Speech architectural. “I don’t need any partners” How Sergei Tchoban became the most successful Russian architect

Thanks to the experience accumulated by the managing partners in the design of buildings and complexes for various purposes and varying degrees of complexity, the development of urban planning concepts, knowledge of the latest Western materials and construction technologies, as well as the specifics of project implementation in Russian conditions, the rational organization of the design process and the high level of presentation, professionalism of employees and technical equipment of the office, SPEECH Choban/Kuznetsov is today one of the leading Moscow architectural bureaus. Currently, more than 80 architects work here who are developing dozens of projects for Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia and the CIS countries.

Many joint works were presented at prestigious exhibition venues, including Arch Moscow, the Aedes Gallery in Berlin, the State Museum of Architecture. A.V. Shchusev in Moscow (MUAR), St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, International Exhibition of Investment Projects MIPIM in Cannes, XII Architectural Biennale in Venice, etc.

For the customer, the merger of companies means, first of all, high-quality design of complex, expensive projects in accordance with international standards, optimization of their completion time, the use of modern Western technologies, and strict authorial control over the implementation of projects. These company operating principles have already been reflected in working with partners, investors and developers on large-scale projects.

In August 2012, Sergey Kuznetsov, managing partner of the SPEECH Choban & Kuznetsov bureau, was appointed to the position of Chief Architect and First Deputy Chairman of the Moscow Committee for Architecture and Urban Planning. In accordance with the Federal Law “On the State Civil Service of the Russian Federation” (dated July 27, 2004 No. 79-FZ), according to which civil servants should not carry out entrepreneurial activities, Sergey Kuznetsov initiated the procedure for transferring his responsibilities as a managing partner to other partners and top -company managers. To prevent a conflict of interest, he also resigned from the founders and owners of the company.

- one of the leading architectural bureaus in Russia. Now the workshop employs more than 200 employees - architects, designers, engineers, managers, developing dozens of projects for Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia, the CIS countries and the world. And ARCHiPEOPLE tried to find out in detail what it is like to work at SPEECH?

Sergey Choban, director and chief architect of SPEECH

How is the SPEECH bureau organized, and how did its current structure develop?

Sergei Kuznetsov and I created the bureau in 2006 by merging our two companies ( "SP-Project" and "Choban and Partners" - ed.), and since SPEECH's staff was initially quite large, it immediately acquired a vertical structure. In other words, there is the head of the bureau, there are heads of workshops, and there are chief executive officers and architects of these workshops. I would be happy to work with all employees directly, but managing an office in “manual mode” is only possible if its staff does not exceed 25-30 people. I know this for sure from the experience of managing my Berlin office ( Sergey Tchoban is also the head of the Berlin office of the famous German bureaunps tchoban voss- ed..), which in its development at a certain point also exceeded the 30-person mark, and for effective management it was necessary to create a system of workshops, headed by experienced employees who share my views on creativity and profession, and whom I trust. At SPEECH, the structure is the same: today, when working on a particular project, I discuss it, first of all, with the workshop managers, who then convey our common vision of the process to their employees.

Does each workshop have its own specialization?

Of course, in the process of work, each team develops certain preferences - including towards certain typologies - but we always set the task for workshops to move towards multifunctionality. Narrow specialization in our profession is simply dangerous: market conditions are constantly changing, as well as the functional saturation of individual projects. Therefore, we encourage our employees in every possible way to explore new areas of their profession.

Did the heads of the workshops and chief executive officers for the most part come to the bureau in this capacity or were they, as they say, raised in the team?

As a rule, the second one. This, of course, is a very long and somewhat risky process, since not every smart employee can become a chief executive officer or a good workshop manager. But we were lucky, in the ranks of SPEECH there were several very responsible, and most importantly, talented - not only from the point of view of architecture, but also from the point of view of team management - GAPs, who at the next stage of the development of the office headed the workshops.

Does the bureau have branches in other cities?

We haven't tried to create branches because managing them makes office logistics extremely difficult. Again, I can say from the experience of managing my German office: branches are necessary and justified only if the company’s activities are evenly distributed across different cities of the country. From an economic point of view, it simply makes no sense to constantly be in one or another city for the sake of one or two projects. We are always happy to have the opportunity to work in some city that is new to us, but in this case the project is managed centrally from Moscow. In addition, in St. Petersburg we have a permanent partner - Evgeny Gerasimov, with whom we carry out all projects in this city. Now most of them are already in the final stages of implementation.

Does SPEECH interact? what about your German office?

In the early days of SPEECH, this collaboration was very close. Sergey and I have always relied on the highest quality of design and implementation of projects, so we used cooperation with German architects, first of all, as an opportunity to train their Moscow colleagues. And I must say, this model turned out to be very successful: today SPEECH employees themselves often suggest some interesting solutions to the Germans. So today, contact between offices occurs at the level of an equivalent exchange of information. Since I do projects both there and here, I often tell my architects: “Look how this detail was solved there,” - equally often meaning both Germany and Russia. The level of design in the Moscow office has reached German levels, especially with regard to the design of facades and details. And, by the way, some new materials are emerging and being used in Moscow, sometimes even faster than in Germany.

And now, three years after Sergei Kuznetsov became the chief architect of Moscow and left the company, how would you assess the changes that have occurred in the structure of SPEECH after the departure of one of the leading partners?

The most important thing in our joint work with Sergei was our constant creative dialogue, very rich and fruitful. After his departure, the very structure of the creative dialogue changed: before, we discussed all new projects first of all with Sergei, while now the heads of the workshops became my main interlocutors and co-authors. I am deeply convinced that any project is born precisely in dialogue, a joint brainstorm.

So you are very involved in the design of any object at the initial stage? How closely do you monitor all subsequent design stages?

It was not for nothing that I said at the beginning that our bureau is very lucky with talented and responsible chief executives: we absolutely agree with the workshop managers in our understanding of what is important in the project and what specific points need to be monitored. Without unnecessary reminders and without unnecessary questions on my part. At the initial stages of work - both in Moscow and in Berlin - I made endless lists of questions about the project for myself and my employees and constantly tugged at the project managers. And thereby gradually taught them, as they say, “to think around the corner,” to think in the material, to see any detail in a three-dimensional image. Once upon a time I literally ran around construction sites and endlessly asked: “Did this moment decide? Not decided? Let's decide together! " Now the workshop managers themselves monitor all controversial issues and come to me to discuss them. And I no longer wonder if their list of questions on the project is exhaustive - from the implementations that come out, it is absolutely clear to me that they are not overlooking anything.

Anton Pavlov, Bureau Manager

What duties do you perform?

An architect cannot exist on his own. He needs some kind of service that will create favorable conditions for practicing architecture. I am the manager of an architectural bureau, and my task is to communicate with clients, personnel management, planning and distribution of tasks, control of document flow and finances. In other words, I am in charge of everything that is not related to creativity.

What is your role in recruitment?

I need to determine who the bureau needs at any given moment. After all, I look at the architectural studio not as a place for creativity, but as a business. SPEECH is a commercial organization, we want to create beauty around us, but at the same time make money. It is important for me that the number of architects is optimal. If there are not enough people in a workshop, we recruit through the HR department. I don’t interview anyone directly; this is done by the chief project architects and workshop managers.

What brought you to the bureau?

I have a technical education. I graduated from the Aviation Technology University. The celestial element even now means a lot to me, and when I have free time, I partially devote it to aviation. After graduating from university, I worked in a field far from architecture, at that time I was already familiar with the founders of SPEECH, and they invited me. At first I refused, architecture seemed like another planet, but then I thought - why not?

You also work closely with customers. Which ones are easier to work with?

To say that all customers are simple and pleasant people to talk to would probably be a little disingenuous. But we are lucky; our customers are very purposeful people with an amazing outlook and deep knowledge. They choose us because of a certain set of professional qualities inherent in us. Plus, I hope they like our architecture. It’s nice when the customer “breathes the same air with us,” and for him the priority is not so much budget savings as a healthy compromise between costs and aesthetics and functionality of the future object. In such cases, difficulties associated with contractual and management issues fade into the background.

How do you feel about the bureau’s participation in architectural competitions?

It’s nice when people come to us with no alternative: here’s a project - do it. The number of projects to compete for, however, dominates. The attitude towards them is twofold. On the one hand, it’s great when you can win a small victory at the initial stage. On the other hand, from a business point of view, this is not the most efficient stage of the project process. The requirements for the volume of materials submitted for the competition are very serious. There is not much time given. We don’t know how to work for less than 100% results, so competitions take up a lot of the bureau’s resources.

Can you make concessions for the sake of implementing a separate project?

We try not to overwhelm our customers with ultimatums. The position is very simple - we do not say why something cannot be done, we say what is needed to obtain the desired result. I repeat,We are lucky to have customers who want to develop interesting buildings in Moscow; they love the city and treat it and themselves with respect. And we don’t have any faceless buildings in our portfolio. There is one customer who has his own plant for the production of reinforced concrete panels and is building mass budget housing. But he is guided by the rule: panel houses should not look like panel houses.He expects the same from us, and we answer him with stylish facades and thoughtful layouts. Moreover, the search for options continues until both parties are completely confident in the correctness of the final decision.

How has the crisis affected the bureau?

Our bureau is one of the largest in Russia, specializing only in architecture. We do not have our own designers or engineers; they are subcontracted. Until the end of 2014, the bureau employed about 300 people. Now we have lost some of the contracts: in some places investors decided to postpone the project, in others they are negotiating with city authorities about changing the functionality. Our main task in such a situation is to preserve the team. I really want not to break under the winds of change, but to survive and retain the staff, the best people who believe in us and in the common cause. Everything SPEECH has done has been done by them. Therefore, we are looking for new projects, creating conditions so that the customer chooses us, so that we can provide the team with work.

What makes architects from different bureaus create joint projects? Before my eyes stands the project of the Garden Quarters complex.

Alexey Ilyin, head of workshop No. 1

How did you become an architect?

I studied at an art school where my main teacher was an architect. And even then it seemed to me that this profession well combines both the artistic component and the possibilities for the implementation of buildings, that it allows you to make things that will last for centuries. The choice was simple for me.

What projects are you working on now?

