По-русски

QR-Code Style

At Venice Arch Biennale, the “I-City” exposition of Russian pavilion has opened its doors.

Julia Tarabarina

Written by:
Julia Tarabarina
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

28 August 2012
Review
mainImg

The design of Russian pavilion's exposition was kept secret up until its opening day. In early August, the curators of the pavilion Sergey Kuznetsov and Sergey Choban, together with the commissioner of the pavilion Gregory Rezin shared with the journalists that, at the biennale, they were planning to demonstrate the designs of Skolkovo innovation city, but, at the same time, they opted not to unveil just how exactly they were planning to do that, limiting themselves to the phrase that "the exposition will be quite a surprise for everybody". Now the secret is uncovered and made available for the visitors' inspection.

 

The main exposition of the pavilion is based on the QR-Codes (two-dimensional quick-response codes) - square patterns on white backgrounds that are now widely used everywhere for encoding all types of information - from train ticket numbers to guided tours of Moscow historical streets. In the pavilion's exposition, however, these QR-codes are used in a manner that is far from traditional: they make up the walls and the ceilings of the side halls, and in the central hall they even make up the dome with an oculus. The mirror floor also sports patterns that look very much like QR-codes. Behind the wall panels, there are lamps that turn on and off smoothly, at time backlighting separate squares and at times lightening up all together - at these moments the walls start to emanate soft light, and that code pattern looks particularly elegant.

 

Otherwise, the halls are completely empty but every visitor gets an electronic pad: one needs to aim it at any quadrant on the wall, press the button, and see on the pad screen the information of the appropriate exhibit. This information includes: information about the contest for the master plan of the science city, master plans of its districts made by their "star" curators, and the results of the recent contest for the residential housing of the Technology Park area.

 

The pads infallibly “tell” one square from another and each of them gives away the information about "its own" project. The human eye, however, is incapable of seeing the difference between the patterns, and this is why the tour takes on a slightly haphazard character (you can only examine the projects that you’ve chanced to point your pad at) - or requires a fair bit of perseverance from the visitor who, falling in with the "machine" logic, can consistently watch one quadrant after another. At the same time, one can also put a positive spin on it: the information search turns into an exciting quest "find a project" (at the opening ceremony, architect Yuri Gregoryan looked for a project of his own for quite a while, and, reportedly, to no avail).

 

The purpose of the exposition does not come down, of course, to showcasing the Skolkovo projects - they are known to everybody, and, besides, every visitor of the pavilion gets a badge with a QR-Code leading to the website made especially for the exhibition. At the website, all the products are showcased in a more conventional manner. The point of the exhibition consists in the fact that it shows Skolkovo architecture in an innovative/digital manner, at the same time submerging the visitor into a technogenious shell and making interact with it by means of technological gadgets. Behind the scenes, "Lawnmower Man" movie was recalled more than once.

 

The indoor image (authors of the exposition: curator - Sergey Choban, co-curators - Sergey Kuznetsov and Valeria Kashirina (nps tchoban voss)) turns to be quite impressive - if anything, the pavilion is worth visiting to feel the effect of the openwork dome space. It feels like being inside some sci-fi movie about a spaceship but not the modern kind (where spaceships often look a lot like Zaha Hadid projects) but some fantasy movie from the 1970's or rather 1930's even.

 

The solution should be viewed as a typical one for SPEECH bureau, not alien to ornaments and classical motifs. The architects turned quite a practical shape of the QR-code into the statement of the geometric ornament and into openwork modules, out of which they have built a very rigid grid of the symmetric interior with a dome in the center. Thus, on the one hand, being inside of it, a person gets surrounded by an interactive network of codes, an “info-environment” of sorts. On the other hand, the constituent parts of this environment are treated as parts of the decorative carpet that could have easily existed outside the information context as a sheer decoration.

