From the era of Peter the Great to the engineering solutions of the 21st century: the lecture "Engineering Russia" was held at the National Centre RUSSIA
On May 23, as part of the architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale," the sixth lecture of the educational series took place — "Engineering Russia." Guests of the National Centre RUSSIA learned how engineering thinking and a creative approach are united in architecture, shaping not only the silhouette of buildings but also the character of an era.
The meeting was devoted to the technical side of the art of architecture: from the first engineering achievements of the time of Peter the Great to large-scale projects of modern Russia. The moderator was art historian and architectural historian Yelizaveta Likhacheva. The main speaker was Nikolai Vasilyev — Associate Professor at the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, Professor at the V. I. Surikov Moscow State Academic Art Institute, Adviser to the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences.
"Today we spoke about construction engineering. The profession of engineer as a separate speciality began to form only in the eighteenth century, when new materials appeared — metal, reinforced concrete — and structures became more complex," noted Yelizaveta Likhacheva.
Both the historical stages of the development of engineering thought in Russia and modern sites — the Lakhta Centre, pipelines, bridges, tunnels — were in the spotlight. Unique structures were presented to listeners not only as architectural forms but as the embodiment of engineering boldness based on precise calculations and knowledge of the laws of physics.
"We began with the eighteenth century, from the era of Peter the Great, then turned to the development of Moscow and St Petersburg in the nineteenth century, and touched on the flourishing of the Russian engineering school in the twentieth century. Special attention was given to industrial structures — water towers, the Ural Heavy Machinery Plant, bridges across the Volga, Lena, and Yenisei, the Trans-Siberian Railway — the greatest engineering project of its time," said Nikolai Vasilyev.
The speakers discussed the innovative spirit of Russian architects and engineers and their ability to experiment with forms, materials, and structures, creating projects ahead of their time. Among the mentioned structures are the Shukhov Tower, the Central Telegraph, the Narkomfin Building, the Manege, and the Moscow Metro.
Particular attention was paid to items of the exposition. Visitors can view a model of the Narkomfin Building — a unique example of the engineering and social thought of the 1920s. Its layout, the idea of collective living and two-level "unit" flats became a model of architectural avant-garde. The building is located on Novinsky Boulevard in Moscow.
A model of the Ivanovo Circus — a lost monument of architecture — was also presented. "In the 1930s, the largest timber trusses in the world were used in its construction. It had a capacity for three thousand spectators," added Yelizaveta Likhacheva.
Lectures are held free of charge, by prior registration on the website of the National Centre RUSSIA — russia.ru. Up-to-date information is published in the "Events" section.
The next lecture in the series, "Russian Architecture in a Global Context," will take place on May 30. The guest will be Professor of the International Academy of Architecture, head of the "Architecture" direction at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, President of the Yakov Chernikhov Foundation, and curator of the exposition "The Birth of Scale," Andrei Chernikhov.
The architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre presents both realised project as well as those that remained only as ideas and concepts. The exposition includes both items from the National Centre RUSSIA’s own collection and those provided by museums and private collectors across the country.
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.
Event photobank
The "Fantastic City" workshop by the HSE University School of Design took place on May 22 in the art classroom of "The Birth of Scale" exposition at the National Centre RUSSIA.
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On May 21, the programme of educational events of the architectural exposition continued with a series of children's workshops "Appartment Layout Through the Eyes of a Child."