We are completing the second stage of the micro-city “In the Forest”. This is a large residential area on Pyatnitskoye Highway, which will have schools, kindergartens, offices and even a theater. Other interesting projects are the multifunctional complexes “Lotos” on Odesskaya Street and “Heart of the Capital” on Shelepikhinskaya Embankment.

What restrictions do you have to impose on your creativity?

We are a commercial organization, despite the fact that we do original design. We do not simply perform the artistic function of drawing beautiful facades, but are attentive to the customer’s wishes, layouts, and technical aspects. This imposes certain restrictions, but within the norm.

"Heart of the Capital". Illustrations - SPEECH.

Micro-city “In the Forest”. Photos - SPEECH.

Is it difficult to manage a workshop?

With reasonable organization - and I hope that this is what we have - everything works perfectly. In my studio there are three main architects, who are assigned a certain number of projects.

Has the life of the bureau changed since Sergei Kuznetsov moved to a new job?

For me it hasn't changed much. Kuznetsov has built a good structure that continues to work smoothly. Anton Pavlov is now in charge of the management system. He is not an architect, and this is a positive thing, because he abstracts himself from creative issues and solves only management ones. Architecture, of course, remains a priority in any case.

How has the architectural world of Moscow changed over the past 20 years?

I remember what happened back in the 90s, then I worked at the ABC Group. Since then, the architectural profession has taken a giant leap, and the situation is improving every year. It has become easier and clearer to work. Work can also serve as an indicator« Architectural Council of the City of Moscow» , in which good specialists solve issues.

What is your attitude towards competitions?

Thanks to them, a variety of architects have the opportunity to implement their projects. There have always been competitions, but now they are more transparent. Of course, most of them are more profitable from an economic point of view for young bureaus, which is still good.

Igor Chlenov, head of workshop No. 2

What does your workshop do?

We mainly design housing of different classes: from economy to premium class. Although, there are also office projects, hotels, and cultural buildings in the works. Among the economic housing projects, I can highlight the “New Zelenograd” complex and the development of a microdistrict in Solntsevo on the territory of the “Vzlet” plant. From business class - a very interesting project on the territory of the ZIL plant. As for housing of a higher class, one can recall the Wine House residential complex on Sadovnicheskaya Street, designed jointly with TPO “Reserve”.

Was your specialization in residential architecture a conscious choice?

Rather, it was a natural market request. Until 2008, there was almost 100% customer capacity for office construction, and we only built offices. After this turning point, office construction began to freeze, but the theme of apartments and housing began to develop. Over time, it so happened that residential buildings became the main objects. Subsequently, it turned out that one workshop concentrated on sports facilities, and the rest, in principle, are “omnivores”.

What principles guide you in developing projects?

They are the same for all architects. On the one hand, we must fulfill customer requirements. On the other hand, we must make high-quality architecture. Combining these two components is the most difficult and interesting task when designing any object.

What new requirements have appeared for housing? How to create a non-standard option in economy class?

Basic requirements have been gradually evolving along with the market for the past twenty years. Everything goes to the point that the customer asks to make the most efficient projects from all points of view: space yield, engineering, constructive and, of course, architectural solutions. Everything should be balanced, but rather strictly in terms of “not overspending,” so to speak. Now almost all customers check projects for the optimality of the solutions used and the correctness of choosing a particular design algorithm. At the same time, they began to think more about people. If previously they just sold space, and it didn’t matter what or who would be housed there, now they are asking for high-quality layouts. Buyers have learned to immediately see how convenient or inconvenient it will be for them to live or work in this room.

Wine House. Illustrations - SPEECH.

"New Zelenograd" Illustrations - SPEECH.

Which project is closest to your heart?

This is a provocative question. All architects respond to him that they love all their projects. On the one hand, this is banal, on the other hand, it’s it and there is. But the project you are currently working on is always of greater interest. Because what has already been done remains on its own, and you do not stand still, you develop, you move forward, having both positive and negative experiences. And the earlier the new project is at a stage, the greater the love for it. You give up all your efforts to make a concept, but when the fundamental story is invented, then technical development comes next, and you want new feelings and sensations. And we need a new project.

How do you organize your work so that you can effectively monitor all projects?

Our structure is traditional, vertical. Inside the workshop there are several main architects, each of them has their own team working on one or two projects. They work largely autonomously. At the start of the project, we all agree together on the concept, on the directions, then development proceeds, at key time points we discuss the progress of the project, making changes if necessary.

Do architects move from one studio to another?

This is not welcome. Every leader recruits people"for yourself" . There is no Brownian motion here, and it is not useful, because everyone has certain abilities. It is always more convenient to work in a system of built relationships, and not to adapt each time anew to a certain style or rhythm of work.

How did you become an architect?

After school, where the education system is quite rigid, it seemed to me that at an architectural university there is incredible scope for self-realization: you can draw, invent new things. First I entered the architectural college, and then the Moscow Architectural Institute. He started working at the beginning of his studies at the technical school. Then I ran around to different offices, looking for where it would be better.

And how did you end up inSPEECH?

I was here before SPEECH even existed. I met Sergei Kuznetsov at the institute, after, since 2001, We worked with him in a small studio.

That is, you are also a founding fatherSPEECH?

This is a loud statement, but I was there and saw everything.

Marina Kuznetskaya, chief architect of workshop No. 1 projects

Marina, how did your journey in architecture begin?

Since childhood, I have formed the opinion that a person is shaped by the environment, so I decided to study it. I studied at the Moscow Architectural Institute.

How did you come toSPEECH?

I started working early, while still in college. At some point I realized that I needed to go to a workshop where I could get good experience. Choban had recently opened his own office. I came, it seemed, not for long and stayed... I myself didn’t expect that I would stay.

Why did you decide to stay?

When you go to a big company for experience, you don’t know how everything will turn out. There are several leading architectural bureaus in Russia. They carry out projects of approximately the same level of significance, and many experienced people work in them. At the same time, each company has its own principle of forming the architectural image of the project, its own system of work. It depends, first of all, on the leadership. Contact with the authors of ideas greatly influences the desire to work for the company. I have a good understanding with Sergei Choban. This is a person who is constantly developing in his creativity and “infects” the development of everyone around him. Therefore, I don’t get the feeling that I’ve been sitting and working in one place for many years; it never gets boring. In Alexey Ilyin’s workshop, we are constantly introducing something new into our work process. This movement is greatly facilitated by new people coming to work for us.

And what are you working on now?

We are designing the “Heart of the Capital” complex, plot 17-18 in Moscow City. At the beginning of May, a pavilion was opened in Milan for EXPO 2015.

Russian Pavilion at EXPO 2015. Photos - SPEECH.

How was the opening?

The effect we wanted to achieve was successful. It is important for us to create a bright, memorable image that people will react to and remember. The pavilion has a thirty-meter mirror console, where everyone reflexively looks. The concept we had in mind was confirmed in practice. This is cool.

What will happen to the pavilion later?

The exhibition will last until October 31, after which all pavilions, except the Italian one, will be dismantled. As far as I know, Sergei Kuznetsov has an idea to bring our pavilion to Moscow and place it at VDNKh. How feasible this idea is is not yet clear.For example, we recreated one of the pavilions designed for the XIII Venice Biennale (2012): a dome hall with a surface of QR codes containing up-to-date information about the progress of the project"Zaryadye Park". Now it is located on a temporary site, next to the future Zaryadye Park, and is open to everyone.

What projects are more interesting to work on?

Over the most different! It’s interesting to work on exhibitions because you know that you will achieve results in a short time, while large projects often last for several years. On the other hand, these same large projects will remain forever, while exhibition ones will be temporary. I like to diversify my work.

How is your relationship with competitions?

This is an opportunity to come up with something spectacular. By making a direct order, we take into account the needs of customers, and you can enter the competition"out of bounds".

Official website of the SPEECH architectural bureau.

Photos: Alexandra Golikova, Alexander Plakhin.

Experts have compiled the top 10 architectural bureaus whose projects are being implemented in the primary residential real estate market in the capital

Photo: VTB Arena Park multifunctional complex

The top 10 most sought-after architects, whose residential projects are presented in Moscow, were headed by the SPEECH architectural bureau under the leadership of Sergei Choban. The total residential area of ​​the projects he is implementing in the capital is 1.93 million square meters. m (19 residential complexes), according to the rating of the real estate company Metrium Group. When compiling the top 10, the company's analysts calculated the area of ​​apartments and apartments in all projects on the primary market of Moscow and distributed these volumes between workshops.

In second place was the creative production association “Reserve” of Vladimir Plotkin - according to its projects, six complexes (759.8 thousand sq. m.) are being built in Moscow today. Third place is occupied by the Architectural Bureau of Sergei Skuratov with six projects with a total area of ​​415.6 thousand square meters. m.

In total, all workshops from the top 10 ranking of the most popular architects account for 54 residential and apartment complexes with an area of ​​5.2 million square meters. m. This is slightly less than a third of the total living space of all projects being implemented today on the Moscow primary market, as calculated by Metrium Group.

The top 10, in addition to Russian ones, also included Western companies. Fifth place in the ranking was taken by the international architectural bureau MLA+, which developed the concept of a new large-scale residential complex in the mass segment - the Domashny microdistrict. Its living area is 337 thousand square meters. m. Also included in the top ten were two more foreign architectural bureaus - Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquietectura (Spain) and NBBJ (USA).

Every year, according to Metrium Group, there are more and more objects created by famous architects in Moscow, while standard projects are in the minority. Today, dozens of architectural companies operate in the Moscow residential real estate market. Among them there are both old-timers who designed buildings back in the days of the Soviet Union, and very young workshops under the guidance of young architects. In addition, in recent years, world-famous craftsmen have increasingly been attracted to work on the capital’s housing market. And if previously they only designed expensive residential complexes, today they are creating projects in the mass segment, as noted in the ranking of the most popular architectural bureaus. “In the coming years, architects will play leading roles in residential development. This trend is already gaining momentum. If recently projects from famous architectural bureaus were extremely rare in the mass segment, today recognized masters are starting to work even outside of Moscow,” predicts managing partner of Metrium Group, Maria Litinetskaya.