 

If in his manifest, the curator of the biennale David Chipperfield calls on to search for roots and connections, and one can safely say that SPEECH pavilion presents the perfect marriage between the modern technologies and the classic shape. And if we are to speak about filling architecture with meaning, here we can find, just like in Chipperfield's manifests, a few layers besides the main and already-mentioned one (innovation shell used to showcase the science city). Namely, it is common knowledge that in the ancient times, the ornament was part of magic rituals and a magic meaning was attached to it, this is why sometimes it was a decoration, and sometimes a crime. Now one of its kinds has become the graphic code, i.e. people have attached a definite digital meaning to it - beautiful though it still is.

 

To be fair, one must say here that the idea of using the beauty of the meaning-carrying information dots of the QR-codes is not entirely groundbreaking - it has been used in architectural project ever since this technology started spreading worldwide. The QR-codes were already used on the facades (N Building in Tokyo from TERADADESIGN or the Teletech call center in Dijon from MVDRV), as well as indoors. So, in this particular case, SPEECH was able to hit the trend that is rising and current thanks to its being digital and innovative. But SPEECH went still further: not only did they decorate the walls with code patterns but also turned the code itself into a shell that is molded in accordance with archetypical architectural laws, which cannot be "read" by the electronic pad but can be felt by a person that stands under the grid of the pantheon-like dome because human mind is capable of "reading" the cultural patterns of the historical tradition (one that curator David Chipperfield also refers to quite often as an important kind of common ground).

 

The first floor of the Russian pavilion shows the symbolic background history of Skolkovo: the Soviet science towns, 37 out of the total of 62 declassified in the post-Soviet 1990's. The two halls are built as a black (on the inside) box, pierced with circular luminous openings that shine very much like stars and get reflected by the mirror floor. Through the openings of a larger size, situated at eye level, one can examine the pictures of old science cities, magnified by the lenses, and read the annotations. As the commissioner of the pavilion Gregory Revzin put it, the visitors of these halls are not very much unlike spies of the post-war era, that are peeking into the secrets of the Soviet ballistic missiles and submarines - as we very well remember, the Soviet science towns were primarily military-oriented establishments. The "rocket" monuments on the greenish pictures behind the magnifying glasses do not look very fearsome, though - rather like old newspapers or something. And you don't seem to feel like a spy, really - rather you feel a pang of sympathy for the Soviet scientists armed with magnified glasses, drawing-boards and other fossil tools, having to create their innovations literally from scratch. It is expected that Skolkovo will make a positive difference in the order of things. Well, let's wait and see.

 

NB: The Russian pavilion got a special mention of Venice Arch Biennale that was put in this nutshell: “The ‘i-city’ takes a dialectic approach to Russia’s past, present and future and in the process turns us all into digital spies. The jury was drawn into this magical mystery tour and beguiled by its visual presentation”.



28 August 2012

Julia Tarabarina

Written by:

