International-level architects at the National Centre RUSSIA: a dialogue of cultures and large-scale ideas
Ahead of
the official closing of the major exposition "The Birth of Scale,"
scheduled for July 30, the National Centre RUSSIA welcomed leading
international architects. These speakers will take part in professional
discussions on the final day of the exposition. The guests also explored the
"Journey Across Russia" exposition, appreciating the richness of the
country’s legacy and its contemporary trends.
Among the
participants of the international architectural community were:
— Walid
Arafa (Egypt), founder and director of the bureau Dar Arafa Architecture;
— Rajendra
Kumar (India), director of the School of Architecture and Design at Lovely
Professional University;
— Nadia
Tromp (South Africa), founding director of Ntsika Architects;
— Alireza
Taghaboni (Iran), architect and founder of Next Office.
During the
guided tour, Walid Arafa, founder and director of Dar Arafa Architecture,
emphasised that such visits are an important part of cultural and professional
exchange, strengthening ties between architectural schools across countries. He
also noted that he was pleased to get a closer look at Russian culture.
"Russia
is a beautiful and very diverse country. It is home to many different cultures
that people in my part of the world sometimes know nothing about. I want to
learn more about them. If I had to describe the 'Journey Across Russia'
exposition in one word, it would be 'diversity.' That is something I also
embrace in architecture. Russia is the largest country in the world. It
includes a vast range of ecosystems, flora and fauna, and that is reflected in
its architecture. There are stone buildings, wooden structures — it was all
fascinating to see," Walid Arafa shared.
The guest
also highlighted the cultural ties between Russia and Egypt, clearly visible in
the "Journey Across Russia" exposition.
"For
example, the woven patterns presented here, surprisingly, are very similar to
those found in the culture of the desert peoples of western and eastern Egypt.
I also saw many similarities in the food. This is probably due to the cultural
exchange between Egypt and the Caucasus. Even the symbols are similar. One of
the halls features an image of a lion that looks exactly like the emblem of the
Mamluk sultan Baybars. I immediately pointed it out to my colleagues. I am sure
our nations have much more in common than we are used to thinking," Walid
Arafa noted.
Walid Arafa is also taking part in the panel
discussions on the final day of the exposition "The Birth of Scale"
on July 30, where he will speak about the architecture of the future.
"I’ll be talking about the architecture
of the future — looking ahead to 2050. It’s a challenging topic for me. On the
one hand, I have high hopes and expectations. We can try to foresee the future
in order to influence it. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on what we can
realistically do to ensure we have a future — and a good one," said the
guest.
Nadia
Tromp, founding director of Ntsika Architects (South Africa), was particularly
impressed by the vision of Russia’s future reflected in the "Journey
Across Russia" exposition.
"I
found this exposition incredibly impressive. My work focuses a lot on questions
of spatial and social justice, and I was intrigued by how both Russian culture
as a whole and its many regional cultures were presented. It was fascinating to
see the transition from tradition to modernity and even to the future — how the
image of Russia’s future is being shaped. I was especially drawn to the section
dedicated to sporting heroes. It made me think about the fate of large-scale
sports infrastructure — like stadiums built for major tournaments. These
buildings often remain unused after the events. But here, I saw an approach
where such venues can remain part of community life — both in the present and
in the future. That’s truly inspiring," shared Nadia Tromp.
Since
opening on March 1, the large-scale architecture exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA has attracted tens of thousands of
visitors — from high-ranking officials and leading global architects to
students and art lovers. The project has become a unique professional platform
for generating new ideas and launching international collaborations.
Event photobank
As part of the educational programme of "The Birth of Scale" exposition, a series of architecture workshops for children and adults was held at the National Centre RUSSIA.
There are only two days left until the large-scale architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA comes to a close.
Since its opening on March 1, the large-scale architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors.