According to Metrium Group

Sergey Velesevich

The SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau was formed as a result of long-term cooperation between several design companies: the Berlin office of NPS TCHOBAN VOSS headed by Sergei Choban and its Moscow representative office “Choban and Partners” with the S.P.Proekt workshop, headed by Sergey Kuznetsov and his partner Pavel Shaburov.

Sergei Choban and Sergei Kuznetsov. Photo: Natalya Kovalenko.
For S. Tchoban, who left for Germany in 1992 and made a successful career there, having gone in three years from an NPS employee (Nietz, Prasch, Sigl Architekten BDA, Hamburg), to a partner and head of the branch office of the NPS TCHOBAN VOSS bureau in Berlin, a return to work in Russia was inevitable.

Residential building "Granatny, 6", Moscow. Photo: Alexey Naroditsky.
The volume of construction in our country, unlike in Europe, broke all records in the new millennium. An architect who knows Russian specifics and has experience in Western design practice could not but be in demand here. The beginning of the “expansion to the east” was the victory in the competition for the project of the Federation complex in Moscow City in 2003. The proposal of architects Sergei Tchoban and Peter Schweiger - two towers in the shape of sails - was and remains perhaps the most spectacular building designed for the City. In the wake of interest in this project, new prospects opened up for Sergei to expand his activities in Russia, for which he needed not just a branch of the Berlin office, but something more - a full-fledged company, the leadership of which S. Choban could share with a partner whose principles and vision of strategy development of the project business would coincide with his own.

View of a residential building from the opposite side of Granatny Lane.
Photo: Alexey Naroditsky.
Residential building "Granatny, 6",
Address: Russia, Moscow, Granatny Lane, 6.
Ch. project architects: A. Perlich, Y. Kotlyar,
V. Kazul, S. Arutyunov.
Ch. Eng. project: L. Makukhina.
Archit. V. Shalyavsky, T. Stolyarov, A. Kozyreva,
A. Sokolnikova.
Customer: Skanklin-invest LLC.
Total area: 15,431 sq. m.
Design: 2004–2007
Construction: 2007–2011

Situational plan.
Residential building "Granatny, 6", the concept of which was inspired by the works of the famous Soviet architect A.K. Burov, it is no coincidence that it is compared to a carved jewelry box. The rather laconic volumetric-spatial composition of three buildings of different heights, connected by glass inserts-transitions, is more than compensated by the richness of the external and internal decoration. Lined with natural stone (granite and limestone), the facades of the house are almost completely covered with carved patterns, developed specifically for this project based on research into the traditions of Byzantine, Old Russian and Old Moscow stone carving.
Each prototype was used to design one of three cases. For each element of the facade (pilasters, piers, window sills and lintels) a different drawing has been created that corresponds to the chosen style. The same motifs are used in the design of glass and wrought iron screens covering the lower part of the French balconies. Such filigree work with durable materials guarantees, according to the authors, a special aesthetic expressiveness of the building’s facades, which will only intensify over time and exposure to adverse urban conditions. The interior decoration of the public areas of the residential complex is also designed in an ornamental spirit and using natural materials. Metal, glass, stone and precious woods, decorated with patterns, create an atmosphere of luxury inside the complex. It is not surprising that the apartments in this building were sold out during the first stage of construction.

The young architect Sergei Kuznetsov, who has been running his own design practice since the age of 23, and since 2003 has acted as the head of the S.P.Proekt company, became such a like-minded person for S. Choban. The latter, which started, like many others in the 2000s, with interiors and country houses, has been actively developing, including urban real estate in its sphere of interests. In parallel with architectural activities, S.P.Project specialized in creating three-dimensional visualizations, the technical and artistic quality of which in a short time made the bureau one of the leaders in this market. Initially, the collaboration between S. Choban and S. Kuznetsov was focused precisely in this area, but gradually it began to spread to the area of ​​joint design.

Close collaboration over several years in the early 2000s demonstrated that between S. Choban and S. Kuznetsov there is mutual understanding at many levels, and their tandem is not just viable, but extremely promising.
The merger gave the new company a number of advantages: an increase in the volume and scale of work, the introduction of modern Western methods and design standards, no need to gain authority and create the company’s image from scratch, a combination of the dynamism and energy of the young Russian team with the methodicality and ability to work in market conditions of the German partners, and also the opportunity to develop simultaneously in Russia and the West.

Situational plan.

Office building on Leninsky Prospekt
Authors of the project: S. Choban, S. Kuznetsov.
Ch. project architect: S. Kuznetsov.
Ch. Eng. project: L. Makukhina.
Archit. A Perlich, T. Varyukhina, A. Kozyreva,
T. Lokteva, E. Murinets.
General contractors: MNR Bau und Bauberatungs
Ges.mbH (Austria),
RD Construction Management (Russia).
Total area: 16,253 sq.m.
Design: 2005–2009
Situational plan. Construction: 2008–2011

A significant and, at the same time, non-standard advantage was the rejection of a strict division of functions and responsibilities between partners. All functions of the workshop manager (both administrative and creative) were equally divided between S. Choban and S. Kuznetsov. But where, at first glance, the source of the problems could be hidden, in fact the opposite effect worked. Two architects, two clear leaders, differing in age and life experience, were able to build a system of relationships and management of their company so that their differences work for results and serve as an incentive for constant development. And a unified system of values ​​and priorities in the profession acts as a common denominator, as the basis for interchangeability in all aspects of the company’s activities.
This system is based on several principles that the heads of the SPEECH Choban & Kuznetsov bureau sincerely and consistently profess themselves and actively instill in their employees. They can be formulated as complexity, quality and durability.
The first principle is a methodology for managing a project with one team “from start to finish”. That is, from urban planning research, through a scrupulous study of all stages of design and control over its implementation, to the development of original interior details that continue and develop the main expressive idea of ​​the building.
The second principle is the constant pursuit of the highest possible quality: quality of the project, quality of materials, quality of execution. Moreover, this bureau principle is equally applicable both on expensive projects and on objects with a limited budget. It's all about the initial installation, determined together with the customer, and the correct allocation of funds. S. Choban and S. Kuznetsov, each “suffering” in his own way from the extreme stage of perfectionism, manage to infect even customers with this “virus” who are very far from the economically unmotivated desire for perfection.
The third principle is the refusal to create temporary architecture, or, as the leaders of the SPEECH Choban & Kuznetsov bureau themselves call it, “pavilion”. For them, the key importance in determining the quality of architecture is the specificity of its interaction with time, which means the aesthetics of the aging process of the building, which does not destroy or compromise the original plan, and, on the contrary, introduces into it a special quality, the spirit of truth, forming the cultural layer of the material world surrounding a person . The passage of time can give a building new value and beauty, or it can lead to its complete degradation, when unjustified savings at the design and construction stage result in sudden dilapidation of the building, especially catastrophically noticeable on the facades.
In addition to material aging, stylistic and artistic obsolescence is of great importance, in which architecture, which until recently seemed sharp and relevant, after a short period of time is already perceived as comical and inappropriate. The only way to create a durable architecture, which the leaders of the SPEECH Choban & Kuznetsov bureau have developed for themselves, is to carefully work on understanding the environment and creating objects that meet its needs, and perhaps even cure some of its problems. Added to this is the development of original details and forms, dictated not by fashionable trends, but by the image of the building and the spirit of the place, as well as the maximum use of materials that can withstand the destructive influence of time and climate.
All these principles, at first glance, have nothing to do with the realities of the modern architectural and construction market in Russia, where the ideology of reducing costs and deadlines for project development has long been supplanted from everyday life by the terms “quality” and “culture of detail.” In these conditions, the declaration of the principles of work of the SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau may seem like a utopia, smack of architectural snobbery, fraught with squeezing the bureau, at best, into a narrow segment of elite architecture. This position, for all its prestige, could hardly allow the bureau to develop so actively in the Russian and international markets. But reality has refuted these skeptical predictions.
Since 2006, not only the principles, but also the projects developed on their basis by the architects of the SPEECH bureau Choban & Kuznetsov have turned out to be extremely in demand.
From the first days of the bureau’s functioning, the range, scale and number of projects systematically increased, as well as their geography expanded. Already in 2009, i.e. 2.5 years after its creation, the bureau's portfolio consisted of more than 30 projects completed for Moscow, St. Petersburg, cities of Russia and the CIS, including countryside villages, sports and cultural facilities, hotel, residential and office complexes, as well as urban planning concepts.
The initial dynamics of the bureau's development were such that it allowed us to overcome the crisis of 2008, almost without losses. Of course, some of the projects were frozen, and the number of employees decreased briefly, but the heads of the bureau themselves assess the changes as positive. The composition of the project portfolio has become more realistic, and the reduction in the number of projects ongoing simultaneously has made it possible to maintain and even improve the “brand” quality of design.
Its level, set and persistently implemented by S. Choban and S. Kuznetsov, provided for a thorough study of all elements of the future building. Even in a situation where we were talking only about the “Project” stage, specialists were involved in the process who are usually involved only at the detailed design stage: consultants on facades, climatic characteristics, unique roofs, etc. And all decisions were developed as carefully as if we were talking about a “working job”. This rather strict method of professional initiation of young architects allowed the founders of the bureau to assemble a team of like-minded people in a short time, formulate a standard for the bureau’s work, instill in employees real design skills, accumulate and constantly expand the base of used parts, components, technologies and materials.
This approach has already resulted in several completed projects, each of which has set new standards in its segment for design and construction solutions that are not inferior to the level of modern European architecture. These are three complexes that differ in style, but are similar in the quality of work with high-quality materials and modern technologies: an office building on Leninsky Prospekt,
residential building “Granatny, 6” in the lane of the same name in Moscow and a multifunctional business complex with the head office of OJSC “Bank St. Petersburg” in St. Petersburg.
Simultaneously with the development and implementation of individual objects of the SPEECH bureau, Choban & Kuznetsov began to introduce an unusual team system of work in its urban planning and large projects and invited several design companies to participate in the work on large-scale, multi-element complexes. So that each would design a separate building, and together they would form a single ensemble. It is important to note here that the resources of the SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau are more than enough to cope with any, even very large-scale, task. But the positive experience of consolidation and the priority of architectural quality put the quality of the final result of the work at the forefront for SPEEC managers, the variability of which within a single concept determines the harmony of the created environment. Bureau SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov actively invites leading architectural teams from Russia and the world to collaborate. Therefore, the Grunwald residential complex has already been built in the Moscow region (concept - jointly with the Ostozhenka bureau, house designs - Ostozhenka, Project-Meganom and Mossinepartners, Assmann & Salomon and NPSTchobanVoss).
Currently, at the request of RGI International, a mini-city “In the Forest” is being designed (other project participants are Assmann & Salomon, LANGHOF (Germany), TPO Reserve LLC, negotiations are underway with William Alsop and Mossinepartners).
In St. Petersburg, work is in full swing on the “European Embankment” project, developed by a team led by Evgeniy Gerasimov (Evgeniy Gerasimov and Partners Bureau) and Sergei Tchoban, which won a representative international competition. At the initiative of the authors, 10 European architectural bureaus were invited to participate in the development of the project, which, together with the authors of the concept, are working on projects for individual buildings within the framework of a single master plan. They are: Paolo Desideri, ABDR Architetti Associati; Hilmer & Sattler und Albrecht; Rob Krier&Christoph Kohl Architekten; Christoph Langhof; Johanne Nalbach, Nalbach + Nalbach Gesellschaft von Architekten mbH; Ortner & Ortner; Patzschke Planungsgesellschaft mbH; Erick van Egeraat; Cino Zucchi Architetti; Kahlfeldt Architekten Ges. Von Architekten mbH.
An interesting and, of course, successful experiment in collective design was the “Factory Russia” project for the SPEECH bureau Choban&Kuznetsov, created in 2010 for the Russian pavilion at the XII Architectural Biennale in Venice. This is the concept of the revival of small towns in Russia using the example of the city of Vyshny Volochek, developed by the curators of the exhibition Sergei Choban, Pavel Khoroshilov and Grigory Revzin. The project involved the reconstruction of several dilapidated plants and factories in the central part of the city, with the aim of creating new jobs and attracting tourists. Individual projects were developed by one of five teams: TPO "Reserve", "Skuratov architects", "Studio 44", "Evgeniy Gerasimov and Partners" and SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov.
Each of them had the right to solve the task of reconstruction in their own ways and in their own way. As a result, a polyphonic picture of the city’s transformation emerged, in which the multiplicity of solutions only emphasizes their relevance.
Exhibition activities, and the “Factory Russia” project was not the only experience of the SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau in this area (in 2009, the project “(Un) touched reserve” was shown at Zodchestvo, the exhibition “New Life of Sretenka” was shown at the Berlin gallery “Aedes Land”,
Prepared together with Elena Nikulina with the support of the RGI company), as well as publishing (the heads of the bureau created an architectural magazine - the speech almanac) and lecture activities naturally continue the design practice of the bureau. Their philosophy allows them to introduce a wide range of issues and topics into their professional interests: from historical and urban planning studies to the art of architectural graphics. S. Kuznetsov is passionate about the latter S. Chobani, so much so that with enviable regularity they make joint forays into the open air, personally “cracking” the encrypted codes of harmony of the most beautiful cities and buildings in the world and decorating the walls of the meeting room in the Moscow office with the obtained “trophies”.
S. Chobani S. Kuznetsov shares their ideology, their signature “Speech” triad of “complexity-quality-durability” every time they give a lecture or give an interview. They are trying to captivate as many professionals as possible, seeing this as the key to raising the overall level of architecture in Russia and a chance for a qualitative transformation in the medium.
But this “know-how” is not a secret formula for success, but a recipe for the hardest work, without discounts for both yourself and your employees. Their method of work, in which the traditions of architecture, dating back to the Romanesque masters, who sharpened stone patterns that come to life under the sun and rain, are fused with modern requirements and the skills of architects, who, willy-nilly, are obliged to have the skills and knowledge of an artist, manager, engineer and psychologist . And all in order to be able to do the most important thing in the profession - build buildings that are beautiful, high-quality and durable. And this practical philosophy is relevant and in demand not only in Russia, but also in the West. It is not surprising that after only five years, the SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau confidently operates both in the Russian and international markets, having in practice proven its worth as a highly professional full-cycle project team.