Julia Tarabarina
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov
Headlines now
​Streamline for City Canyons
Stepan Liphart has designed two houses for two small land sites situated in the area surrounding the Varshavsky Railway Station, which is being intensively developed now. The sites are situated close but not next to each other, and they are different, yet similar: the theme is the same but it is interpreted in different ways. In this issue, we are examining and comparing both projects.
​The Eastern Frontier
“The Eastern Arc” is one of the main land resources of Kazan’s development, concentrated in the hands of a single owner. The Genplan Institute of Moscow has developed a concept for the integrated development of this territory based on an analytical transport model that will create a comfortable living environment, new centers of attraction, and new workplaces as well.
A School of Our Time
On the eve of the presentation of the new book by ATRIUM, dedicated to the design of schools and other educational facilities, based on the architects’ considerable experience, as well as expert judgments, we are examining the Quantum STEM school building, constructed according to their project in Astana. Furthermore, this building is planned to be the first one to start a new chain. The architects designed it in full accordance with modern standards but sometimes they did break away from them – only to confirm the general development rules. For example, there are two amphitheaters in the atrium, and there is an artificial hill in the yard that is meant to make the flat terrain of the Kazakhstan steppe more eventful.
The Fluffy Space
Designing the passenger terminal of the Orenburg airport, ASADOV architects continue to explore the space theme that they first introduced in Saratov and Kemerovo airports. At the same time, the architects again combine the global and the local, reflecting topics inspired by the local conceptual context. In this case, the building is “covered” by an Orenburg downy shawl – an analogy that is recognizable enough, yet not literal; some will see the reference and some won’t.
The White Fitness Center
The white health and fitness center, designed by Futura Architects at the entrance to St. Petersburg’s New Piter residential complex, provides the developing area not only with functional but also with sculptural diversity, livening up the rows of the brick city blocks with the whiteness of its seamless facades, cantilevered structures, and dynamic inclined lines.
The New Dawn
In their project of a technology park to be built on the grounds of “Integrated Home-Building Factory 500” in Tyumen Oblast – the biggest in Russia – the HADAA architects preserve not just the industrial function of the giant hangar built in the late 1980s and 90% of its structures, but also respond to its imagery. They also propose a “gradient” approach to developing the available areas: from open public ones to staff-only professional spaces. The goal of this approach is to turn the technology park into the driver for developing the business function between the industrial zones and the future residential area in accordance with the Integrated Land Development program.
​Tame Hills for New Residents
T+T Architects have reported that they have completed the landscaping project for the yard of the first stage of Alexandrovsky Garden housing complex in Ekaterinburg – the landscape complements the contextual architecture, tailored for the buyers’ preferences and downtown standards, with bold neo modernist master strokes and lush and diverse vegetation.
The Crystal of the City Block
The typology and plastique of large housing complexes move with the times, and you can sometimes find new subtleties in the scope of seemingly familiar solutions. The Sky Garden complex combines two well-known themes, forming a giant residential area consisting of tall slender towers, placed at the perimeter of a large yard, in which a crossroads of two pedestrian promenades is “dissolved”.
Sunshine, Air, and Water
The construction of the “Solnechny” (“Sunny”) summer camp, designed by ARENA project institute, has been completed, the largest summer camp within the legendary Artek seaside resort for children. It was conceived still in Soviet time, but it was not implemented. The modern version surprises you with sophisticated engineering solutions that are combined with a clear-cut structure: together, they generate Asher-esque spaces.
​Art Deco at the Edge of Space
The competition project by Stepan Liphart – a high-end residential complex executed in a reserved classicist style in close proximity to the Kaluga Space Museum – responds equally well to the context and to the client’s brief. It is moderately respectable, moderately mobile and transparent, and it even digs a little into the ground to comply with strict height restrictions, without losing proportions and scale.
Going, Going, Gone!
The housing complex “Composers’ Residences” has been built in accordance with the project by Sergey Skuratov, who won the international competition back in 2011. It all began from the image search and “cutting off all spare”, and then implementing the recognizable Skuratov architecture. It all ended, however, in tearing down the buildings of the Schlichterman factory, whose conservation was stipulated by all the appropriate agencies prior to approving Skuratov’s project. This story seems to be educational and important for understanding the history of all the eleven years, during which the complex was designed and built.
The Life of Iron
The building of the Vyksa Metallurgy Museum, designed by Nikita Yavein and Sergey Padalko, provides for the natural aging of metal – it is planned that the iron will gradually rust – at the same time utilizing the advanced type of construction, based on metal’s ability to stretch. The building will be constructed from pipes and rolled steel supplied by OMK company, as well as from recycled bricks.
​And the Brook is Flowing
