Residential development in Moscow of the 20th and 21st century
19 August – 01 September 2018 (two-week course)
Moscow
Introduction to the course: This course gives you the opportunity to explore Moscow with contemporary and urban design. This course will combine theoretical studies delivered through lectures and fieldwork in the urban environment in Moscow. Excursions provided during this course will introduce you the brightest examples of solving the housing problem in Moscow during the 20th century, starting from Russian Avant-garde with its experiments to the experimental residential building of Soviet Modernism such as famous residential complex Bolshaya Tulskaya which has many nicknames, cause of its size and shape. You could introduce to the history, social politics and economy of this tense century from 1917 till nowadays, to know and to see the Renovation program which started in 2017. You will work both individually and as part of a group, which gives you the opportunity to meet, to learn and exchange new ideas on architecture, residential development and economy.
During the course you will have opportunities to visit such places as:
1. "Sokol" (also known as the "artist's village") - the first cooperative residential settlement in Moscow, founded in 1923.
2. Narkomfin building – one of the most famous example of Constructivist architecture, Le Corbusier used a variant of duplex flat plans from Narkomfin in his Unité d'Habitation.
3. 9th experimental district of New Cheryomushki - the first-born of a panel house-building .
and many more.
The course aims to offer a deeper understanding of the social politics and residential development in Moscow.
Target group: The course addresses students of any subject, especially History of Art, Architecture and related subjects, such as History, Design or Fine Arts. An elementary knowledge of architecture and architectural history is welcome but not necessary.
Course Leader: Maia M. Gybina, PhD with Honours in History and Theory of Modern Architecture,
Optional Module "Russian language" Students can start intensive Russian courses without any knowledge or can improve their Russian language skills.
The course aims to improve listening, reading, writing and speaking skills, practice and expand students’ vocabulary and knowledge of grammar and phonetics. The course is offered on all levels and starts with a baseline test. According to the test results, language groups are formed in accordance with the European system of knowledge levels: elementary, basic, first certification. Contents of the module: Russian as a foreign language, Russian speaking and listening, Russian Communication Skills, Russian for Academic Purposes.