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The Path to New Ornamentation

The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat” situated next to a pine park at the start of the Rublev Highway presents a new stage of development of Moscow’s decorative historicist architecture: expensively decorated, yet largely based on light-colored tones, and masterfully using the romantic veneer of majolica inserts.

Julia Tarabarina

Written by:
Julia Tarabarina
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

21 October 2020
Object
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The high-end house “Aristocrat”, designed by Ilia Mashkov and Alexandra Kuzmina of AB “Mezonproekt”, was completed three years ago, in 2017. The complex has a rather advantageous location: almost at the junction of the elite Mozhaisk and Aminyevskoe highways. As we go north, the latter is continued by the Rublev Highway, so one can say that the complex stands at the beginning of the Rublev Highway, close to the busy Moscow thoroughfares. At the same time, it is fenced off from the Aminyevskoe Highway by “Kozlovsky Les” (“Goat’s Forest”), a part of the pine forest, where one can still see old wooden houses struggling along and a section of the unpaved Tyulpannaya Ulitsa – yes, Moscow is a really diverse city, and the urban environment here is slightly resonant with the Nikolina Mount (first of all, it’s the pines). However, this is where the similarities end: the 12-15 brick towers, first in the format of the late-Soviet, and then post-Soviet “elite” construction began to appear here as early as in the late 1980’s, also making the most out of the proximity to the pine trees, which are commonly known to purify the air. The “Aristocrat” complex is the newest one here; it is only 7-9 floors high, yet it puts a new spin on the old narrative, which is also confirmed by its name.



The house stands at the edge of the forest, which muffles the highway noise almost completely; it's really quiet and peaceful here by the standards of a modern city. The architecture of the complex exactly matches the marketing task: as is known, the format of the Moscow premium-class house first of all presupposes the decorative style that combines the image of a palace with a reasonable degree of adornment. Today, this style is popularly defined as “Art Deco”, which is not entirely correct because the overall “rich and respectable” image also includes Art Nouveau and eclecticism, the Art Deco being the image that is closest in time. Alexandra Kuzmina and Ilia Mashkov have been working in this field for quite a while, and rather successfully, too – specifically, the direct predecessor of “Aristocrat” is the “House of the Academy of Sciences” built in 2009 on the Sergeya Kapitsy Street, right across from the entrance to the Yuri Platonov Academy, also situated in a quiet setting, not far away from the Moskva River. A brick background, stucco details, cantilevered structures, flutes, and sculptures. A podium, an attic, a cornice, and pilasters. Decorative inserts and wrought-iron balconies. Generally speaking, this set forms the minimum minimorum of a respectable-looking house. Its obvious merit is the comfortable scale combined with a rich texture. The main risk connected with working in this genre, so welcomed by the clients and marketers alike is the interpretation of historical prototypes. And, this risk is like a double-edged sword: it’s a bad thing if you do this true to the original, and it’s a bad thing if you do this too general, larger, and simpler. The professional community, well aware of the “minimalism” notion, accepts the decorative approach rather reluctantly, but society at large, tired of staying on the minimalist diet, is asking for more. Seemingly, after the 30 years of “textured city” the hunger must be satisfied, but decorated buildings are still popular. This is a challenge, and works by Mezonproject are providing their response to it. This answer is specific and proportionate enough, reserved in its way, teetering on the verge of generalized Neo-Greek, yet with a Palladian symmetric U-shaped plan, Art Nouveau that performs on the verge of theatrical orientalist “Egyptian” indulgences, and the modern ornamental architecture, whose techniques are gradually winning over the “realistic” architecture of orders and decorative sculpture, i.e. the recognizable elements of tenements of the historicism period.



If we are to compare “Aristocrat” (built in 2017) to the Academy House (built in 2009) – there are eight years lying between them, but they still echo one another proportion-wise, like blood brothers, the difference being that the contrastive brown-and-beige tone became lighter, the brick acquired an almost flesh tint, and the decorative elements received a greater degree of generalization. The energetic lotus-shaped ornaments and the “gargoyle” cantilevered structures gave way to light greenish grids and majolica inserts, whose relationship with the Abramtsev and Talashkin ceramics, so much loved by many people, is perfectly obvious.



Generally speaking, tile and majolica are the well-known soft spots of any anti-modernist, an urban creator looking to see something pleasing to the eye. Some of such joys are the tile of the second half of the XVII century in Yaroslavl, the Pertsova House on the Prechistenskaya Embankment, the Church of Holy Spirit in already-mentioned Talashkino; but not just them – virtually any glazed insert you may lay your eyes on the city facades. We cling to these colorful reliefs, and, probably, it would not be an exaggeration to say that this feast of color is something, among other things, that we love the Art Nouveau architecture for. The “Aristocrat” house responds to the subject: the windows in wide frames alternate with “tiles” with floral ornaments, birds and gryphons, and the attics above the projections are adorned by large majolica inserts. The patterns are large and bright, which is only fair, because they function as colorful spots and are meant to be seen from a distance. At the same time, low degree of elaboration is characteristic for later artists, which, one way or another, makes this solution look more contemporary. 

Generalizing the decorative details is also quite characteristic. An important part is played by the grilles: non-transparent metallic ones and transparent white ventilation grilles on the park facade, and balcony grilles all over the place. The pilasters here are in fact slender vertical molds. The attic receives ribs – conditional flutes, but without grooves, rather a striped relief. There are few cantilevered structures, no sculptures, large curbs prevail. In general, the decor has become not only lighter in terms of color, but more concise and lighter in terms of visual weight.



As was already mentioned earlier, the house has a U-shaped floor plan; it is embellished by projections on side ends, and by groups of recessed balconies in the main part. The basement floor, unlike the main light-colored volume, is coated with dark granite, made more sophisticated by horizontal rock-face plaques, and is made still heavier by a massive portico, stretched far forward between the wings of the house towards the Veresaeva Street, even slightly further than was required in order to provide a comfortable exit in a velvet dress from the limousine.





“In the project, the basement floor had even richer decoration – Ilia Mashkov shares – It was planned that in the lower part the house was to look expensive, to the point of excessive, solemn, and festive, becoming more reserved as we went up. The crowning cornice of the first floor is not made to project; the first floor turned out to be ascetic, and it is dissonant with the top one.”





The apartments in this house are rather spacious, which corresponds to its class; on the corners, there are living rooms, 40 square meters, with three windows. Along the contour of the basement floor, as well as on the roof of the central part, whose height is slightly lower than that of the wings, terraces appear with a small garden and a green roof at the top. In the lobby at the entrance, the residents are welcomed by a double grand staircase. 



Anyway, the facades of this high-end house, generally sticking to generalized historicism, are revisited in the spirit of modern decorative. Its tone is light, which is meant to, among other things, to lighten up the volume. The very seven and nine-story height makes the house a comfortable example of city construction against the 12-15 story environment, while the delicate ornaments and confident tread of symmetrical “U-plan” turns it into a kind of palace in front of a pine park at the very beginning of the Rublev Highway. The class of the housing speaks for itself: in Moscow, it is asking for a decorated solution. However, in this case we are seeing the approach to decoration taken to a whole new level: the elements of the historical facade become virtually the signs of themselves, laconic and light enough not to look excessive. The focus of attention is shifted to other motives: the ornamental band, textured brick, and inserts of color ceramics, attractive like pictures on the walls.
The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
    Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
    Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
    Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
    Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
    Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
    Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt
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    The high-end residential complex “Aristocrat”
    Copyright: Photograph © Mezonproekt


21 October 2020

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.