First-person perspective: Andrei Chernikhov talked about "The Birth of Scale" exposition
"The
Birth of Scale" exposition will open at the National Centre RUSSIA on
March 1. The chief curator of the exposition, architect Andrei Chernikhov,
shared what visitors can expect.
"In
the 1960s, when journalists asked students of the architecture institute, 'What
building would you like to construct?', the answer was always the same: 'I want
to build a City!' Back then, we thought on a completely different scale; we
envisioned with a sense of expanding movement. We ventured into space, we
developed vast territories, we built an icebreaker — the world's largest
nuclear-powered icebreaker. It was not just a feeling of conquering space in
the cosmic sense but of mastering space itself. This was a powerful movement.
And this exposition is precisely about that movement of the soul. About the
scale of the soul.
And this
feeling of creating something new with your own hands gave rise to an internal
realization that you were no longer in the present — you were shaping the
future, already beginning to live in it, as if relocating to the space of
another time. That is why this exposition is about existing in the future. I
would say it is a view from the future on that past, which, in reality, is not
truly the past at all but rather a model of the future.
Together with
a team of esteemed curators, we carefully selected displayed objects through
the lens of "The Birth of Scale" exposition theme. Our selection
showcases not only real buildings and constructed projects but also those that
were never realized. In curating this exposition, we included the most
intriguing architectural models and designs, generously provided by leading
museums and private collectors, to whom we extend our sincere gratitude.
We chose
projects that vividly illustrate how, in different historical periods, the
collective vision of society and authorities as commissioners evolved alongside
the creative approach of architects and urban planners.
As the
saying goes, great things are seen from a distance. Today, looking from a new
vantage point in time, we realize just how grand these projects were and how
powerful the movement was — both in terms of human masses and the human spirit.
We traced
the trajectory of urban planning thought from Veliky Novgorod to the Social
City of the 1920s-1930s and the large-scale "New Settlement Element"
project of the 1960s.
When it
comes to the most fascinating objects of the exposition, I am certain that
visitors will be especially captivated by the section dedicated to Russian
wooden architecture. Everyone is familiar with the unique wooden cathedral in
Kizhi, but I am sure that the vast majority of visitors have never heard of the
giant wooden vessel "Belyana" — a truly unique creation, both in
concept and execution. I believe our idea to present a circle of Stalinist
skyscrapers around the Kremlin, along with the unrealized project of the Palace
of the Soviets, will leave a lasting impression. As for Tatlin’s "Tower of
the Third International," its concept seems to have come straight from the
future — this 400-meter skyscraper combined moving architectural structures
with projections of revolutionary slogans onto the clouds of Petrograd.
Additionally,
the exposition will offer insight into the work of architects and the way their
workplaces were organized across different eras.
A special section will explore renowned architectural schools from around the world, including the legendary VKhUTEMAS, which gave rise to dozens of Russia’s greatest architects.
We have deliberately chosen to omit contemporary Russian architecture, as its true evaluation will come with time — just as today, we perceive our past through a different lens, with a renewed perspective. For this reason, we have decided to leave it to future curators to assess today’s architectural achievements from a historical standpoint. However, we still want to showcase the work of Russia’s leading professional studios in urban planning, residential architecture, and public buildings. Visitors will have the opportunity to see how modern studios operate, displayed on massive screens.
Our
exposition includes three sections dedicated to the near and distant future:
children's architectural studios, architectural universities, and the best
young architecture bureaus in Russia.
Event photobank
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The history of Russian architecture, bold concepts, and Soviet urban planning projects realised across the globe were presented to delegations of the exposition on May 31.
These mills were technological structures, each one a complex mechanism despite its apparent simplicity.
The lecture "Russian Architecture in the Global Context" took place at the National Centre RUSSIA on May 30.
