Moscow apartment with a total area of ​​150 m2 Alexey Dolgov, Evgeny Churkanov

Passing the gallery

Text: Natalia Kazakova

A photo: Karen Manko

Architect: Alexey Dolgov, Evgeny Churkanov

Magazine: Na (taq) 2003

Translating a well-known phrase that is quite worn from the frequency of use, that architecture is frozen music, to another semantic dimension, we dare to give a single definition to the new work of Alexey Dolgov and Yevgeny Churkanov: architecture is sounding music. Such an interpretation has a good reason. After all, a kind of impetus to the emergence of creative ideas was the music of the famous modern jazz musician Jan Garbarik, and in particular - the "Scandinavian sagas". Jazz - a musical style that arose among the black population of New Orleans in the south of North America - has long been the domain of aesthetic humanity, contrary to all the laws of a clear social hierarchy. In the Moscow interior musical improvisation embodied in a geometrically clear division of space, creating a kind of architectural variation on the theme. And eclecticism in this case served as a confirmation of the idea of ​​continuity in the sphere of the most diverse arts. Space zoning in the new work of architects is unobtrusive, but carried out clearly. The kitchen is clearly outlined, separated from the dining room and living room by a screen, which became a certain counterpoint in architectural syncopations. It is made of glass and resembles a stained glass window with fancy multicolored lines expressing the main and secondary musical themes. Stained glass draws attention to itself and intrigues with the mystery of what lies behind the frosted bluish-gray glass. It seems that behind him is something other than the most prosaic place in the apartment. But what? In accordance with the idea, the kitchen is designed in a single tonality of furniture - just cabinets in which household utensils are hidden. And at first glance they can not be distinguished from ordinary furniture. Concave columns and a suspended ceiling highlight the transition from the dining room to the living room. Thanks to these elements there is a feeling of concentration, a certain "ideological concentration" in this particular part of space. Emphasis is made through architectural solutions. And the topic is further enhanced by the play of light. In fact, there are no lamps in the apartment, they are hidden in the niches on the ceiling. Light falls from different sides, fluorescent bulbs are located around the perimeter of the ceiling cornice. Curtains falling from the ceiling to the floor and covering not only the window, but the entire wall, visually increase the breadth of the space. It adds a sense of air and space. Conciseness and defiantly refined simplicity are confirmed by a single color range. Cold gray, reaching to steel, and under certain lighting to blue, gives rise to an association with the silence of the calm water surface and contributes to peace and psychological comfort. At the same time, geometric certainty (concave columns, arched ceiling in the bedroom, etc.), as well as materials (glass, light metal structures, leather), oppose rationality and hard, characteristic self-confidence to "calm" emotions. Harmony is a very relative category in our time and is sometimes achieved by the most inappropriate things. And minimalism, as the predominant style in this work, is again turning into an elusive reality - like playing either in music or architecture.Evgeny Churkanov: "A living environment should have an image, an implication. In plotting, I am attracted to the plot. Not just some dialogue should start with space, but a substantive dialogue, if I may say so. The silent environment must come to life,“ speak ”... with the language of music and poetry In my opinion, jazz and architecture are essentially worldviews, they have one principle of thinking, which is why improvisation has become a leitmotif of work. So I feel ... "