Interview with the leading partners of the SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau Sergey Choban and Sergey Kuznetsov

— What problems seem to you the most pressing in modern Russian architecture?
Sergey Choban: Since the 50s of the 20th century, the tradition of detailing characteristic of Russian architecture - rich, rich, warm - has been interrupted. Due to Khrushchev’s policy of combating “excesses”, today we have come to an absolute oblivion of the culture of working with parts,
as well as to the lack of understanding of durable and well-aging architecture, not only structurally, but also in appearance.
In combination with the ideas of modernist architecture, understood exclusively through forms, but lacking the necessary detail and the high-quality elaboration that it acquired over time in the West, and most importantly, in the absence of technology and budgets, this situation led to the degradation of the urban environment. The old stock was being destroyed, and the new substance, filling the emerging gaps, was more of a pavilion, temporary nature, not differing in the quality of parts, or the quality of materials, or execution. As a result, people in Russia have fundamentally undermined their trust in what modern architects and builders do. To our shame, the most mediocre environment, created 100 years ago, today looks better, ages better, is respected by ordinary people more, people are more willing to live and work in it than in buildings built over the past 20-30 years.
Understanding this fact and the inability to come to terms with it, it seems to me, led Sergei Kuznetsov and me to the conclusion that it is necessary to revive traditions in relation to the surface of the building, to the unity of the building from the facade to the interior and door handle, to the culture of working with materials that can withstand more than 5, 10, 20 years. This is the only way to begin to re-shape the environment, an architectural layer that will not be temporary, pavilion-like. Confidence in the necessity of this mission united us and made it possible. Because implementing such projects is extremely expensive, not only for developers, but also for us, architects. It’s one thing to do some project stage of a “cardboard” shopping center, deliver it and earn money. And it’s quite another to develop projects such as an office building on Leninsky Prospekt, Granatny or the Water Sports Stadium in Kazan, where every detail is a struggle, every element costs us a lot of money, because developing it is four times more difficult and longer than using a regular standard part, even if it looks quite modern. We consciously sacrifice both our time and, ultimately, our commercial interests here, because we believe that these goals are much more important.

— Do you think the market here is ready to accept such principles? How popular are your ideas?
Sergey Kuznetsov: Our customers, for the most part, grew up on the very “international” and standard architecture that Sergei spoke about. As a result, they have practically no developed understanding of the quality of architecture and the quality of the urban environment. Recently, people have increasingly felt the need for harmonious, ensemble architecture. But it is too early to talk about the mass acceptance of such principles by the market. It takes both time and serious work of a large number of members of the entire professional community involved in the real estate industry. In my experience, both the market and the consumer respond positively to quality proposals, but all this has to be literally pushed through the most difficult stage of negotiations, persuasion and discussion, proving to the customer the advantages of solutions that require certain budgetary and time resources. For example, the construction of an office building on Leninsky Prospekt was preceded by months of debate. Today all these conversations are forgotten. The customer is very pleased with the building and says that he agrees with everything we proposed. But we managed to achieve and insist on our goal only at the cost of colossal nervous tension. However, there is no other way except through hard work.

— Is such educational activity included in the professional responsibilities of an architect? Or is this an integral part of working in Russia, and here it is necessary to fight with the customer, convince, preach?
S.Ch.: Fight - no, convince - yes. The customer initially, as a rule, does not understand by what means and forces the modern building that he liked was created, for example, somewhere abroad - in Hamburg, Berlin, Paris. He may think that it is not much more difficult than building those “kiosks” that we see everywhere here. But the quality seen there is in direct correlation with the size of the budget, design deadlines, quality of materials, qualifications of workers, and the thoughtfulness of all steps of planning, design and construction. And the architect has to explain to the customer what exactly needs to be done, how much it costs and how long it will take. And not only in its architectural part. After all, the quality of work is ensured not only by what and how we design, but also by those whom we engage as builders and whom we recommend as suppliers. To plan and organize the entire process requires a lot of effort and all our experience, including international experience.

— What are the distinctive features of the architecture of the SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau?
S.K.: For us there is no question of what to draw in the project so that it is immediately clear that it was done by us. We have prioritized the quality of the facility and the quality of the created environment. This is exactly what customers come to us for. As part of this approach, we strive to achieve in each specific architectural element the level that we consider correct, interesting and beautiful.
When you do what you like and is consistent with your principles, then, without even thinking about how and by whom it will be identified, your work will still be recognized. It doesn't matter what criteria. If we put all our completed projects in a row and compare them with a random selection of some other projects, it will be obvious that this selection has some distinctive features. But not repeating clichés, but a unified approach to work.
S.Ch.: Our approach - in terms of depth of development, in terms of accumulated experience in working with various materials and technologies - is quite rare on the market today. And if along this path we begin to repeat ourselves at the level of the simplest external features, then we will turn the process of architectural design into a process of continuous production of a model once perfected. If in 10-15 years we had 20 very high-quality objects in Moscow, I would consider it tragic that they are similar to each other. The process of creating architecture very much depends on both the functions and the place for which the building is designed, so it cannot be of the same type. The general approach and quality level of solutions should always be recognizable, and the answer to the assigned tasks should always be absolutely individual.
— Do you think that a similar approach to working with customers and objects can be adopted by other Russian design companies?
S.K.: If we manage to disseminate our approach to the widest possible circle—at least professionals, for starters—then we can consider that we have made a feasible contribution to the global process of creating a high-quality living environment. It is necessary to change people's perceptions, to demonstrate that there is a different understanding of the fabric of the city, different tools for working with it. Of course, changes will not come tomorrow, but taking a couple of steps in this direction would be great. And if someone picks it up and develops it further, even better.
S.Ch.: We would be happy if in 10 years, not 3-4 offices throughout Russia, but 20-30, would operate in this manner. And all this is quite achievable. The speed at which quality construction permeates mass development can be colossal. Just look at the development of Paris at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. or on Russian architecture of the 1930-1950s. I believe that it is the mass introduction of working with durable, high-quality materials that will ultimately lead to a reduction in costs for them and an improvement in working with them. And this, in turn, will lead to the fact that more people will be able to use them in construction, which means the level of the created environment will change.

