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

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.

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.

send.project

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.

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Rays of the Desert

A school for 1750 students is going to be built in Dubai, designed by IND Architects. The architects took into account the local specifics, and proposed a radial layout and spaces, in which the children will be comfortable throughout the day.

Object

The Dairy Theme

The concept of an office of a cheese-making company, designed for the enclosed area of a dairy factory, at least partially refers to industrial architecture. Perhaps that is why this concept is very simple, which seems the appropriate thing to do here. The building is enlivened by literally a couple of “master strokes”: the turning of the corner accentuates the entrance, and the shade of glass responds to the theme of “milk rivers” from Russian fairy tales.

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The Road to the Temple

Under a grant from the Small Towns Competition, the main street and temple area of the village of Nikolo-Berezovka near Neftekamsk has been improved. A consortium of APRELarchitects and Novaya Zemlya is turning the village into an open-air museum and integrating ruined buildings into public life.

Object

Towers Leaning Towards the Sun

The three towers of the residential complex “Novodanilovskaya 8” are new and the tallest neighbors of the Danilovsky Manufactory, “Fort”, and “Plaza”, complementing a whole cluster of modern buildings designed by renowned masters. At the same time, the towers are unique for this setting – they are residential, they are the tallest ones here, and they are located on a challenging site. In this article, we explore how architects Andrey Romanov and Ekaterina Kuznetsova tackled this far-from-trivial task.

Object

In the spirit of ROSTA posters

The new Rostselmash tractor factory, conceptualized by ASADOV Architects, is currently being completed in Rostov-on-Don. References to the Soviet architecture of the 1920’s and 1960’s resonate with the mission and strategic importance of the enterprise, and are also in line with the client’s wish: to pay homage to Rostov’s constructivism.

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The Northern Thebaid

The central part of Ferapontovo village, adjacent to the famous monastery with frescoes by Dionisy, has been improved according to the project by APRELarchitects. Now the place offers basic services for tourists, as well as a place for the villagers’ leisure.

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Brilliant Production

The architects from London-based MOST Architecture have designed the space for the high-tech production of Charge Cars, a high-performance production facility for high-speed electric cars that are assembled in the shell of legendary Ford Mustangs. The founders of both the company and the car assembly startup are Russians who were educated in their home country.

Object

Three-Part Task: St. Petersburg’s Mytny Dvor

The so-called “Mytny Dvor” area lying just behind Moscow Railway Station – the market rows with a complex history – will be transformed into a premium residential complex by Studio 44. The project consists of three parts: the restoration of historical buildings, the reconstruction of the lost part of the historical contour, and new houses. All of them are harmonized with each other and with the city; axes and “beams of light” were found, cozy corners and scenic viewpoints were carefully thought out. We had a chat with the authors of the historical buildings’ restoration project, and we are telling you about all the different tasks that have been solved here.

Object

The Color of the City, or Reflections on the Slope of an Urban Settlement

In 2022, Ostozhenka Architects won a competition, and in 2023, they developed and received all the necessary approvals for a master plan for the development of Chernigovskaya Street for the developer GloraX. The project takes into account a 10-year history of previous developments; it was done in collaboration with architects from Nizhny Novgorod, and it continues to evolve now. We carefully examined it, talked to everyone, and learned a lot of interesting things.

Object

A Single-Industry Town

Kola MMC and Nornickel are building a residential neighborhood in Monchegorsk for their future employees. It is based on a project by an international team that won the 2021 competition. The project offers a number of solutions meant to combat the main “demons” of any northern city: wind, grayness and boredom.

Object

A New Age Portico

At the beginning of the year, Novosibirsk Tolmachevo Airport opened Terminal C. The large-scale and transparent entrance hall with luminous columns inside successfully combines laconism with a bright and photogenic WOW-effect. The terminal is both the new façade of the whole complex and the starting point of the planned reconstruction, upon completion of which Tolmachevo will become the largest regional airport in Russia. In this article, we are examining the building in the context of modernist prototypes of both Novosibirsk and Leningrad: like puzzle pieces, they come together to form their individual history, not devoid of curious nuances and details.

Object

A New Starting Point

We’ve been wanting to examine the RuArts Foundation space, designed by ATRIUM for quite a long time, and we finally got round to it. This building looks appropriate and impressive; it amazingly combines tradition – represented in our case by galleries – and innovation. In this article, we delve into details and study the building’s historical background as well.

Object

Molding Perspectives

Stepan Liphart introduces “schematic Art Deco” on the outskirts of Kazan – his houses are executed in green color, with a glassy “iced” finish on the facades. The main merits of the project lie in his meticulous arrangement of viewing angles – the architect is striving to create in a challenging environment the embryo of a city not only in terms of pedestrian accessibility but also in a sculptural sense. He works with silhouettes, proposing intriguing triangular terraces. The entire project is structured like a crystal, following two grids, orthogonal and diagonal. In this article, we are examining what worked, and what eventually didn’t.