The Magic Carpet

The anniversary exhibition of Totan Kuzembaev’s drawings named “Event Horizons” shows both very old drawings made by the architect in the formative 1980’s, and now extracted from the Museum of Architecture, as well as quite a few pictures from the “Weightlessness” series that Totan Kuzembaev drew specifically for this exhibition in 2023. It seemed to us that the architect represented reality from the point of view of someone levitating in space, and sometimes even upside down, like a magic carpet with multiple layers.

Written by:
Julia Tarabarina
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

04 August 2023

Report

The exhibition of Totan Kuzembaev’s works named “Event Horizons”, organized in the Museum of Architecture, is an anniversary one – recently, the architect turned 70 – and the exhibition can be regarded, on one hand, as a retrospective, and, on the other hand, as a “statement” show, with a beginning and an end. However, strictly speaking, this exhibition is neither of these things – this is an exhibition of works by a “paper” architect, a participant of Japanese contests of the 1980’s, who developed, over his 40-plus-year career a unique and very recognizable manner of drawing, and who over the recent years has been extremely busy transforming it: while it used to be white linear graphics with confident and carefully drawn cities in perspective, always shown slightly from above, now it is being gradually replaced by blackness.

The blackness that we see here is of two kinds: the graphics itself thickens, the contours become shallower and are overlaid on each other in layers to the point of complete unreadability – as rightly said in the manifesto of the exhibition’s curator Julia Shishalova, plunged into “black holes”, formations with strange overconsolidated matter, of which our universe consists by 70%. This is a very meticulous and labor-intensive approach to blackness, and it would be strange if it were not complemented by another – a felt-tip pen, as if by rain, easily releasing shadowy energy.

zooming — The exhibition of Totan Kuzembaev′s works “Event Horizons”, 2023, Museum of Architecture

Actually, it is this path from “light” to “dark” graphics that presents the driving idea, which turns the exhibition into a continuous statement-like installation. This very driving idea began to unfold a little bit earlier, with a small “prototype” exhibition that took place at ArchMoscow in May: back then, seven X-shaped wooden stands displayed 24 sheets. The stands, whose sum (if we take the X to be a Latin 10) gave the anniversary 70, were arranged in a semicircle in the arc of the amphitheater, and, with a little bit of imagination, you could see a solar clock in them, counting the time from light to dark.

Now there are 56 sheets. The X-shaped wooden stands from ArchMoscow are complemented by slimmer plywood stands; the exhibition begins and ends in two “lanterns”, one of them light, standing in the museum’s yard, the other one dark, in the last exposition hall of the enfilade. Both of them, following the plastique ideas of ASNOVA, consist of two mutually penetrating pyramids, and give two triangular spots of light, upwards and downwards. The message is rather obvious: they mark the light point of the beginning and the dark point of the end.

Everything else is sandwiched and distributed between these two points: the “horizon”, depicted as a simple straight line drawn on a white sheet of paper in the first hall, and lots of “whirlpools” of trees and waves. In this juxtaposition of light and dark on can you easily guess yin and yang – things that are opposite, yet inseparable.

Most of the exhibition consists of the Weightlessness series, 44 sheets out of 56, which was in fact started back in 1988. My personal favorite was “Kazakhs in Space”. I cannot say that it was drastically different from the others, but it did have a unique signature.

I also cannot say that there’s anything particularly Kazakh about Totan Kuzembaev’s graphics, even though the architect does enjoy remembering his origin now and then, and his drawings often feature yurtas and camels; Andrey Ivanov’s annotation to the exhibition also begins with a scene where little Totan lies in a steppe watching the stars. However, Kuzembaev artist and Kuzembaev architect is quite European, and it seems to me that his passion for avant-garde is more important for him than the steppe, and the Occident is presented in his works through western techniques: not for nothing, for example, in the proto-graphics of the 1980s from the collection of the Museum of Architecture, the head of Mephistopheles is the most similar to all that followed.

At the same time, the stability of Kuzembayev’s mature graphics is built not only on shallow linear drawing. It is everywhere – a linear image of cities from above, composed in perspective, but generalized, so that the building becomes like a dense carpet. There are houses with courtyards, ziggurats like the Tower of Babel, but in general it is a homogeneous space. At some point, quite soon, the “carpet” plane begins to be perceived as a pattern, a kind of lace, or a fabric – it is not difficult to tear it into shaggy, horny curls and protuberances, just as one layer can be overlaid with another.

Space in this graphic is reduced, as if as a joke, to a plane, with which you can do anything. Perhaps this is the secret of “Weightlessness”: either we are flying on a kind of magic carpet, high enough for the three-dimensionality of the endless city to become frivolous and malleable for transformations, or this fractional perspective itself is the magic carpet, and we, stuck in its lint, are already being carried somewhere on it.

Serious additions to the exhibition are the enlarged printouts of the graphics, finalized by the author by hand, right there before the opening of the exhibition. They are a good way to immerse yourself in the context. In general, enlarging something small to a greater size that is not typical of is a technique that works well nowadays.

Another peculiarity is that the exhibition is prefaced by sheets from the Museum of Architecture, the architect’s works from the 1980’s, including those related to the design for Zelenograd. Some of them are quite different – collages, grid structures in which one can barely distinguish bus stops and steles of the science city – a search for a mannerism, something forty years old, now turned into museum exhibits. You can also see graphics, in which prototypes of “Weightlessness” can be found – linear, but still intricately composed.

And, finally, the exhibition has not just one, but three manifests. Not every exhibition is that lucky!

The exhibition curator Julia Shishalova’s manifesto is the most lengthy and clear; it explains the most and gives the most hope, which is important in our time. Andrei Ivanov’s text plunges into the context of Cy Twombly and Pierre Soulages – someone may hear these names for the first time. The words of Mark Hakobyan, the museum’s curator, who produced the old works from the collection, remind us of the experiments by avant-garde masters, which is also important and appropriate, since Totan Kuzembaev is one of such masters of “paper architecture” who at times do show a special passion for avant-garde art.

04 August 2023

Headlines now

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.

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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.