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ALEXANDER ASADOV'S CREDO (lecture 26.04.2003 in the 'Brestsky Club')
Let's begin with a long time ago, when we hadn’t any credo yet, and we didn’t know what it is. Suddenly we received a call from the Moscow Center of modern architecture and were asked to tell about our credo. We began to think - if everybody has credos, something we must have also. What we must do in similar cases? It is a well known way since the childhood: it is necessary to take a doll in the left hand, scissors in the right and to look, what is there inside it. For the whole week we successfully prepared objects founding any related features, trying to understand their interrelation, their philosophy. By a weekend we were filled up with these prepared objects…
I - THE FORM
We began to recollect classics. It was good for Corbusier: he generalized five main principles of modern architecture in which was not, it seemed, either philosophies, or ideologies - there were simple enough, clear, only professional principles, but all modern architecture was born on them. Alvar Aalto has gone further, he fall in love with one line. He became the founder of the whole world due to this line which in his works indefinitely varied on plans, on facades, in volumes. We understood: THE LINE is, probably, the most important. We began to collect our lines. We found, that they foldover, live independent life, turn to Moebius infinite tape, there is a constant variation of curves, soft, flying, departing somewhere in space, dynamical curves.
It is possible to separate light from dark with the help of the line, but already impossible to separate cold from heat, internal from external, individual from general. THE PLANE is necessary. The plane in works also constantly somewhere aspires, somewhere flies.
But the plane - is not all. Somehow plainly all turns out. Space is probably a key. The space is THE VOLUME. But volumes are all taken! It is useless to project rectangular. Cube, pyramids, spheres - all is taken. To tell the truth, a cone is rare used. Let us try to make a cone, but in order that nobody found it, we shell turn head over heels! To tell the truth, it also begins to fall, fly somewhere...
We have the line, the plane, the volume, some formalism, only naked forms. Where tactile sensing, where THE TEXTURE? What texture should be taken to make its unique, various, blossoming and turning green? Let's use alive texture, that is green roofs. Green roofs are the old dream, a joint of architecture and ecology.
But now it is necessary to combine all this. Let’s engage COMBINATIONS THEORY. The word is fine, sonorous, very serious, but is possible to translate it, as "game in cubes". Such game is loved from the childhood, fifty years or more did not played, but nevertheless we are able to play - we are able to combine curves and straight volumes, we see, how a window, a hole in a facade becomes a volumetric cube.
That is five moments with which it is possible to start to operate. The most simple is remained - to inhale a bit lives, inspiration in it and to try to make high-grade environmental things from it.
II – ENVIRONMENT
We began the independent creativity somewhere in the beginning of the ninetieth, objects about which it was possible to say: "Yes, it is my object" appeared. If we take the year of graduation from institute - 1975 - it was necessary to work whole 18 years for that. The first series of objects designed in environmental consciousness appeared, we solved questions of environment. The first of them, till now one of the most favorite, is the School.
< extension to the school building Vspolny pereulok We appeared in the situation when on one patch historical manor, typical school from concrete blocks, the brick school constructed in spirit of official architecture of seventieth have faced. Completely various splinters. We have tried to alloy these splinters, to fill with such viscous white block of ice, played a little in cubes, and this house appeared. It was the first lesson when we have felt, that each object absorbs and draws the environmental moments in itself. Further we understood that the house began to live its own life. The principle of buildings growing appeared.
office building on N.Krasnoselskaya street> We began to plan this house absolutely not such what it is now. The task was to attach a lobby to the historical house and to build a roof on two floors. But when we have seen, that the bearing is necessary, we have found one place among underground networks against which it was possible to lean. All this extension keeps on four columns on perimeter and one column in the middle which held all this extension, and it wasn’t possible not to show this column. And the transparent eaves appeared. All this was not functional, it grew during designing, it was the process of growth and taking into account of external pulses. We understood that it was necessary to attentively listen to the environment, to feel, what it spoke about, and to answer on each its pulse.
The third principle ripened: the old remains old, the new remains new. In this building we make a show of old architecture traditions development. We develop it a little bit sharply, but we use that fact that the lane is narrow, and the new is read very softly, does not press on the house. At the same time already completely another form is splashed out in the yard. Therefore the old architecture remains old, the new - remains new. All problem is in their interaction, the new should be worthy of the old. As in his time Michail Hazanov told me: "The painter is that person who determines, interesting or uninteresting is the architecture. If you want to draw architecture it is interesting, if not - uninteresting. And it became already unimportant, if it is old or new ".
