"Вестник МГСУ"

For more than 20 years the author with his colleagues conducts engineering researches, design of restoration and reconstruction of various architectural monuments. Full cycles of works from engineering investigations to implementation of the own projects are executed on three objects: 1) architectural monument of the 19th century, the church in the museum preserve Abramtsevo (Moscow region), during 2005-2006; 2) a monument of Orthodox church history, a unique soil construction which is called "The Holy Ditch" in the village Diveevo (Nizhny Novgorod region) since 1997 to the present; 3) Church of Our Lady of Kazan also in Diveevo village during 1997-2002. For churches engineering researches are executed, calculations of the bases are made, ways of strengthening the bases are chosen, architectural projects of restoration are created. The church is restored by students under supervision of the experts from the university. The church in Diveevo was partially destroyed during the Soviet period. During restoration high-rise parts of the church were constructed. The works were performed by working restorers under control of the author of article in 2002-2004. Participation of students, masters, graduate students in restoration works had great educational value, gave to young people experience and knowledge. Students studied under professional restorers. Generalization is given in summary. D.S. Likhachyov's theory and our own experience are used. The principle of reconstructing barbarously destroyed engineering constructions, buildings and architectural complexes is formulated. It corresponds to the realities of the 21st century, new technological capabilities and requirements of modern society. Briefly: the reconstructed structure, in our opinion, has to face not only the past, but also the future. It is not always necessary to create the exact copy of the lost construction. Recreating the destroyed construction, it is necessary to apply new materials to increase the reliability and eliminate constructive imperfection of ancient constructions together with preserving old forms. Buildings and constructions have to be under construction anew mainly for performance of former functions, but the buildings have to meet modern requirements on the equipment and internal planning, modern technical norms. The project of the lost building needs to be made taking into account the change of environment. These provisions were successfully incarnated in the process of construction of St. Ditch in Diveev and they are also illustrated on the examples of the reconstruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow and Frauenkiche in Dresden.

Monasteries, their activity and lifestyle have always played an important role in the culture of various nations. Monasteries are objects of cultural heritage. Their architecture is connected with national features on a nation, particular canons of Christian (orthodox, catholic), Buddhistic or other religion. The article describes ancient monasteries in Russia amid the global development, historical national characteristics monasteries are analyzed, as well as architectural ensembles, reflecting the function and role of monasteries in public life, showing their spiritual and cultural heritage, monastic tradition, the historical value of the monastic landscape and its conservation conditions, the inclusion of the monasteries in the world cultural heritage is noted.

The article is devoted to the preconditions of the occurrence and development of half-timbered architecture in different regions of the world. The starting point is giving account of the content of the concept of “Fachwerk”. Using the term “Fachwerk” the article refers to a type of building structure which uses three-dimensional farm inclined at different angles as the basis for carrying out wooden beams; beside, the article defines the construction materials used in construction of timber-framed buildings, and the technology of their construction. The history of the formation and development of Fachwerk is among objectives of the study of half-timbered architecture as well. The main methods of research are observation, analysis, comparison, historical methods. Some photographs of certain half-timbered buildings were used to make a reader familiar with the aesthetic impact of this kind of architecture. The oldest building of protofachwerk could be found on the territory of modern Turkey and China. Later, in the Middle Ages, half-timbered buildings appeared among the Germans, Gauls, and other Western European nations. Still preserved, half-timbered buildings date back to the 14th century. Improvement of building materials and technologies of construction, economic, religious and cultural changes and transition of Western peoples from Middle Ages to modern times played a significant role in the formation of half-timbered architecture. It is also noted that there is a direct link or correlation between the religious characteristics of a society and a form of Fachwerk corresponding to them. A special place in the article is taken by Protestantism which contributed to the progressive development of technology, including construction and thereby changed the vector of development of the Western society from traditionalism to modernity. In the 20th century Fachwerk in Europe experienced a new prosperity, thanks to its use as a stylistic foundation of Swiss-style buildings, styles, stick, hips, Jugend, Storybook, Adirondack. Regional variants of Fachwerk and its interpretations are now available in some regions of Western, Central, South and East Asia, Africa, North and South America, and Australia. In the course of the study we revealed the influence of socio-cultural factors in the half-timbered architecture in different regions of its distribution. It is concluded that Fachwerk is an indicator of predisposition of a particular culture to the progressive development.