ARCHITECTURAL APPEARANCE OF THE CULTURE HOUSE NAMED AFTER V.P. CHKALOV (1939-1940) IN THE TOWN OF CHKALOVSK OF NIZHNY NOVGOROD REGION
Pages 971-980
This research is important as it considers problems of historical and cultural heritage of Chkalovsky district of Nizhny Novgorod region, represented mainly by religious buildings of the XVII - early XX centuries, by the example of architectural appearance of the Culture House named after V.P. Chkalov - the public building in the style of postconstructivism, built in 1939-1940 by the design of architect A.A. Yakovlev, typologically fully meeting social requirements of its time and being a monument of regional value nowadays. We analyzed the construction history of the Culture House in the look of which the characteristic tendencies of Russian architecture of the 1940s were embodied - a return to neo-classics through the experience of constructivism, which manifested itself in the scale of the building with large divisions and dynamic forms; a symmetric plan resembling, by its outline, an aircraft; the use of monumental symmetry of the main facade, details of the classic order as a decor of the exteriors and interiors; the symbols of the state: a five-pointed star on the steeple of the belvedere tower, the high reliefs of the USSR coat-of-arms framed with banners and aviation signs on the main facade, the sickle and hammer. Architectural appearance of the Culture House features: good location of the building near the Memorial Museum of V.P. Chkalov which made it possible to form a complete ensemble of historical-cultural heritage of the pilot; facing of the main faсade of the building to the direction of Volga, decorated with a high relief portrait of V.P. Chkalov made by the sculptor A.V. Kikin; correctly selected scale of the building which is the dominant of metrorhythmic composition of Chkalov street that forms a panorama of the town of Chkalovsk, visible from Volga. Architectural appearance of Chkalov street in the studied place is an example of morphotypical preservation of fragments of the environment of mid 1940s due to the presence of: low-rise residential buildings typical for this area, among them is the House-Museum of V.P. Chkalov; aircraft hangar; the Culture House the complex reconstruction of which will contribute to the preservation of historical and cultural heritage, improving the quality of life of the population, increase of touristic and investment attractiveness of Chkalovsky district of Nizhny Novgorod region. Subject: architectural appearance of the Culture House named after V.P. Chkalov in the town of Chkalovsk of Nizhny Novgorod region built in the style of postconstructivism in 1939-1940 by the design of architect A.A. Yakovlev. Goals: determination of the place of the Culture House named after V.P. Chkalov in the town of Chkalovsk among the architectural monuments of Chkalovsky district of Nizhny Novgorod region, among the buildings of similar style; description of building’s construction history; a comprehensive analysis of its architectural appearance which includes space-planning solution, functional zoning of the interiors, decor; development of recommendations on reconstruction of the building. Materials and methods: methodological basis of this work is the systems approach in the unity of analysis and synthesis that allows us to consider the main characteristics of architectural appearance of the Culture House in interrelations. For summarizing the materials obtained from literature sources, bibliographic analysis was used; for field survey - photographic fixation and graphical and analytical analysis were used. Results: comprehensive analysis of architectural appearance of the Culture House named after V.P. Chkalov; introduction, into scientific usage, of the data about the building in the style of postconstructivism: the history of its creation, stylistics, space-planning solution, functional zoning of the interiors, décor; determination of the place of the Culture House among the architectural monuments of Chkalovsky district of Nizhny Novgorod region, among the buildings of similar style; development of recommendations on reconstruction of the building. Conclusions: results of this research can form the basis of documents required for creation of project of reconstruction for the Culture House named after V.P. Chkalov in the town of Chkalovsk. Complex reconstruction of this examined building with development of its former functions will contribute to improvement of quality of social life of local population, preservation of historical and cultural heritage that forms the panorama of Chkalovsk, visible from Volga, increase of touristic attractiveness of this town.
DOI: 10.22227/1997-0935.2017.9.971-980