"Russobank" building on Plushiha street > It is one of the examples of the developing architecture also. It was very complex reconstruction of the building, construction of a small free patch which was already built up in new forms. The house was very complex in the plan; we gave pulses of growth for it. Already the constructive scheme of a roof overlaying on a complicated plan gave birth to all those unexpected elements which were showed in a building. The things that initially were impossible to think up were always the most valuable for us.
< residential house in Hlebny pereulok Residential house in Hlebny pereulok finished this series of buildings. At first we overbuild five floors and then returned to three floors above four existing. The superstructure is consistent with existing facade tectonics, it has unexpected glass cones from the yard side, the house is different from everywhere.
By the moment of this house design finishing the first already began to destroy. And we understood that we are lacking experience. We grasped with the form, grasped with environment and understood that very much rests on the technology and quality of construction as a whole. What reasons were here? A lot of them. Everyone who worked with our builders, know, how it is. Only by sentimental conversation at a bottle of vodka it was possible to force them, especially in the beginning of our career, when genes of Leftsha, Russian skilled craftsman, woke up in the builder, and something one he make so, that everyone fall, but the everything else destroyed by itself. And customers saved national kopeck, and did not want to spend it on any good stuff. And then already other people for other money will at first exploit this house, and then repair. But the most important problem was in us. I call it "heavy childhood". Our generation, graduated from institute, projected much, thought out much and built very little. From 1975 to 1993 we built three and a half houses, and to the moment of finishing it was impossible to identify the true author, who it was: the architect, the customer, the designer, the builder or appendant circumstances. About ten bases were scattered over the country. Therefore, since the first houses, we have faced with MARHI building materials faculty level of materials knowledge, we searched new technologies in magazines and made hi-tech elements from black metal angular beams, that is started to test all on ourselves, think out and make. We understood, that building quality element, architecture quality was hide in technologies. And when we learned something about them, we wanted to inform others. In due time we developed the slide - program about new technologies and several times performed it within the Architects Union framework.
III TECHNOLOGIES
I was constantly lucky in life, lucky on employees, lucky on good designers. Due to a remarkable Mosproject - 2 department of building designs and group under Kisileva Aleksandra Stepanovna’s management that worked on stained-glass windows, we completely ceased to be afraid to work with glass, we understood, that the glass roof can be made with any inclination corner, any radius, that it is possible to make glass lifts, with thin openwork racks.
reconstruction of the Centerizbircom building > We began to interfere in such unusual decisions rather safely. You need glass floors - please - the lift shaft was built in one of the cour d honneurs, and we didn’t want to backfill it. The five-floor glass precipice appeared. In the serious state establishment to make such thing was a little defiantly, the customer could not understand for a long time, but it was very much pleasant to builders, and they agreed to make a glass floor. Later it caused the inflow of enthusiasm, turned to a small attraction; all got accustomed to it very fast. There was a sensation of ease and fantastic flight because all this was made on border of millennium. It was “Homo sapience”, became “Homo soaring”.
< trading-pedestrian bridge on the 24km of MKAD Then we started to bend metal, got acquainted with very good manufacturers of metal, who at first bought all in Belgium, and then organized manufacture here.There were curvilinear form glass bridges.There were unexpected effects.
trading-pedestrian bridge on the 9km of MKAD > Before commissioning this bridge we could not assume, that a falling glass plane was enough dangerous method, it was good, that we did not made mirror glass, because when you drive on the big speed and appear under the bridge suddenly unexpected machines fall on you from the sky.
< trading-pedestrian bridge on the 9km of MKAD > Before commissioning this bridge we could not assume, that a falling glass plane was enough dangerous method, it was good, that we did not made mirror glass, because when you drive on the big speed and appear under the bridge suddenly unexpected machines fall on you from the sky.
control office of Gagarin’s tunnel> Further there were metal facades. We got acquainted with interesting firms, people. We were learned how to work with cassette facades. It is necessary to tell, that it was the striking effect when the building made from a brick, blocks, any pieces of a heater changed on our eyes, dressed in metal facing.
