Art & Architecture - Moscow - page 424

Kotelnicheskaya apartment block; one of Stalin's 'seven sisters' that dot the city's skyline.
KAPUK DODDS / GETTY IMAGES ©
The centrepiece of the former Red October chocolate factory is the Strelka Institute for
Media, Architecture and Design ( www.strelkainstitute.com ) , an exciting and innovative
organisation that hosts all kinds of cultural events and activities for public consumption.
Endangered Architecture
The urban development taking place in Moscow is an exciting sign of the city's prosperity
and possibility. It is also a source of contention among architects, historians and other crit-
ics, who claim that Moscow is losing its architectural heritage.
The nonprofit Moscow Architectural Preservation Society (MAPS; www.maps-mo-
scow.com ) estimates that more than 1000 buildings have been razed since the collapse of
communism, including as many as 200 buildings of historical interest. The latter are protec-
ted by federal law, but critics claim the laws are useless in the face of corruption and cash.
Preservationists are distressed by the tendency to tear down and build up, rather than pre-
serve. Many buildings might look old, but they are in fact replicas, such as some of the
buildings along the Arbat. In other cases, developers maintain the historic facade, but des-
troy the building behind it, such as the complex that houses Café Pushkin and Turandot.
More recently, there is a sense - or at least a hope - that the tide is turning. The city's
artists and architects have started to explore the possibilities of recycling instead of rebuild-
ing. As industry moves away from the city centre, a slew of former factories and ware-
houses are being converted into centres for art and design. Most prominently, the Red Octo-
ber chocolate factory - occupying a prime spot opposite the Kremlin - has been revamped
into a vibrant space for art, entertainment and nightlife, with an emphasis on preserving the
historic building. And that's just one in a long list.
When Mayor Sobyanin was appointed in 2010, he promised to halt all construction in the
centre and stop all demolition of historic buildings. Preservationists lauded his efforts to
clear the kiosks and billboards from the city streets. Since then, he has simplified the pro-
cess of issuing preservation orders.
Unfortunately, critics claim that under Sobyanin's watch, several historic buildings have
been lost to developers. Others are in danger, deteriorating while they languish in red-tape
limbo, unable to overcome the legal and administrative barriers to protection. Some wonder
if the new mayor has the power to defy the cycle of destruction and construction.