Problems of Architecture of New Objects of Culture in the Historical Environment

Abstract

The article is devoted to the complex and, at times, controversial problems of introducing new cultural objects (for example, theater buildings) into the existing environment of historical cities. Examples of projects implemented in the last decades in the largest cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Paris, Beijing, Kiev, and Tbilisi are considered. The world has accumulated a large number of successful and unsuccessful examples of the introduction of new theater buildings into the fabric of the old city, which causelively discussions among professionals and residents of cities.

The author notes two opposite directions in solving the same problem of harmoniously connecting new buildings (or their new parts) with the existing buildings: the first direction, which does not claim to create an updated image of the place, is to imitate, develop or even repeat existing architectural forms of context; the second direction is the creation of a contrast connection of the new object with the existing buildings with an attempt to update the architectural landscape without flirting with the forms of the old architecture. There are both successful and unsuccessful examples in both directions, which in many cases cannot be objectively assessed. The article notes the diversity of techniques for solving this town­planning problem. The author warns against the imposition of a rigid system of regulations that limit the creative search for architects.