Green roofs wandered from the project to the project for a long time also. At last we set this problem seriously, called ecologists and achieved the realization. The roof as well as facades turned to the same interesting projection here. There is no roofs as such, there are some open athletic fields and the big green hill with triangular lanterns. When you play tennis there, you see only tops of trees - completely green wall.
In a lobby of this building we used wood glue constructions, we dreamed of them for a long time also. We wanted to create warmer sensation in an interior very much, and the lattice from wood glue beams that propped the central lantern appeared.
< foot bridge on the 95km of MKAD We made the first wood glue bridge in 94-96 years, and on that moment our wood glue industry was in full decline, therefore these 56-meter arches cut on four parts, were carried from Switzerland. Formally it was more interesting to make ellipsoidal bridge in section, and we said, that the circle can not be located between suspension brackets of arches. Even Gaudy patch appeared in the place where the bridge ran into an inclined roof of props. It is very easy and pleasant to make from wood the most effective things that we get from magazines, from western architecture when constructions freely penetrate a front wall, rush outside, as it does not freeze through.
central part of the "Moscow-CITY" complex > And, at last, the final, unfortunately unsuccessful, attempt to make the central part of the CITY in wood glue designs. It is necessary to tell, that it is almost fifty meters nave, of course the metal design of overlapping was assumed, but at one moment we dreamed, that among metal-glass- concrete hi-tech City it was possible to enter a natural element. And even the phrase for Lugkov was prepared: «our favorite manege made by engineer Betankur, was the largest structure with 19 century wooden construction, and this will be the largest construction from primordial Russian material in the 21-st century». But now this project is not approved.
IV - TYPOLOGY
When we collected everything that we projected, we thought: "What only we did not project!" We developed a mass of interesting things which were collected into portfolio then. Now we shall look through it. We shall start with large town-planning formations. The majority of them are competitive projects.
<competition on Borovitskya square reconstruction Here is competition on Borovitskya square reconstruction. The quarter form opposite Borovitskyi’s gates and Manedgnaya’s square is look like a huge "fish - whale" with a flared tail, and quarter is a fantastic city on her back. It is necessary to make only a head and we shell receive a certain huge symbol which can be seen from space. It is a monument to the ending epoch of Fishes and a lovely Russian tale "fish - whale". Our "whale" from time to time should let out a water fountain, and in winter this fountain would turn to a huge ice column. The "whale" also has a wide open mouth opposite Aleksandrovskyi’s garden - glazed atrium. Such a hi-tech thing, but with a legend adding fantastic characters on Manedgnaya square by modern architecture. But it was not understood and did not examine at all as the serious applicant for victory in competition. We understood, that such ideas would not be lost, they would return to us or to other designers, "fish - whale" on the Moscow River already appeared. And it came to us again by unexpected project; it is a project of the island.
Artificial island on Black sea> It seemed what only we did not project, and here it was necessary to think out the whole island. Actually it was a breakwater protecting a sea beach of sanatorium. But in order not to throw million capital investments out for nothing, it was necessary to make a commercial stuffing. It was an aqua park, hotel and a disco with restaurant, on which roof it was a helicopter platform for the governor. The 120-meter bridge connected island and a land. It was a competition also, we have won it and now we work on the project. Here the natural and man-made beginnings are bound, creating the small area protected from the sea.
<cottage settlement "Barvikha-2" Let's tern to residential buildings. The largest from realized projects - in Barvikha, was made under the direction of Vitaly Sergeevich Bujnov by very small group with large effort and in very short terms. Here the public space appeared in settlement for the first time, not only utilitarian passes and thoroughfares. To our surprise all was constructed as designed.
reconstruction of residential houses on Vladimirskaya street> Here is reconstruction of quarter on Vladimirskaya street. It was very interesting attempt, at that time we made a series of penthouses - superstructures, and toward the end of project we reached such degree of freedom that understood, that it was possible to make soft, oval, viscous space from rectangular quarter of the fiftieth years
<hotel in Surgut It was competition on hotel in Surgut, small hotel on 18 numbers on the city and nature border. From the city side the object, as it were, turned off, it was necessary to create sensation, that it was not a 4 floors structure, but 2-3 floors. Looking on the object from the city, we see, as it were, a part of the nature, from the side of nature it is a representative of the city, the real, traced architecture.
reconstruction of I.Turgenev library > We projected culture a little also. Here is Turgenev library where we built on two floors, having shown old three-floors volume and then left by terraces and penthouses closed the internal yard by glass wall with ancient facades inside. There were some very beautiful lines in every project, then there was one beautiful line, now we speak, that one line is enough on several projects. The ideology gradually varies.
