House of the architect in Moscow: history and modernity

The Moscow House of the architect is a complex of three buildings, each of which has its own glorious history, worthy of being acquainted with. The modern life of this institution is also interesting.

The beginning of the history of the Central House of the architect

How to get to this ensemble, we will certainly analyze below. And now it is worth at least a little dip in his story. It began in 1896, when a beautiful mansion for the hereditary venerable Muscovite Anne-Louise Lehmann was built in the Pomegranate Lane under the project of the then popular architect Adolf Erichsson.

The architectural style of the future part of the Central House of the architect was neo-Gothic: a finely decorated facade, red brick, carved details of white stone, lancet windows. Inside the premises reigned eclecticism - combined baroque, classicism, gothic. The decoration of the mansion was a two-storeyed hall with an impressive wooden staircase. On the upper floors there is an arched gallery, a library, richly decorated living rooms. By the way, today in the Central House of Artists in Moscow you can admire these interiors almost untouched - the room for these years has lost only part of its furnishing.

In the future, the building was in the hands of various owners:

• The second owner, just a few years after the construction, was PA Bazilevsky, an official at large , governor-general of Moscow, chamberlain of the Court of the Emperor, chief steward, state councilor, last leader of the nobility of the capital province;
• 1917 - the mansion was nationalized, later on the headquarters of the Revolutionary Military Council;
• The 1920s. - in the building there was a central office for the maintenance of foreign tourists;
• 1930's. - in the construction of the office of the French embassy;
• 1937 - the house acquired the final owner - was transferred to the Union of Architects.

Soon after the transfer of the building to the hands of the architects, an annex-restaurant, an auditorium, was made to it. The building became the Central House of the architect in February 1941.

The central part of the House of the architect

The same annex to the former mansion of Anne-Louise Lehmann became the central part of the whole complex. It was built according to the project of a tandem of architects Vlasov, Merzhanov, Burov and artist Favorsky for three years (1938-1941). The building includes a spacious auditorium for 435 seats, a restaurant designed for a simultaneous meal of 180 people.

The image of the central facade is the project of VK Burov. According to the architect, he was inspired by the image of the building on the fresco of the Italian Pierro della Francesca, who decorates the church in the city of Arezzo. As a result, this part of the building has a facade-decoration, lavishly decorated with light gray marble, red ceramic tiles, artificial snow-white stone and gold smalt. The work of VA Favorsky crowns the front side of the building - a majolica cartouche with a schematic master plan of the capital. By the way, the graphic drawing of this facade of the Architect's House in Moscow became the emblem of the entire complex.

The interior was occupied by A.V. Vlasov, famous for the project of the Crimean bridge, "Luzhniki", Kiev Khreshchatyk. The foyer on the first floor, designed for exhibitions and meetings, was designed by the architect with elegant white columns. Marble stairs led the visitor to the second floor, where the Grand Concert Hall was located, and wooden steps to the ground floor, to the famous restaurant "Architect", where you can get from Malaya Nikitskaya Street. A concert hall deserves a separate word, striking with its bas-reliefs of jewelry work, depicting the general layout of the capital, the Acropolis and the Kremlin.

New building of CDA

In the 1970s. To the complex of the House of the architect in Moscow was added a neighboring mansion, built according to the project of V. Karneev in 1876. The building was reconstructed, supplemented with a facade of white stone.

On this expansion did not end - in 1975 a contest was held for the best project of a new extension of the complex. The jury selected the executors of the architects Shchepetilnikov, Tkhor, Semerdzhiev and designer Lyakhovsky. They managed to write down their white, sculpture-decorated creation into an already existing ensemble.

His plan was this:

• 1st floor - cloakroom, buffet, cash desks;
• 2nd floor - the leadership of the Union of Architects and related organizations, workshops;
• 3rd floor - conference hall, exhibition space.

How to find a CDA

Address of the Central House of the architect: Granatny Pereulok, 7, p. 1, which is 600 m from the station. "The Barricade"; 840 m from the station. "Krasnopresnenskaya"; 1.1 km from the station. "Arbatskaya". The CDA operates from Monday to Saturday, from 12.00 to 22.00.

This ensemble of three buildings is easy to find on two landmarks - the historic squares of the Nikitsky Gate and Kudrinskaya, located not far from it.

Architect's house today

Currently, the work of the complex is aimed at popularizing the achievements in architecture, design (interior and landscape), urban planning of the past and the present. Great attention is paid to the professional and public work of the members of the Union of Architects.

The house of the architect in Moscow was illuminated by the presence of many not only Russian, but foreign architects with a worldwide reputation: Bjarke Ingels, Massimiliano Fuksas, Zaha Hadid, Rem Kulhaas, Arata Isozaki, and others.

Cultural activity of the House of the architect

In addition to activities related directly to architecture, the CDA hosts a lot of educational, scientific, educational and cultural events. Let us recall some of them:

• Speech by Peter Nalitch;
• Concert of the State Symphonic Orchestra. Tchaikovsky under the leadership of V. Fedoseyev ;
• The exhibition "Cosmos of Malevich";
• Festival "Golden Section";
• A concert by Ilya Reznik;
• Concert of Argentine tango;
• Jazz evenings;
• Performance for the new series of "Yeralash";
• Festival of icon painting, Orthodox architecture;
• The creative evening of Valentin Gaft;
• Concert of soloists of Moscow theaters ;
• Performance of the State Brass Band of the Russian Federation, etc.

The architect's house in Moscow is a complex of triune buildings of three different eras, which at the same time represent an organic ensemble. Cultural, cognitive, creative and scientific activity is always boiling here, both in the past and today.