High

15.06.17 13:40

The head of workshop No. 1 of the SPEECH bureau, one of the authors of such famous buildings as “Microcity in the Forest”, the Lotos multifunctional complex on Odesskaya Street in Moscow and the Russian Pavilion at EXPO 2015 in Milan, presents his graphic and painting works. Their main theme, as the name of the exhibition suggests, was all kinds of high-rise dominants. Lighthouses, towers, cathedral spiers, skyscrapers - these are just some of the subjects of urban and coastal landscapes by architect Alexei Ilyin.

Exhibition location: Paper Gallery (Bersenevsky lane, 2/1)

New heroes of “Moscow Manhattan”

19.11.16 13:22

The Moscow City International Business Center complex will feature two towers that reference the classic New York skyscrapers. The customer of the Neva Towers project is Renaissance Development. The project was developed by an international team: bureau SPEECH (Russia), HOK (USA), FXFOWLE (USA).

The new complex is formed by two buildings united by a common stylobate. The height of the towers is about 290 and 338 meters (63 and 77 floors). They are located at some distance from the main Moscow City massif, imparting a balanced three-part structure to its composition from certain vantage points. Thanks to the isolated position of the towers, their windows will offer views of all directions, including an excellent overview of the entire Moscow City.

For the building facades, architect Sergei Choban, head of the SPEECH bureau, proposed an elegant and laconic solution: a combination of glass and light stone lamellas. “Moscow City has an abundance of high-rise dominants that boast extravagant shapes and silhouettes, but there have not yet been towers designed in the tradition of historical skyscrapers, in the appearance of which the lightness of glass and the massiveness of natural stone complement each other. This image is not subject to current fashion; it is a classic of the genre, brought to life today. The luxurious view from the windows is combined with the feeling of a solid stone house that will last for centuries. At the same time, it is important that the complex is designed taking into account all the most modern needs and requirements, providing future residents with comfortable living,” commented Sergei Choban on the image of the project.

The main function of new skyscrapers is residential. In total, the complex will have 1,210 apartments, the area of ​​which varies from 60 to 300 sq. m. m. The apartments are handed over to buyers in “white box” condition, i.e. completely ready for installation of finishing materials and implementation of individual design. Neva Towers also includes office space (28 floors of one of the towers) and a retail gallery. The parking lot has 2040 parking spaces.

Around the world, innovative skyscraper programs include the potential of a “vertical city” that provides its residents with everything they need while minimizing the need to leave its borders. The infrastructure of Neva Towers, according to the “house without borders” concept, will include several non-standard “luxury” options: a panoramic swimming pool in a private park on the roof of a four-story stylobate, a fitness club with a SPA and hammam, squash courts, virtual golf, its own cinema hall, music and karaoke studio, room for individual lessons.

A special infrastructural advantage of the project is a private park, accessible only to apartment owners, and a spacious public garden, which is comparable in area to a stadium. Neva Towers promises to become the greenest mixed-use complex in the center of Moscow: its design and construction is carried out according to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, the American Green Building Council, the project is nominated for a LEED GOLD certificate.

Today, the 21st floor of a 77-story tower is being built, more than 50% of the structures in the underground part of the complex have already been built. The project is planned to be completed in the second quarter of 2019, simultaneously with the completion of the construction of the Moscow City business center and the reconstruction of the Moskva River embankments in this area of ​​the city. Investments in the project will amount to more than $1 billion.

The presentation of Neva Towers took place in the showroom of the project with a memorable modern design from the international company HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates. The same company, known for projects for Hilton, Marriott, Fairmont, Hyatt, Sheraton, Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Ritz Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, also developed the interiors of Neva Towers. The showroom is located next to the construction site, and in it you can see not only the layout of the complex, but also see panoramas on the media wall that will open from the windows of the high-rise buildings.

Courtyard-Museum-City

07.09.16 19:08

On City Day, September 10, the Tretyakov Gallery on Krymsky Val invites everyone to a celebration to mark the opening of the courtyard after reconstruction. Thanks to the efforts of the SPEECH bureau and the KROST concern, a new platform for intellectual recreation has appeared in the capital.

On September 10, City Day, the Tretyakov Gallery together with the KROST Concern will make a real gift to Moscow and its residents: on this day the completely reconstructed courtyard of the Gallery on Krymsky Val will open. For a long time, the courtyard was closed to the public; last spring, a passage from the embankment was opened for the first time. Now, after a large-scale reconstruction carried out by the KROST Concern according to the design of architects Sergei Choban and Andrey Perlich (SPEECH bureau), the courtyard will be filled with life, as was originally intended when designing the museum building. Starting from the next spring-summer season, music and educational programs, discussions, exhibitions, and events for children and adults will be held in the courtyard. The reconstructed courtyard will also host events of the Central House of Artists (CHA), with which the Tretyakov Gallery shares a building.

Events for museum guests are timed to coincide with the opening of the courtyard on September 10. The holiday will open with a family program, where parents will learn how to talk to their children about art, and kids will get a unique interactive experience with painting, music and architecture; at 15:00 there will be a panel discussion “COURTYARD-MUSEUM-CITY”, at which the participants - Zelfira Tregulova, Alexey Dobashin, Ilya Zalivukhin, Pyotr Ivanov, Olga Mamaeva, Alina Saprykina, Anna Trapkova - will discuss the development of this space in the urban environment; In the evening, guests will enjoy a live music concert.

The creation of public park spaces in the capital is a primary issue for the improvement of a modern city, which has recently attracted more and more public attention. Head of the Concern, member of the board of trustees of the Tretyakov Gallery A.A. Dobashin, took the initiative to act as a patron of this public task. “One of the main postulates of the Concern’s activities is the formation of the environment inside residential areas through the creation of cascades of parks, professional sports, children’s development parks and places for creativity. The territory should be filled with basic values ​​and infrastructure for life. Thus, in public space people are surrounded by a lot of innovations. This all ultimately creates a formula: a beautiful yard on a beautiful street in a beautiful city.”

The large-scale reconstruction of the courtyard space, carried out by the KROST concern, was carried out with special attention to the history of the museum building. The main task was to identify the stylistic kinship of all elements of the courtyard architecture with its inherent laconic modernist aesthetics of the late 1970s - early 1980s. The improvement project was developed by the architectural bureau Speech (the authors of the project are Sergey Choban, Andrey Perlich). The concept is based on the idea of ​​functional zoning, creating conditions for a comfortable pastime for people of any age, as well as organizing various events. The courtyard area is divided into zones - a lecture hall, a cafe, a play area and a recreation area. They are connected into a single space by a central alley running from the embankment to the main entrance to the Gallery lobby. The renovation of the yard also included replacing most of its coverings. At the same time, recognizable elements - a decorative rectangular pond raised above the ground and steps made of natural stone leading to it - were preserved. The architects treated the existing green spaces with the most care - all the growing trees in the yard were preserved. The structure of lawns and flower beds has also been preserved, with a completely updated landscape design.

Project SPEECH

11.05.16 17:52

The exhibition, dedicated to the tenth anniversary of one of the most successful Russian architectural bureaus, will be held at the Multimedia Art Museum from 17.05 to 19.06.

The new building of the Moscow City Duma. Photo by Dmitry Chebanenko

The bureau, created in 2006 by Sergey Choban and Sergey Kuznetsov, has implemented a representative number of projects in Russia and abroad. Among them are large-scale urban complexes, elegant public buildings and residential buildings, and expressive examples of exhibition design. SPEECH buildings differ from each other in function, area, plastic forms and decor, but their architectural solutions are based on the same key principles - thoughtful composition, proportionality to the surrounding buildings, high-quality finishing. The most important component of SPEECH's creative approach to design is the development of architecture and interiors down to the smallest detail. And each of them - like the DNA of an object - reflects the essence of the overall plan. The topic of “detail” was even taken into a separate room.

MFK Lotos. Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

The entire exhibition will be located on two floors of the museum. The main means of displaying the works will be architectural photography - SPEECH objects were photographed by the best Russian and foreign masters of this genre. The photographic canvases are accompanied by video interviews with the founders of the bureau - Sergei Choban and Sergei Kuznetsov, as well as their drawings, a library of bureau publications and selected models of buildings already implemented and under construction, made specifically for the exhibition.

SPEECH about ZIL

23.03.16 15:46

April 2, as part of the new lecture series “ZILART. Architecture for Life,” architect Sergei Choban will present a new project from the SPEECH bureau and talk about the basic principles of the formation of modern urban ensembles, and his colleague Dmitry Gureev will give a tour of a large model of the area being built on the site of Moscow’s largest industrial zone.

In the next seven years, the site of the abandoned industrial zone will be taken over by residential area ZILART, implemented in the concept “City for People”. Here, on 65 hectares, houses for 25,000 residents will be built, as well as the Hermitage-Moscow Museum Center, drama and puppet theaters, kindergartens and schools, a landscape park with an area of ​​14 hectares will be laid out, an embankment will be equipped, and a pedestrian boulevard 1.2 km long will be built. and new streets that will receive the names of Russian avant-garde artists.

Russian architects Yuri Grigoryan, Sergey Choban, Sergey Skuratov, Oleg Kharchenko, Evgeny Gerasimov, Alexander Brodsky, Alexander Tsimailo, Nikolay Lyashenko, Ilya Mashkov, as well as world celebrities were involved in the construction: Hani Rashid (Asymptote Architecture), Jerry Van Eyck (!melk ), Willem Jan Neutelings and Michiel Riedijk (Neutelings Riedijk Architecten).

The purpose of the lecture series “ ZILART. Architecture for life"- introduce Muscovites to what the territory of the former ZIL plant will look like after reconstruction. The authors themselves, the architects who design objects in the ZILART area, will talk about what buildings and spaces will appear there, as well as the concepts and latest trends in modern architecture and urbanism.

The first lecture will be given by the famous architect, managing partner of the SPEECH bureau Sergei Choban. He sees the key to the harmonious development of any site - be it the historical center of the city or the territory of a former factory - in the creation of objects that are carefully thought out from the outside and inside, which look modern, but also timeless. One example of the implementation of this approach is a residential building that the SPEECH bureau is designing on the territory of ZILART.