V – ON THE BOARDS
And now we shall look what projects lay on our workshop tables.
< central part of the "Moscow-CITY" complex Recently we have got on the most official, biggest Moscow object – THE CITY. We made the concept of the central part and adjoining it congress-center overlapping. The big model was made according to our work. It was made a very interesting toy, all shined. Because adult people which are burdened by a big decisions acceptance, love models very much. We like to play in them very much also.
Congress-center in “Moscow-CITY" > Then we began to collect congress-center variants which Lugkov did not like. There is already a whole series of architecture which is pleasant by Lugkov. And somehow it turned out for us, that all variants he did not like. He did not like the turned cone-funnel, and we decided to open it. It was the continuous solid plane from which the bottoms suddenly fall off, and luminous volumes with advertising appeared. It was not pleasant. Then we thought out a variant with the name «Heart of Moscow». The hall is the "heart" of the City, and City itself is the "heart" of Moscow. The image has come very quickly. It was in the Valentine's Day, and suddenly I imagined souvenirs on this theme - a glass cube in which small red heart floated. But this variant was not liked also. We are working further…
<business center in “Moscow-CITY" We wanted to design a skyscraper very much, there were several attempts. One of the last attempts was a skyscraper in CITY consisting from two buildings. It is necessary to tell, that almost all sites in the CITY are already sold. The most various architects from different countries of the world project on them. We made the project also - two interconnected skyscrapers on which perimeter offices are located and in the middle - big much-light atriums, winter gardens, meeting halls. But the customer though it was our native investor, told that he took large credits, cannot risk and wanted to work with the architects who had experience of similar constructions designing. We found German architects, by the way, one of these group participants - Sergey Choban, who showed here his architecture. And what they have made is even more pleasant to me, the volume turned out more interesting, it was already liked by the city governing body.
transport terminal in “Moscow-CITY"> Beside of this site, we make the transport terminal also. It is multipurpose construction where all types of Moscow transport are concentrated. You come there and can buy the ticket on any transport, get in any airport, on any railway station, hire the machine. Thus the object that shielding a little the Central part of the "Moscow-CITY" from the Third ring turned out.
<reconstruction of Russia architect’s Union building
And here is the reconstruction of architect’s Union building; it is the development of the competitive project made about one year ago. There was an interesting process: there were many lines, now they began to become simpler, the line became stronger, more integrated, concisely. Probably at last we will manage to make a facade turning to a roof. As you see, ideas wander, and till they do not find the embodiment, they pass from the project to the project. We built a cone, calmed. We shall build such facade; we shall start to search for something new.
entertaining center in Strogino> The first "Jack-pot" is under construction. Now million "Dgek-pots" are scattered in Moscow, but they are build in the adapted rooms. And it will be the four- floor entertaining center. There we work with the glass screen. There are various variants: it can be video-screen or something another
< Mercedes-Benz Center "Avangard" As soon as we finished and handed over "Mercedes" on Volgogradskoye highway as the two times larger order arrived, on crossing of Rublevskoye highway and MKAD. On one hand it was already a bit quieter, but we did not refuse from the star, all the same in first "Mercedes" there was a very large star, it is the biggest in the world for today. We wanted to make even more. And this star we made as mesh ephemeral construction which created front hole between the basic building and office block with nonexistent roof luminous at night. All this was made from thin ropes with lamps, such a star sky.
Russia Sberbank complex in Rostov-na-Donu > One more from not won tenders is the Russia Sberbank. The idea of the big mark in the plan wanders; here it is the emblem of Sberbank. There was an interesting situation where there was a difference approximately in 5-6 meters near the road, therefore pedestrians get the building by the bridge, hanging above a parking. The building itself is the semicircular bowl surrounding the entrance area by transparent atrium and revealed on the lake by the back facade - the glass screen.
But, in spite of the fact that apparently already much is made, much is designed, the new task, may be very small, begins with full confusion. It is always hard to begin with zero and any new work is again started from zero - from new idea!
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