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In view of the meaning of the Russian word proekt ('project') -
which, unlike in English, is exclusively related to the process of designing,
- the name of our journal suggests a publication featuring predominantly designs
as opposed to buildings. Paradoxically, in the nine years of our existence we
have primarily been showing realized buildings. This under-representation of the
project as an autonomous form of architecture is largely due to lack of supply.
The art of creating 'projects' that may be shown as self-sufficient works, responsible
for the success of Russian Paper Architecture in the 1980s, virtually disappeared
in the 1990s. The economic situation for architects has changed dramatically.
In order to make a living, Russian architects now find that they have to work
for real clients, and these care nothing for beautiful ideas, only for square
meters of space and speedy results. This means not only that is there no moment
when the architect can sit down and prepare a project for publication, but also
that the content of the project has become secondary to the result. For foreign
architects the situation is different. From the start of their careers they compete
for the most interesting commissions and have to convince by showing their ideas
on paper. While creating their designs they are in constant dialogue with the
work of other architects and the latter's response to similar design tasks. As
a result, their projects are of value as information or knowledge even before
they are realized. It is therefore no coincidence that it is only with this issue,
dealing with foreign architects in Russia, that we have felt confident in our
ability to produce an issue featuring exclusively projects. Besides, there was
no alternative: none of the works by foreign architects have yet been realized,
so there are simply no finished buildings to be published. And whether or not
this will ever happen, and in what form, remains to be seen. Recent events in
St Petersburg concerning the realization of Dominique Perrault's design for the
Mariinsky Opera House do not leave much hope. If even the representative of the
Ministry of Culture - the client for this building - states that the architect
is only there to design the faНade and the interior, then it seems plausible that
in other cases too where the clients are developers buildings will be realized
without the participation of their foreign architects. This in itself gives additional
value to the publication of projects in this issue of PROJECT RUSSIA: this is
the only way in which we shall have a chance to see these projects in their pristine,
unobscured, and 'uncensored' form
Bart Goldhoorn, editor-in-chief
CONTENTS
- Bart Goldhoorn. Editorial
- How will the building of projects by foreign architects influence our architecture?
- Alexei Belousov,Ekaterina Semikhatova. Capital Group: we do not save on architecture
MOSCOW
- Bart Goldhoorn. International Panorama
- Maria Fadeeva. What is happening at Moscow City today
- Erick van Egeraat associated architects Capital City
- Peter Schweger, Sergei Tchoban Federation Complex
- Swanke Hayden Connell Moscow International Business Centre
- Behnisch, Behnisch & Partner Transport Terminal
- OMA A vision for quater 75
- Bart Goldhoorn. Comments on OMA’s Moscow Project
- McAdam Architects Department Store on Sakharov Prospekt
- Eller+Eller Metro Headquaters
- Klaus MЯller Architekt Siemens Headquaters
MOSCOW REGION
- Sottsass Associati. Elt kitchen factory
- Erick van Egeraat associated architects Barvikha Hills settelemen
OUTSIDE MOSCOW
- Wilmotte et AssociОs Architectes Volgograd river bank development
- Sergei Tchoban. House on ulitsa Malaya Monetnaya in St Petersburg
- NPS Tchoban Voss Architekten, Meuser Architekten Villa at the Shore of the
Gulf of Finland
CEI
- Massimiliano Fuksas Astana Concert Hall + Astana Expo Centre
- Coop Himmelb(l)au Cafesjian Museum of Contemporary Art in Yerevan, Armenia
- Anna Bronovitskaya. Dreams of Something Distant: Soviet Architecture and the
West from Thaw to Perestroika
- Eugene Asse. The information was always close to my hand
- Mikhail Khazanov. There are no boundaries
MONITOR
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