After the lecture there will be a tour of the model of the future quarter with an area of ​​more than 110 square meters, made on a scale of 1:100. The chief architect of SPEECH projects, Dmitry Gureev, will act as a guide.
The lecture will take place in ZILART HALL, at the address: st. Avtozavodskaya, 22.

Starts at 14:00. A transfer from the Avtozavodskaya metro station to the event venue and back will be organized for visitors.
Admission is free, by prior registration on Time Pad: https://zilart.timepad.ru/event/303932/

Contacts: [email protected]

Under the silver wing

13.05.15 18:39

The Russian National Pavilion at the World Expo 2015, which opened on May 1 in Milan, was made in strict accordance with the design of the SPEECH bureau, but in reality it produces a slightly different impression than in 3D.

Photo courtesy of the EXPO 2015 press service

The Russian representative office is located almost at the very end of the Decumanus - the main longitudinal axis on which the planning structure of the exhibition, which stretches over 1 million square meters, rests. meters in the Milan suburb of Rho. On the way to our pavilion, you get an impression of how other countries have architecturally designed their presence. If the previous EXPO in Shanghai looked like a collection of free-standing giant sculptures in the open air, then here it is not a park system that is reproduced, but a street system. The objects in it are located quite densely, many have facades on the first line, and it is not always clear where one pavilion ends and another begins.

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

Despite the distance from the main entrance, Russia can be said to be lucky. Behind the Slovak pavilion, there is a small side road in front of ours, so the Russian pavilion has a clear three-quarter angle. Thinking over the silhouette of the structure, the architects of the SPEECH bureau - Alexey Ilyin, Marina Kuznetskaya, Andrey Perlich worked on the project under the leadership of Sergei Choban - proceeded from possible viewing situations and proposed a solution that also strengthened the frontal point.

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

Theoretically, Sergei Choban explained, it was possible to move the entrance closer to the Decumanus, but it seemed more rational to move the building deeper into a narrow, rectangular area, and instead of a closed, incomprehensible corridor, make an open path, lined with light wood, above which that same 30-meter console rises, intriguing the limit of technological possibilities.

Photo by Roland Halbe

It must be said that in reality it makes a slightly different impression than in 3D visualizations. In the renderings, which showed the pavilion out of context and from some points inaccessible from the ground, in this dashing projection and scope one could see something daring and defiant, something from the category of “know our people.” In fact, thanks to the position on the site, there is nothing cocky or provocative in the silhouette of the building. On the contrary, a console with a soft upward curve and a polished stainless steel cladding gives the pavilion an open and welcoming look, acting as a gesture inviting entry, and, as the authors also hoped, to be sure to take a photo in this giant mirror.

Photo by Roland Halbe

In addition, the mirror effect of dissolving into the reflections of the sky and the greenery of the lawns visually facilitates this impressive, engineering and constructionally complex structure, erected on a steel frame. It’s hard to even call it a visor; it’s more like a silver wing, from under which the Estonian pavilion, unexpectedly architecturally related to ours, “emerges” from the side, designed by the Tallinn bureau Kadarik & Tüür. It also rhymes with the Russian one in the wooden verticals of the side facades, only here they are planks laid in blocks in a checkerboard pattern, and a perky canopy, only short and without mirror surfaces.

Such a roll call looks curious and significant, but first of all, it probably speaks of a common source of inspiration - the exhibition architecture of Soviet modernism. We do not yet know whether the Estonians articulated this in their repeatedly changing architectural concept. For Russia, “hello to Montreal” was part of a program based on the idea of ​​continuity and a certain collective knowledge developed by several generations of Russian architects at international exhibition venues.

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

In the lobby interior, SPEECH, committed to the integrity of the interior and exterior of the building, continued the design of a striking street approach with the same light plank flooring and a mirrored ceiling that reflects the oval information desk. Its “ribbed” facades, in turn, echo the finishing of the upper part of the external walls with wooden slats. Extensive use of wood is a common feature in the architecture of the EXPO 2015 pavilions, a response to the environmental component of its theme “Energy for Life”. In the case of our pavilion, it is also a natural reference to national building traditions.

Photo by Roland Halbe

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

The prologue to the exhibition is under the slogan “Growing for the good of the world. “Cultivating for the sake of the future” was the canvas “Bread” by Alexander Vinogradov and Vladimir Dubossarsky, installed in a glass box in the lobby. It is visible through the transparent facade even on the approach to the pavilion. Yuri Avvakumov, who developed the concept of the exhibition (implementation - Simpateka RUS), advocated the inclusion of works of contemporary Russian art. He came up with an orderly structure, like a periodic table, for a narrative about the diversity of national cuisine, products and natural resources of Russia, as well as about outstanding scientists who contributed not only to global food security, which EXPO 2015 is dedicated to, but also to the development of natural science in general.

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

The walls of the zigzag-arranged halls are lined with squares - white, translucent plastic panels. The first hall is covered with images of plants and seeds that Academician N.I. Vavilov collected all over the world. With the help of this unique collection (in total there are about 323,000 specimens), which survived the war in besieged Leningrad, it was possible to restore several extinct cultures. Video inclusions on the screens between the tables tell about the activities of Vavilov, as well as V.I. Vernadsky and D.I. Mendeleev.

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

In the retrofuturistic bar-laboratory in the center of the first hall, guests are treated to national drinks, and in the second there is a tasting area designed in the form of an open cookbook. Here they will be treated to dishes of national cuisine, photos and recipes of which, including those embedded in QR codes, cover the walls.

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

In short, the Russian exposition is characterized by clear route logistics, visual presentation of information, and technological design. The entire pavilion creates a solid, consistent and memorable image not with stereotypical images “a la rus”, although the souvenir shop could not do without them, but with an expressive architectural accent, symbolizing aspiration to the future, stylish branding developed by the Eventika company and, we hope, delicious food: on the opening day the only food in the pavilion was kvass, tarragon and vodka. The rooftop area had not yet been opened at that time. But when it opens, another one will be added to the system of spacious public spaces flowing into one another, which is the Russian pavilion, with views of the entire EXPO.

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

Photo by Alexey Naroditsky

Endless line of creativity energy

17.04.15 14:30

Until May 24, the exhibition of architectural installations INTERNI is on display at the State University of Milan. The central place in the open-air exhibition was occupied by the sculptural composition Living Line - a project by Sergei Choban, Sergei Kuznetsov and Agniya Sterligova.

The authoritative Italian magazine about design and architecture INTERNI traditionally holds this exhibition as part of Milan Design Week. This year's theme - "Energy for Creativity" - echoes the theme of the Expo 2015 opening in Milan in May - "Energy for Life", for which the SPEECH bureau, led by Sergei Choban, designed the Russian pavilion.

The installation, installed in the central courtyard of the 14th-century building complex occupied by the University of Milan, is based on the image of a Möbius strip. The composition consists of pylons of different heights, lined with mirror plexiglass. Due to the different angles of rotation of these elements in relation to the sides of the yard, as well as their constantly changing height (from 3.5 m to 6 m), Living Line is perceived as a mirage, an optical illusion. It seems that its surface and the line that unites the pylons at their highest point are constantly moving, creating ever new reflections of the famous Renaissance façade of the University. Living Line looks especially impressive at night, when at the top point of each of the pylons the LED lights up and a luminous line hangs in the darkness of the yard.

“Energy for creativity” is an incredibly interesting and capacious topic, because it affects every person in one way or another, said Sergei Choban, speaking on April 13 at a press conference dedicated to the opening of the INTERNI exhibition. - We sought to create an object that actively interacts with its surroundings, in this case with the space of the Main Courtyard of the University of Statale. On our part, this is not just a tribute to the beautiful context, but a deep conviction that the best buildings of the past have been and remain the most important sources of inspiration for designers, and their reinterpretation is one of the most creative tasks of modern architecture.”

Among the authors of the INTERNI-2015 exhibition are such eminent architects and designers as Kengo Kuma, Philippe Starck, Daniel Libeskind, Alessandro and Francesco Mendini and others. Russian architects Sergei Choban and Sergei Kuznetsov have been participating in the exhibition for the fourth year in a row (the last two years together with Agnia Sterligova): last year their installation U-Cloud was included in the top 10 most significant art events of Milan Design Week.

The Living Line project is implemented by VELKO.

Continuity and sustainability

03.03.15 20:40

The Russian pavilion at EXPO 2015, which starts on May 1 in Milan, is designed by the SPEECH bureau. Based on previous experience of domestic exhibition architecture, the team of authors under the leadership of Sergei Choban creates a new image, memorable and challenging architectural technologies.

Working with exhibition spaces is an important part of SPEECH practice. It is filled with graphic exhibitions at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. Pushkin, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Berlin Museum of Architectural Drawing, participation in INTERNI installations in Milan, the concept of the Russian pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2010 and 2012.

Recent work includes the design of Jan Vanrith's exhibition "Losing Face" at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Centre.

Exhibition architecture is temporary, and, on the one hand, it gives designers more freedom than objects designed for years, on the other hand, it has its own specific laws. “First of all, you need to create a script, a story. An exhibition always has a theme that must unfold in space, in a certain sequence of rooms or zones, and movement in this case prevails over static... Another feature is the tendency of exhibition spaces to be closed, enclosed... energy comes from the inside out and shapes the external appearance of the building,” - explained Sergei Choban during

However, the main factor that determined the appearance of the structure that is now being built in Milan was the continuity of the architecture of the pavilions made at different times for similar exhibitions by Konstantin Melnikov, Boris Iofan, Mikhail Posokhin.

Mikhail Posokhin. USSR Pavilion at EXPO-67

Sergei Choban noticed the combination of a clear, lapidary volume with an expressive entrance area, for example, emphasized, like the stroke of a pen, by the overhang of the roof, which unites the work of Soviet architects. The head of the SPEECH bureau finds prototypes of such plastic solutions in ancient Russian architecture - in particular, in the details of the Mirozhsky Monastery in Pskov. The Milan Pavilion absorbs the experience of its predecessors as a kind of collective knowledge and develops it to the limit of modern construction technologies.

