How business centres became architectural landmarks: the history of commercial buildings was discussed at the National Centre RUSSIA
The series of educational lectures as part of the architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA continued on May 21 with the meeting titled "Business Russia." The lecture introduced listeners to the evolution of business spaces in the country and reminded that the business environment is defined not only by the economy but also by architectural constructions.
Guests of the National Centre RUSSIA were introduced to architectural sites that have become symbols of entrepreneurial spirit and a reflection of the stage of development of Russia’s business culture. Among them are the Gostiny Dvor buildings, the "book-shaped" houses and the World Trade Centre in Moscow, Lakhta Centre in Saint Petersburg, and many other constructions.
Today, business spaces are becoming not simply functional structures but a tool for shaping a company's image and transforming urban space, said Yelizaveta Likhacheva, art scholar, architectural historian and moderator of the "Business Russia" lecture.
"Buildings intended for trade began to appear in Europe in the 16th century. These were not just retail markets, but large wholesale hubs. Gradually, these structures turned into places where deals were made. This is how the office was born, and business was born within it. With the appearance of the office, lifts and ventilation also appeared. Business life is even connected, for example, with the emergence of the underground in London," noted Yelizaveta Likhacheva.
Starting from the 19th century, the business life and commerce of cities have largely determined the structure of settlements and their architectural image. In Russia, the construction of commercial structures began in Saint Petersburg and Moscow. For example, the Stock Exchange building is one of the architectural landmarks of the northern capital. The construction of this structure indicates a shift in consciousness, since previously the architectural landmarks were temples and palaces.
Anton Nadtochiy, co-founder and chief architect of the ATRIUM studio, noted that today skyscrapers, modern office quarters and business centres not only reflect the level of economic development but also change the appearance of Russian cities.
"Today, this principle is preserved. Business buildings assume the dominant role in city development. Above all, architecture is what directly and immediately affects the life of every city dweller, every person. And most importantly, architecture is what remains in history. It is a slice of the era, a certain concept of worldview, world order, a certain philosophy," shared Anton Nadtochiy.
The architect emphasised that business architecture reflects the ambitions of the company creating its own building.
The next lecture, "Engineering Russia," will take place on May 23. Its main theme will be the technical aspects of architecture. The speaker will be Nikolai Vasiliev, associate professor at the National Research University Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, professor at Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after V. I. Surikov, advisor to Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences. Watch the series of educational lectures of the National Centre RUSSIA with art historian Yelizaveta Likhacheva and learn more about Russian architecture.
The architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA reveals the grandeur of Russia through its architectural legacy. The exposition includes both the National Centre RUSSIA's own objects and those provided by museums and private collectors from across the country. Among them are architects' tools from different eras, drawings and models, models of buildings both successfully constructed and remaining as innovative ideas. As a separate section, the future of domestic architecture is presented — children’s creative studios, student workshops, and works by young architects.
Partners of "The Birth of Scale" exposition include DOM.RF, the Ministry of Construction of Russia, Gazprom, the State Research Museum of Architecture named after A. V. Shchusev, the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, the Yakov Chernikhov Architectural Charitable Foundation, and the HSE School of Design.
You can become a participant of the tour of "The Birth of Scale" exposition and attend workshops as part of the educational programme "Children’s Architectural Studios" free of charge by pre-registering on the website of the National Centre RUSSIA at russia.ru. Current information about workshops is available in the "Events" section.
Event photobank
Russian wooden architecture is a unique phenomenon that emerged as early as the Stone Age.
On May 17, at the National Centre RUSSIA, a session called "Architectural Masks" was held, where children made cardboard mask models of characters from Roald Dahl's book "The Enormous Crocodile."
