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Architecture of N Novgorod

Having founded in the year of 1221, as an eastern outpost of Russia, Nizhny Novgorod is the third largest city of modern European Russia, as well as a cultural and industrial center of the country. At present, the image of the city has preserved the multitude of historic and cultural layers.

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin - is a unique example of ancient Russian defensive architecture that has been preserved since the early 16 century (recently the city has celebrated the 500th year of the Kremlin). Its image was reconstructed by a renowned architect and restorer S.L. Agafonov, who devoted 50 years to scientific restoration of the Kremlin. The historical center following radial and concentric structure due to peculiarities of the local landscape.

The architectural ensemble of Nizhny Novgorod Trade Fair, situated in the lower part of the city, became a subcenter of the city in 19th century, making the trade fair one of the biggest in Russia and Europe.

In the beginning of the 20th century the principal city development factor was shifted to the largest industrial companies encircled by residential areas.

Rivers became very important for the infrastructure of the city making up specific passages. Nowadays their banks are linked with five bridges. In the end of XX century many visitors coming both from other regions of Russia and abroad discovered a new image of the city. In the period of 1932-1991 the city bore the name after a Russian writer Maxim Gorky. In 1991 the city regained its ancient name of Nizhny Novgorod. The city attracts tourists with a unique combination of historical architecture created in past centuries, and fine examples of new architecture of the late XX century.

In order to follow the changes in Nizhny Novgorod architecture we have to take a closer look at the last quarter of the previous century.

Architectural image of Nizhny Novgorod in early 70-s.

The period of total standardization and typification of 1960-s brought identical five-, nine-, and fourteen-storied box-shaped buildings to the city, hardly harmonizing with picturesque landscapes of the Volga and Oka banks. Fortunately it was followed with attempts to introduce some individuality to the architecture, though architects could make use of construction industry products only.

During those years in Gorky, as well as in other provincial cities, aesthetic factors were undeservedly avoided. Economical issues were considered first. In 1970-s intensive standardization of residential buildings prevailed. In this period new construction norms and regulations were introduced. Architects tried to modernize design of apartments and multistoried buildings. 70% of buildings had bearing-wall structure. The majority of residential and civil engineering projects were implemented by the leading design institute - Gorkovgrazhdanproekt.

Architects tried to diversify the outward of buildings by means of coloration, architectural effects: balconies, loggias, parapets, entrances. But still they could not achieve individuality of buildings by copying found techniques.

Brick construction of separate buildings surely brought some diversity into the mainstream, but it was not that decisive. Transition from glass and concrete architecture principles to monumental and plastic vision of geometric volumes, from intentional simplicity and lapidary style to compositional complexity and sculpture was a slow, gradual process. In 1966 Chief Architect of Gorky, honored architect of Russia, Yuri Nikolaevich Bubnov founded architectural faculty in Gorky Construction and Engineering Institute. The faculty started training of highly qualified versatile architects able to apply their deep knowledge of the subject in city planning, design of residential and public buildings, restoration, landscape architecture, interior design, etc.

After 60-s - in early 70-s the epoch of new professional opportunities came. Late 70-s brought first signs of decorativism that came to be a life buoy for the middle generation of architects. That wave of formal searches was embodied on parapets of 12-storeyed residential buildings, erected in that period in the central part of the city. The greater part of them was decorated with "spires of ancient Nizhny Novogorod Kremlin". Being a formal copy of the past, that was a peculiar revolt against dull featureless typical buildings.

In 1970 -1980-s many public buildings were constructed in the city: design institutes, higher education institutes, schools, public catering organizations. The majority of them was built according to typical construction plans though. Buildings, constructed according to special design were rare and the total number of them hardly exceeded dozen.

In early 1980-s many old buildings of Gorky st. - one of the main historic streets - were replaced with multi-storied residential houses featuring first architectural attempts to introduce plastic enrichment of the facades. Extensive 9-storied buildings are connected with 12-storied buildings by means of gigantic arcs making up passages into inner yards. We may say that red and white coloration, common traits of the architecture make up a complete architectural ensemble.

Architecture of Nizhny Novgorod in 1990-2000.

Nowadays, ancient Nizhny Novgorod attracts visitors not only with monasteries, Kremlin, monuments, diverse historic environments, but equally with new, up-to-date buildings, going well with ancient, historic constructions. Nizhny Novgorod has its own individual image. Its architecture develops along with general patterns of Russian architecture, at the same time being very close to foreign architectural practice.

Last ten years of the 20th century have considerably changed the image of the city. 1991 was highlighted with a very important political event - opening of the city and return of the initial ancient name.

The role of Nizhny Novgorod was considerably increased. A special committee (now department) was created to preserve historic and cultural heritage of Nizhny Novgorod, examine and locate architectural memorials, make up the historic and architectural plan of the city, review new construction projects at the expert council after revision by the city council with the chief city architect.

In 1990-s a large group of talented architects worked in Nizhny Novgorod. At the end of the century architects addressed to history again. Importance of cultural succession, renaissance of traditions, multitude of stylistic techniques was constantly increasing. This helped to achieve vividness of architecture, plasticity and harmony of architectural context and city landscape. Regional originality became more popular.
By 1990-s we have already managed to achieve humanization of modern city environment. Environmental approach to the city area, as the main architectural principle, and corresponding principles of preserving architectural and historic heritage have lead to reappraisal of the past techniques and development of retrospective views in architecture. Architects have come to one of the main issues in architecture - compositional contact of old and new design principles.

Contextualism showing respect for historic environment began to dictate its shaping techniques. Most vividly this became apparent in reconstruction of the historic center of the city. That was the beginning of construction of residential and public buildings in the center of the city. Active reconstruction process began. It was accompanied with evolution of composition of quarters, changes in functional and dimensional organization, increase in aesthetic level of the city environment. Architects started using the historic heritage in their creativity, involving regional, historic and romantic themes and changing architectural style.

In 1990-s Nizhny Novgorod architects managed to realize their talents and thoughts. By the end of the 20th century they stopped dull architectural monotony having chosen their own way - to revive vivid, picturesque, diverse architecture. Attempts to restore the silhouette of the city brought multiple turrets, spires mainly to buildings at the crossroads. Pointed Kremlin-like and domelike roofs created impressive and romantic atmosphere. These changes may be easily explained. After long years of bans and interdictions architects lastly got an opportunity to implement their projects.

Architectural details were reintroduced into the outward of a modern building, harmonizing the human and the environment. Equally new coloration was introduced - traditional combination of white and red, yellow and white, different hues of beige and brown, green, gray and blue.
The general style of the period may be divided into three main architectural trends:

- development of traditional architecture - search for architectural forms, addressing to the past artistic culture, historic heritage (from stylization to archaization, from citing to revival of historic methods);
- development of neoromantic tendencies - revival of local and regional traditions on the associative level;
- development of creative principles of Soviet 1920-1930-s avant-guard - from neoconstructivism to late modernism.

In this period the priority was given to construction of individual and small apartment construction. Design and construction of public buildings equally underwent changes - more and more banks, office buildings trade and exhibition centers appeared in the city. Grater attention was paid to construction and restoration of monasteries, cathedrals, churches and chapel.

In late 1990-s Nizhny Novgorod architecture took a decisive turn, rejecting historic methods and addressing to image-bearing expressiveness, based on indirect contextual approaches, new technologies and proximity to international evolution of modern architecture.

Of course, it is difficult to classify and appraise a phenomenon that has just been introduced. Next generations of architecture specialists will cope with this task. However it is very important for us to have an opinion of our contemporaries and participants of this long process reviving temporarily lost artistic principles in architecture.