The “stroke of the pen” here is impressive in its size. The 30-meter cantilever structure, smoothly rising above the approach to the building and the glass lobby, will be clearly visible from different points of the EXPO Park. Inside the pavilion, the movement is organized in such a way that after viewing the exhibition, which unfolds from bottom to top, visitors end up on the roof, where a long console turns into an alley, from where an overview of the entire exhibition area opens. There are plans to host evening events on the rooftop. In addition, the “visor” was invented as a kind of installation - the mirror surface of the lower, metal cladding will reflect guests entering and leaving. The side facades of the pavilion are planned to be finished in wood, which will also be reminiscent of the traditions of Russian architecture.

The theme of the 2015 World Expo is “Feeding the Planet. Energy for life." The content of the exhibition, the concept of which is being developed jointly with SPEECH by Yuri Avvakumov, has not yet been disclosed. But it is known that, among other things, it will talk about outstanding Russian scientists who laid the foundation for food sustainability in our country, and above all, about Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov, under whose leadership the world’s largest collection of seeds of cultivated plants was created.

The Russian pavilion project also touches on the theme of rational use of resources, which is in tune with the discourse of the upcoming EXPO. According to Sergei Choban, he and his colleagues at the SPEECH bureau Alexey Ilyin and Marina Kuznetskaya strived for a simple and worthy statement, for a form that can be reused in some other context, which is one of the signs of sustainability in architecture.

Facades of the new building of the Tretyakov Gallery: project by the SPEECH bureau. Winner of competition

31.07.13 16:04

The architectural idea of ​​the facade is white frames of various formats, forming a symbolic wall with “living” paintings, in which the moving silhouettes of visitors are superimposed on glass with a pattern.

The new face of the Tretyakov Gallery: the winner of the facade competition has been named

03.07.13 17:25

The competition was announced by Moskomarkhitektura at the end of May, that is, the participants were given a little more than a month to develop the concept. The project was supervised by the Tretyakov Gallery's board of trustees, as well as personally by the chief architect of Moscow, Sergei Kuznetsov. He also headed the jury, which included Evgeny Ass, Yuri Grigoryan, Nikolai Shumakov, Mikhail Posokhin, former director of construction and urban development of the Berlin municipality Hans Stimmann and others. The author of the project for the new museum complex of the State Tretyakov Gallery, the head of the State Unitary Enterprise “Mosproekt-4” Andrey Bokov, acted as an expert. After consultations with the professional community, 6 bureaus were invited to participate in the competition: TPO "Reserve", bureau "Tsimailo, Lyashenko and Partners", UNK Project, "Ostozhenka", SPEECH and TOTEMENT/PAPER.

Andrey Bokov, Sergey Kuznetsov, Irina Lebedeva, Hans Stimmann at a press conference

Today, Wednesday, July 3, at a press conference at the Moskomarkhitektura, General Director of the Tretyakov Gallery Irina Lebedeva announced the names of the winners. The jury awarded first place to the concept of the SPEECH bureau, second place went to the team of architects from TOTEMENT/PAPER, and third place to TPO "Reserve".

Exhibition of participants' works

Then Irina Lebedeva told reporters the background of the competition. The design of the new building, located in the northern part of the museum complex and overlooking the embankment, was created in the middle of the last decade by the State Unitary Enterprise Mosproekt-4. However, time passed, construction was delayed, and there was a need to modernize the project. “At the same time, we must preserve the main parameters of the building - the building area, height, area,” says Irina Lebedeva. - The winning concept fully meets the needs of the Tretyakov Gallery and corresponds to the image of the museum of the new millennium. This is not just a separate building, but an element of the complex, commensurate with the people and the pedestrian area in Lavrushinsky Lane. This is a modern stylization that creates an associative connection with the existing building.”

According to the chief architect of Moscow, Sergei Kuznetsov, the jury's decision was the result of heated debate and the search for a compromise. Strengths of the winning concept: respectful attitude of the authors to the urban context, their modern architectural language, recognition of the object and unmistakable identification as part of the Tretyakov Gallery. The chief architect emphasized that the option proposed by SPEECH is not final; most likely, the figurative solution of the facades will be finalized and somehow adjusted during the design.

SPEECH office concept

The building, which will house restorers’ workshops, additional exhibitions and storerooms, should be built in 2018. According to Sergei Kuznetsov, the revision of the concept of facades will not affect the project budget, because in any case, the share of facade design in the overall cost structure is about 10%.

Office concept TOTEMENT/PAPER - 2nd place

Concept of TPO "Reserve" - ​​3rd place

Architecture for drawing

10.06.13 10:30

On June 1, the Museum of Architectural Drawing opened in Berlin. The first object of the SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau in Europe is a small building and a unique institution, which has become a great personal affair for the authors of the project.

Thirteen years ago, at a little-known Bassenge auction, the architect and artist Sergei Tchoban was lucky enough to purchase for what he recalls ridiculous money (about 1,000 euros) a drawing by Pietro di Gottardo Gonzaga “Architectural Fantasy for Theatrical Sets.” This is where it began, which today numbers hundreds of works by first-class masters of the 18th and 19th centuries. In 2009, a charitable foundation was founded - Tchoban Foundation Museum for Architectural Drawing, which has now formed a solid collection of works by outstanding architects of our time. The museum that opened in Berlin is part of the foundation's program. The Russian bureau SPEECH Tchoban&Kuznetsov not only designed the building, but also invested in its implementation, ordering project support in Germany from the German bureau nps tchoban voss.

Patricia Parinejad

The driving force behind the project was the personal love of its authors Sergei Choban and Sergei Kuznetsov for architectural drawing, which occupies, where possible, a significant place in their practice, as well as the partners’ confidence that this type of art in the modern world deserves more attention and a special space . “Society’s interest in architecture, in what it was, what it has become, in the way architects think, is growing. Drawings allow insight into the creative process and reveal the path to the project. Often, graphics are all that remains to us as a legacy from architectural designs and structures,” this is how Sergei Choban substantiated the relevance of the museum, presenting it to a group of Russian journalists.

There are collections of architectural graphics in many art institutions around the world, but no one has yet built separate museums for them. At the same time, the exhibition and storage of drawings is a special topic that largely determined the appearance and technical characteristics of the building that appeared on Christinenstrasse in East Berlin. Here, in the Prenzlauerberg district, on the territory of the former Pfefferberg factory complex, the Aedes architectural gallery, the Ikeda contemporary art gallery, and art workshops have already settled.

Patricia Parinejad

Thus, the museum became part of an art cluster developing in the depths of a residential area. Noticeably different from its “neighbors,” the new building fits proportionally into the compact urban environment, closely adjacent to the firewall of a residential building.

Patricia Parinejad

Patricia Parinejad

The total area of ​​the museum building is 498 square meters. It looks like a tower of five volumes stacked on top of each other in a picturesque stack. Each one corresponds to a floor. The four lower blocks are cast from concrete using 3D technology. From the second level, due to the kinks of the façade planes and the offsets of the corner elements, the effect of dynamic balance occurs, the offset of the tiers relative to each other. The topmost block is transparent, installed perpendicular to the base. The extensive windowless façade fields overlooking the square, as well as the narrow windows of the lower level, give the building the character of a small fortress, which emphasizes the cultural and material value of its contents.

Patricia Parinejad

The concrete walls of the building are decorated with relief images. When you start to look at them, the main metaphor of the building is revealed. The volumes seem to be composed of many architectural drawings that define a “matrix” of visual perception, proportional to the details of the brick and plastered facades of neighboring buildings. The design code is based on the motifs of that very first drawing for the Gonzaga theater scenery, which marked the beginning of Sergei Tchoban’s collection. The “sheets” are layered on top of each other - in some places they are visible from the front, in others dense rows of their cuts protrude. The shade of the concrete - “milk, a little diluted with tea” - seems to have been specially selected so that the surface evokes associations with paper or parchment slightly darkened with time. Thus, the facades of the museum clearly inform about its specialization and prepare visitors to meet the masterpieces of world architectural graphics.

Roland Halbe

With its sculptural, “carved” geometry of blocks, the idea of ​​cantilever extensions, this building, on the one hand, continues the line of buildings of the German bureau of Sergei Tchoban nps tchoban voss. Such as the Berlin NHow Hotel (pictured above), where a recording studio is located in a mirrored “cross” console on the roof. On the other hand, the principles that the SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau develops in its Russian buildings are obvious. First of all, this is the attitude towards the surface, the desire to enrich it with details that are interesting to the human eye, as well as the unity of the design concept, maintained to the smallest detail.

As in some of the bureau's Moscow objects (buildings on Leninsky Prospekt and Granatny Lane), the theme stated on the façade of the museum continues in the interior space. Behind the entrance door of impressive appearance and weight, a foyer opens up, designed as a home library, covered with wood panels with the same pattern as the outside. Here you can sit, look through books and catalogues, buy tickets, and then take the elevator or stairs to the exhibition halls.

Press service of the SPEECH bureau Choban&Kuznetsov

There are two exhibition halls - on the second and third floors. In terms of spatial sensations, they are again similar to offices in a collector’s house. For admiring graphics, such a chamber, intimate format is probably optimal. This aesthetic pleasure does not tolerate fuss and cramped spaces; large museum spaces are not very good for it, especially where there is a lot of natural light, which is harmful to graphics. In the halls of this museum, which can accommodate up to approximately 70 works (depending on size), no more than 30 people will feel comfortable (therefore, most likely, a visit will be organized by appointment). The ratio of the length and width of the premises and their configuration are calculated in such a way as to provide visitors with the opportunity to move freely, view from a distance, and at the same time maximize the area for hanging works. The curve of the consoles creates spatial intrigue, eliminating the feeling of enclosure and limitation inherent in rectangular halls.

There are no windows in the exhibition rooms. A static system was chosen for lighting, providing an even “curtain” light with an ultraviolet spectrum approaching zero. The load-bearing concrete walls of the building itself also create ideal conditions from the point of view of displaying and preserving the drawings. According to Sergei Choban, they work like the shells of a thermos, resist any changes in the environment and provide high energy efficiency.

The required 45% humidity is maintained in the halls, and sensitive devices allow you to monitor this level every minute.

Above the exhibition premises there is a storage area equipped with convenient mobile stands and cabinets. At the very top there is a transparent hall for meetings and intimate conferences, from where you can access an open terrace with a panoramic view.

