Projects for the restoration of Tashkent are presented at the exposition "The Birth of Scale"
The urban planning model of the Trade and
Public Centre of the Chilanzar district of Tashkent is showcased at the
exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA. It is
located in the Soviet architecture section, which is dedicated, among other
things, to mastering extreme environments.
The project for the Trade and Public
Centre, developed between 1967 and 1970 by architect Andrei Kosinsky, was part
of the reconstruction plan for Tashkent following the 1966 earthquake.
Engineers and architects from across the Soviet Union came to the devastated
city to design and rebuild it. Andrei Kosinsky became a key figure during this
period, working in Tashkent almost until the end of his life.
The architect proposed a new approach to
integrating folk architecture, designing buildings and urban spaces with the
functions of traditional housing. The urban planning model of the Trade and
Public Centre of the Chilanzar district of Tashkent was ahead of its time and
was never implemented, said historian of modern architecture Nikolai Vasiliev.
"The domes of the public centre
resemble a space station. The architect, being a native of Moscow, thoroughly
studied how a hammam bathhouse operates, how homes can be cooled without air
conditioning, and how to make the city resilient to future earthquakes that
might occur. For example, this model of a high-rise hotel was conceived as a
testbed for seismic-resistant construction technologies. The idea was that the
building would 'float' in a water basin, so in the event of underground
tremors, it would simply sway, but nothing would happen to the structure,"
said Nikolai Vasiliev.
The hotel building model also demonstrates
a system of grids and circles — this is a sun protection feature that allows
the structure to cool naturally. It was developed by the architect based on the
design of traditional dwellings.
Similar technologies were used in the
construction of bathhouses in Tashkent, where architects relied on traditional
building principles, cooling and heating systems, as well as traditional
materials such as ceramics and brick. According to Nikolai Vasiliev, modernist
architecture is far from being purely standardized. It is often rooted in folk
traditions and takes into account cultural, landscape, and climatic contexts.
The exposition "The Birth of
Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA presents both completed architectural
projects and concepts that remained only as designs. These include unique
building models, blueprints, and layouts preserved in museums and private
collections.
Visitors can attend the exposition free of
charge as part of guided tour groups. Additional information and registration
for tours are available on the website russia.ru.