ASADOV Architects have designed a master plan for developing a residential area at the outskirts of Kaliningrad: a regular grid of housing blocks is enriched by large-scale public facilities, the main “artery” of the new area being the fortification channel that regains its original function.
Off We Go!
The new terminal of the Tomsk airport is being designed by ASADOV bureau. The architects keep on developing its identity, building the imagery upon the inventions of Nikolai Kamov, whose name the airport bears. The result is laconic, light, and, as always, levitating.
Maximum Flexibility
The Multispace Dinamo, which recently opened within the Arena business center, is an example of a project that is entirely based upon cutting-edge approaches and technologies. It is managed via a mobile application, special software was created for it, and the spaces are not just multifunctional but carefully mixed up, like some kind of jigsaw puzzle that allows the office workers to mix their working routine for better efficiency.
A Factory’s Path
Last week, the new center for constructivist studies “Zotov” hosted its first exhibition named “1922. Constructivism. The Inception”. The idea of creating this center belongs to Sergey Tchoban, while the project of the nearest houses and adjusting the building of the bread factory for the new museum function was done by the architect in collaboration with his colleagues from SPEECH. We decided that such a complex project should be examined in its entirety – and this is how we came up with this long-read about constructivism on Presnya, conservation, innovation, multilayered approach, and hope.
The Savelovsky Axis
The business center, situated right in the middle of a large city junction next to the Savelovsky Railway Station takes on the role of a spatial axis, upon which the entire place hinges: it spins like a spiral, alternating perfect glass of the tiers and deep recessions of inter-tier floors that conceal little windows invented by the architects. It is sculptural, and it claims the role of a new city landmark, in spite of its relatively small height of nine floors.
Parametric Waves
In the housing complex Sydney City, which FSK Group is building in the area of Shelepikhinskaya Embankment, Genpro designed the central city block, combining parametric facades and modular technology within its architecture.
The Multitone
The new interior of the Action Development headquarters can be regarded as an attempt to design the perfect “home” for the company – not just comfortable but broadcasting the values of modern development. It responds to the context, yet it is built on contrast, it is fresh but cozy, it is dynamic, yet it invites you to relax – everything of this coexists here quite harmoniously, probably because the architects found an appropriate place for each of the themes.
Refinement No Longer Relevant
A few days ago journalists were shown the building of Bread Factory #5, renovated upon the project by Sergey Tchoban. In this issue, we are publishing Grigory Revzin’s thoughts about this project.
The Comb of Strelna
In this issue, we are taking a close look at the project that won the “Crystal Daedalus” award – the “Veren Village” housing complex in Strelna, designed by Ostozhenka. Its low-rise format became a trigger for typological and morphological experiments – seemingly, we are seeing recognizable trends, yet at the same time there are a multitude of subtleties that are a pleasure to go into. Having studied this project in detail, we think that the award is well-deserved.
A Tectonic Shift
For several years now, Futura Architects have been working with the “New Peter” residential area in the south of St. Petersburg. In this article, we are covering their most recent project – a house, in which the architects’ architectural ideas peacefully coexist with the limitations of comfort-class housing, producing a “multilayered” effect that looks very attractive for this typology.
Three “Green” Stories
In this issue, we are examining three environmental urban projects showcased by the Genplan Institute of Moscow at the Zodchestvo festival. The scale of the projects is really diverse: from gathering information and suggestions from the residents on a city scale to growing meadow grass between houses to paintings, which, as it turned out, possess power to cure trees, healing their wounded bark. + a list of kinds of plants natural for Moscow to help the developer.
​The Slabs of Bagration
The construction of a new skyscraper designed by SPEECH within the complex of Moscow City has been announced. A keen observer may see in it: Moscow high-rises, Chicago architecture, Malevich architecton, and an attempt of deconstruction of the integral image of the Moscow skyscraper – a technique that has been actively employed by the architects in their recent works.
​Preserving the History of Clean Ponds
How do you make a comfortable high-end residential complex that meets the modern requirements for expensive downtown housing, and keep as much of the original 1915 building as possible? Ilia Utkin, together with Sminex, solved this charade for Potapovsky Lane, 5 – here is how.
​Living in a Forest
The apartment complex in Roshchino, designed by GAFA architects, looks very much like a glamping: the residents enjoy the untouched nature of the Karelian isthmus, while having urban amenities and opportunities for social life.
A Laboratory for Life
The building of the Laboratory of Oncomorphology and Molecular Genetics, designed by the author team headed by Ilya Mashkov (Mezonproject) uses the benefits of the natural context and offers space for cutting-edge research, both doctor- and patient-friendly.
The Logic of Life
The light installation, designed by Andrey Perlach in the atrium of Moscow's Federation Tower, balances on the edge between a mathematical order of construction and the diversity of perception when viewed from different angles.
An Architect in a Metaverse
In this interview, we talked to the participants of the festival of creative industries G8 about why metaverses are our tomorrow’s everyday routine, and how architects can already influence it today.