Patricia Parinejad

Patricia Parinejad

Exceptional storage conditions allowed the Museum of Architectural Drawings to begin its work with an exhibition of originals by Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Fifteen of his drawings from the “Paestum” series were never exhibited in this form anywhere else, and even at Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, where they came from, copies, not originals, are hung in the halls. In this exhibition, the uniqueness of each sheet is emphasized by the exhibition design. The works are placed at large intervals, and each is presented as a “Mona Lisa,” accented by a background color, dark red in one room, gray in another.

Press service of the SPEECH bureau Choban&Kuznetsov

Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Paestum. Italy. View of the Basilica from the south. 47.5x69 cm. From the collection of the Sir John Soane Museum in London

Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Paestum. Italy. View of the Temple of Neptune from the north. 47.5x69 cm. From the collection of the Sir John Soane Museum in London

Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Paestum. Italy. View of the Basilica and Temple of Neptune. 47.5x69 cm. From the collection of the Sir John Soane Museum in London

Exhibition “Paestum Piranesi. Unknown Drawings by a Master" is traveling and will travel to New York in August, where it will be shown at the Morgan Library. Meanwhile, the Berlin Museum of Architectural Drawing will be preparing for the next exhibition dedicated to modernist and classicist trends in Soviet architecture. In total, it is planned to hold 4 exhibitions a year, and only one of them will be based on materials from the Sergei Tchoban Foundation. They were primarily formed for exchange with other institutions, and in addition to the John Soane Museum, there are already agreements with the École des Beaux-Arts, MoMa, the State Museum of Architecture named after A.V. Shchusev.

The history of architectural graphics will alternate in the program with the present - monographic exhibitions of current masters, for the exhibition of whose works the museum also provides projection equipment.

Press service of the SPEECH bureau Choban&Kuznetsov

At the opening ceremony: founder of Aedes Christine Faireis, chief architect of Moscow, co-author of the museum project Sergei Kuznetsov, director of the John Soane Museum in London Helen Dorey, head of the SPEECH bureau, co-author of the museum project Sergei Tchoban, director of the architectural archive of the Academy of Arts of Berlin Eva-Maria Barkhofen.

Press service of the SPEECH bureau Choban&Kuznetsov

The curatorial council of the young institution included Eva-Maria Barkhofen, director of the architectural archive of the Berlin Academy of Arts, and Christine Faireis, founder of the architecture gallery and forum Aedes, who was recently honored to be invited to the jury of the Pritzker Prize. The new private museum immediately declared itself at the highest international level, and this is a considerable merit of its building, where almost everything is determined by the culture of drawing, which until now has played a rather inverse, subordinate role in the history of architecture.

Sergey Choban. Drawing for the museum project

Patricia Parinejad

Among the exhibition projects that can be seen at the Central House of Artists until May 26, the space occupies a central place. According to the established tradition of large personal exhibitions, the stand was located in the hall of the second floor, at the busiest intersection of ARCH routes in Moscow. And this is not even a stand, but an independent architectural object - with facades, not coincidentally “cut out” with drawings based on architectural motifs, and a three-hall interior space. Similar “carved” drawings cover the walls of the Museum of Architectural Graphics, which will open in Berlin on June 1. Exhibition at ARCH Moscow - prologue to this event. The authors of the project, Sergei Choban and Sergei Kuznetsov, who until recently headed the SPEECH bureau together, present in this exhibition an object that is of particular value to them, and reveal their personal path from drawing to building. They have the floor.

Sergey Choban. Museum of Architectural Drawings

At the exhibition you will be able to see works created by colleagues during joint plein air trips - in Rome, Venice, New York. The project of the Museum of Architectural Drawing, the construction of which was completed in Berlin, will also be presented. This is not only the first construction of the SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov bureau in Europe, but also a manifesto of creative principles, a dedication to “architecture worthy of being painted.”

Museum of Architectural Drawing in Berlin designed by SPEECH Choban&Kuznetsov

One of the most important problems in the practice of the bureau - the life of architectural objects in time - will be discussed at the lecture by Sergei Choban and Sergei Kuznetsov May 23, at 1:30 pm, in the conference hall of the Central House of Artists.

Architects of the past built “to last forever” from natural materials that age beautifully. In the modern world, when using innovative technologies for the sake of a spectacular image, what buildings will look like in 50 years is not always taken into account. In their lecture, the organizers report, Sergei Choban and Sergei Kuznetsov will try to figure out what is more important: eternal or relevant, natural and innovative, calm or aggressive; and how the choice of one or another model of interaction between architecture and time affects the environmental parameters of cities. The event is presented by the publishing house TATLIN. At ARCH Moscow the premiere of a new monograph published by him in the Tatlin Mono series, dedicated to the SPEECH Choban & Kuznetsov bureau, will take place.

Board of Trustees of the Polytechnic Museum. Its head, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Igor Ivanovich Shuvalov, leaving the conference room where the meeting was held, announced the winning project and commented to media representatives: “All six works that we reviewed are of the highest world level. Experts recognized that they meet leading modern trends. It's a shame, but we had to choose one winner. The opinion of the Board of Trustees coincided with the choice of the Jury. The winning project was the bureau of the Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas and the Russian company SPEECH. Now our task is to introduce this work to the general public, the MSU community, and city residents, so that they perceive the project as their own.”

Then, at a press conference in the hall of the Polytechnic Museum, where an exhibition of the finalists’ projects was located, the leading architect of the FUKSAS bureau, Christian Sullivan, spoke in more detail to journalists about the project.

According to the author’s plan, there should be a space open to the city around the Museum and Educational Center. The integrity of the area surrounding the building is ensured by its “basement” floor - a transparent, visually and physically permeable parallelepiped. It will house various public functions (information center, cafe, conference rooms...). This is a kind of forum for meetings and communication, and at the same time - a “pedestal” for the main form, similar to a giant abstract sculpture of a complex outline. The four-part structure, contrasting with the geometrically simple, open base, will house exhibition halls on several levels.

The parts of this bizarre, one-piece “formation” communicate with each other through vertical atriums and horizontal through passages, which will allow creating unified exhibition spaces. At the same time, cut out “sleeves” are convenient for holding separate exhibitions, arranging lecture halls and cinema halls. The internal space is characterized by functional flexibility, determined by the development concept of the Polytechnic Museum. This was noted by the head of the British company Event Communications, James Alexander, one of the jury members who was present at the press conference. He also drew attention to the high level of the competition, for which the Strelka Institute team led by Denis Leontyev was responsible.

The image of the building, according to Sullivan, was based on the idea of ​​​​a certain developing natural form, a complex organism in the process of growth. The parts of the volume symbolize the four natural elements. The bluish tint is explained by the planned finishing material - patinated copper. “We believe that this material is quite organic for the Moscow landscape and suitable for the local climate,” he said. Compared to its “neighbors” on Lomonosovsky Prospekt - the Dominion residential quarter and the Second Academic Building of Moscow State University - the building will clearly stand out, but not dominate. Its height - 35 meters - is the smallest among the presented solutions.

According to Yulia Shakhnovskaya, deputy general director of the Polytechnic Museum, approximate construction costs are estimated at $180 million, and these will be extra-budgetary funds. According to “insider” information, the winning project is not the most expensive of the six considered. At the same time, this is noticeable, iconic architecture, which is what the customers obviously wanted to see here. It was important for them that the building of the Museum and Educational Center provoked the curiosity of students, residents and guests of the city, attracted attention and “invited” them to go inside.

Christian Sullivan (Studio FUKSAS), Yulia Shakhnovskaya (Polytechnic Museum), James Alexander (Event Communications)

As the representatives of the Jury (James Alexander and Yulia Shakhnovskaya) emphasized at the press conference, the work of the FUKSAS bureau and the SPEECH bureau Choban & Kuznetsov won based on the totality of its merits. This is an expressive futuristic image that meets the mission of the Museum and Educational Center, and the integrity and elaboration of the concept, and compliance with the functional program and technical standards. The intricate form, according to German and Russian construction experts, is not the most difficult to implement, which is planned to be completed in 2017.

P.S. Before the announcement of the results, the winning project was listed on the competition website and exhibition at the Polytechnic Museum under code number 6005. Today, the “veil of anonymity” has lifted from five other works, which intrigued the professional community for several days. Number 6001 turned out to be the work of Project Meganom (Russia) and John McAslan+Partners, 6002 - project 3XN A/S (Denmark) and Asadov Architectural Studio (Russia), 6003 - Mecanoo International B.V. (Netherlands) and TPO "Reserve" (Russia), 6004 - "Farshid Moussavi Architecture" (UK) and Architectural Bureau "Rozhdestvenka" (Russia), 6006 - "Leeser Architecture" (USA) and "ABD Architects" (Russia).

While the Jury was considering the conclusions of the technical examination, a popular vote was taking place on the competition website. Here, the leaders (according to unofficial data so far) were first the project of “3XN A/S” (Denmark) and “Asadov Architectural Studio” (Russia) - in the photo above. (They say he was also one of the strong competitors of the winning project according to the professional ratings). But then fans of Farshid Moussavi’s work joined the popular vote, and thanks to their activity, the project of “Farshid Moussavi Architecture” and the Rozhdestvenka Architectural Bureau became the first - according to the Internet audience.

6004 - “Farshid Moussavi Architecture” and Architectural Bureau “Rozhdestvenka”

6001 - Meganom Project (Russia) and John McAslan+Partners

Collections of furniture and equipment for bathrooms, realized together with Duravit, and in. The Spira kitchen, presented at the Rational stand in the LivingKitchen section of the Cologne furniture exhibition (imm Cologne 2013), is characterized by recognizable wavy lines, soft silhouettes inspired by Art Deco aesthetics. In a video interview we conducted at the Rational booth, Sergey Tchoban talks about how this project fits into his practice, what architecture it was inspired by, and what role the kitchen plays in a modern interior.

The Spira collection was developed for Rational by order of FTF Holding. The centerpiece is the island, equipped with a convenient cantilevered overhang that functions as a counter table.

Cabinets, cabinets, shelves are covered with black glossy varnish, the working surface is made of high-strength and, despite its whiteness, non-staining composite material 60 mm thick. The stepped silhouette of the island is emphasized by LED lighting.