Iconic Houses Lecture Tour – The Melnikov House
Presented by the West Coast Modern League
WHEN: Thurs, Feb, 27, 2020 – 5 to 7pm – Reception from 5 to 6pm | Presentation from 6 to 7pm
WHERE: Inform Interiors, 50 Water Street, Vancouver, BC
ADMISSION: Open to the public | Free Admission – RSVP TODAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/melnikov-house-saving-an-avant-garde-icon- tickets-94217606397
On February 27th, join the West Coast Modern League and Iconic Houses Lecture Tour for an evening featuring Moscow’s architectural avant-garde Melnikov House. Pavel Kuznetsov, Director of the Konstantin and Viktor Melnikov State Museum and Deputy Director of the Shusev State Museum of Architecture in Moscow, will discuss the history of Moscow’s Melnikov House, an icon of 20th century Russian architecture, and the tragic life of the architect Konstantin Melnikov in a collectivist society.
The Melnikov House, designed by Konstantin Melnikov for himself and his family, is an icon of the Russian architectural avant-garde. The experimental cylindrical structure was built between 1927 and 1929 to test Melnikov’s concepts for mass- produced housing. Melnikov believed that the essence of his house lay in the balance and equivalence of weight, light, air, and heat. The original layout, elegant spatial arrangement, and ingenious engineering techniques are combined in a unique architectural form that still looks modern. Retaining some historic elements of the 20th century, the house also reflects the tragic life of this solo architect in a collectivist society.
Pavel Kuznetsov will discuss the history of the Melnikov House from inception in the early 20th century through establishing the museum in 2014 and today’s conservation project. He will explore the newly discovered information that uncovered the architectural, engineering, and philosophical ideas lying behind Melnikov’s ambitious plan to build an architectural manifesto in 1920s Soviet Russia.
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For more information: www.westcoastmodern.org
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For comments or inquiries: wcmleague@gmail.com.
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The West Coast Modern League gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Inform Interiors, DIALOG Vancouver, and the Audain Art Museum.
