation in World Expo 2025. It should be mentioned that Wowhaus created three versions for this competition, but only one is being presented, and it can’t be said that this version is thoroughly developed – rather, it is done in the spirit of a “student assignment”. Nevertheless, the project is interesting in its paradoxical nature: the architects emphasized the temporary character of the pavilion, and in its bubble-like forms sought to reflect the paradoxes of space and time.

The Forum of Time

The competition project for the Russian Pavilion at EXPO 2025 in Osaka designed by Aleksey Orlov and Arena Project Institute consists of cones and conical funnels connected into a non-trivial composition, where one can feel the hand of architects who have worked extensively with stadiums and other sports facilities. It’s very interesting to delve into its logic, structurally built on the theme of clocks, hourglasses and even sundials. Additionally, the architects have turned the exhibition pavilion into a series of interconnected amphitheaters, which is also highly relevant for world exhibitions. We are reminding you that the competition results were never announced.

Mirrors Everywhere

The project by Sergey Nebotov, Anastasia Gritskova, and the architectural company “Novoe” was created for the Russian pavilion at EXPO 2025, but within the framework of another competition, which, as we learned, took place even earlier, in 2021. At that time, the competition theme was “digital twins”, and there was minimal time for work, so the project, according to the architect himself, was more of a “student assignment”. Nevertheless, this project is interesting for its plan bordering on similarity with Baroque projects and the emblem of the exhibition, as well as its diverse and comprehensive reflectiveness.

Report

The Steppe Is Full of Beauty and Freedom

The goal of the exhibition “Dikoe Pole” (“Wild Field”) at the State Historical Museum was to move away from the archaeological listing of valuable items and to create an image of the steppe and nomads that was multidirectional and emotional – in other words, artistic. To achieve this goal, it was important to include works of contemporary art. One such work is the scenography of the exhibition space developed by CHART studio.

The Snowstorm Fish

The next project from the unfinished competition for the Russian Pavilion at EXPO 2025, which will be held in Osaka, Japan, is by Dashi Namdakov and Parsec Architects. The pavilion describes itself as an “architectural/sculptural” one, with its shape clearly reminiscent of abstract sculpture of the 1970s. It complements its program with a meditative hall named “Mendeleev’s Dreams”, and offers its visitors to slide from its roof at the end of the tour.

The Mirror of Your Soul

We continue to publish projects from the competition for the design of the Russian Pavilion at EXPO in Osaka 2025. We are reminding you that the results of the competition have not been announced, and hardly will ever be. The pavilion designed by ASADOV Architects combines a forest log cabin, the image of a hyper transition, and sculptures made of glowing threads – it focuses primarily on the scenography of the exhibition, which the pavilion builds sequentially like a string of impressions, dedicating it to the paradoxes of the Russian soul.

Part of the Ideal

In 2025, another World Expo will take place in Osaka, Japan, in which Russia will not participate. However, a competition for the Russian pavilion was indeed held, with six projects participating. The results were never announced as Russia’s participation was canceled; the competition has no winners. Nevertheless, Expo pavilion projects are typically designed for a bold and interesting architectural statement, so we’ve gathered all the six projects and will be publishing articles about them in random order. The first one is the project by Vladimir Plotkin and Reserve Union, which is distinguished by the clarity of its stereometric shape, the boldness of its structure, and the multiplicity of possible interpretations.

Object

The Fortress by the River

ASADOV Architects have developed a concept for a new residential district in the center of Kemerovo. To combat the harsh climate and monotonous everyday life, the architects proposed a block type of development with dominant towers, good insolation, facades detailed at eye level, and event programming.

Object

In the Rhombus Grid

Construction has begun on the building of the OMK (United Metallurgical Company) Corporate University in Nizhny Novgorod’s town of Vyksa, designed by Ostozhenka Architects. The most interesting aspect of the project is how the architects immersed it in the context: “extracting” a diagonal motif from the planning grid of Vyksa, they aligned the building, the square, and the park to match it. A truly masterful work with urban planning context on several different levels of perception has long since become the signature technique of Ostozhenka.

Object

Generational Connection

Another modern estate, designed by Roman Leonidov, is located in the Moscow region and brings together three generations of one family under one roof. To fit on a narrow plot without depriving anyone of personal space, the architects opted for a zigzag plan. The main volume in the house structure is accentuated by mezzanines with a reverse-sloped roof and ceilings featuring exposed beams.

Object

Three Dimensions of the City

We began to delve into the project by Sergey Skuratov, the residential complex “Depo” in Minsk, located at Victory Square, and it fascinated us completely. The project has at least several dimensions to it: historical – at some point, the developer decided to discontinue further collaboration with Sergey Skuratov Architects, but the concept was approved, and its implementation continues, mostly in accordance with the proposed ideas. The spatial and urban planning dimension – the architects both argue with the city and play along with it, deciphering nuances, and finding axes. And, finally, the tactile dimension – the constructed buildings also have their own intriguing features. Thus, this article also has two parts: it dwells on what has been built and what was conceived

Object

New “Flight”

Architects from “Mezonproject” have developed a project for the reconstruction of the regional youth center “Polyot”(“Flight”) in the city of Oryol. The summer youth center, built back in the late 1970s, will now become year-round and acquire many additional functions.

Object

The Yauza Towers

In Moscow, there aren’t that many buildings or projects designed by Nikita Yavein and Studio 44. In this article, we present to you the concept of a large multifunctional complex on the Yauza River, located between two parks, featuring a promenade, a crossroads of two pedestrian streets, a highly developed public space, and an original architectural solution. This solution combines a sophisticated, asymmetric façade grid, reminiscent of a game of fifteen puzzle, and bold protrusions of the upper parts of the buildings, completely masking the technical floors and sculpting the complex’s silhouette.

News

Arch, Pearl, Wing, Wind

In the social media of the governor of the Omsk region, voting was conducted for the best project for the city’s new airport. We asked the finalists to send over their projects and are now showcasing them. The projects are quite interesting: the client requested that the building be visually permeable throughout, and the images that the architects are working with include arches, wings, gusts of wind, and even the “Pearl” painting by Vrubel, who was actually born in Omsk.

Object

Architecture and Leisure Park

For the suburban hotel complex, which envisages various formats of leisure, the architectural company T+T Architects proposed several types of accommodation, ranging from the classic “standard” in a common building to a “cave in the hill” and a “house in a tree”. An additional challenge consisted in integrating a few classic-style residences already existing on this territory into the “architectural forest park”.

Overview

The U-House

The Jois complex combines height with terraces, bringing the most expensive apartments from penthouses down to the bottom floors. The powerful iconic image of the U-shaped building is the result of the creative search for a new standard of living in high-rise buildings by the architects of “Genpro”.

Object

Black and White

In this article, we specifically discuss the interiors of the ATOM Pavilion at VDNKh. Interior design is a crucial component of the overall concept in this case, and precision and meticulous execution were highly important for the architects. Julia Tryaskina, head of UNK interiors, shares some of the developments.

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The “Snake” Mountain

The competition project for the seaside resort complex “Serpentine” combines several typologies: apartments of different classes, villas, and hotel rooms. For each of these typologies, the KPLN architects employ one of the images that are drawn from the natural environment – a serpentine road, a mountain stream, and rolling waves.

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Opal from Anna Mons’ Ring

The project of a small business center located near Tupolev Plaza and Radio Street proclaims the necessity of modern architecture in a specific area of Moscow commonly known as “Nemetskaya Sloboda” or “German settlement”. It substantiates its thesis with the thoroughness of details, a multitude of proposed and rejected form variants, and even a detailed description of the surrounding area. The project is interesting indeed, and it is even more interesting to see what will come of it.

Object

Feed ’Em All

A “House of Russian Cuisine” was designed and built by KROST Group at VDNKh for the “Rossiya” exhibition in record-breaking time. The pavilion is masterfully constructed in terms of the standards of modern public catering industry multiplied by the bustling cultural program of the exhibition, and it interprets the stylistically diverse character of VDNKh just as successfully. At the same time, much of its interior design can be traced back to the prototypes of the 1960s – so much so that even scenes from iconic Soviet movies of those years persistently come to mind.

Object

The Ensemble at the Mosque

OSA prepared a master plan for a district in the southern part of Derbent. The main task of the master plan is to initiate the formation of a modern comfortable environment in this city. The organization of residential areas is subordinated to the city’s spiritual center: depending on the location relative to the cathedral mosque, the houses are distinguished by façade and plastique solutions. The program also includes a “hospitality center”, administrative buildings, an educational cluster, and even an air bridge.

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Pargolovo Protestantism

A Protestant church is being built in St. Petersburg by the project of SLOI architects. One of the main features of the building is a wooden roof with 25-meter spans, which, among other things, forms the interior of the prayer hall. Also, there are other interesting details – we are telling you more about them.

Object

The Shape of the Inconceivable

The ATOM Pavilion at VDNKh brings to mind a famous maxim of all architects and critics: “You’ve come up with it? Now build it!” You rarely see such a selfless immersion in implementation of the project, and the formidable structural and engineering tasks set by UNK architects to themselves are presented here as an integral and important part of the architectural idea. The challenge matches the obliging status of the place – after all, it is an “exhibition of achievements”, and the pavilion is dedicated to the nuclear energy industry. Let’s take a closer look: from the outside, from the inside, and from the underside too.