Kizhi Island

KIZHI ISLAND Остров Кижи

THE RIBA PRESIDENTS MEDALS 2013 R I BA SI LV E R M D E A L 2 0 1 3 .

S O M F O U N DAT I O N T R AV E L L I N G F E L L O W S H I P B E N HAY E S BARTLETT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, UCL

THE DESIGN OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP AN ARCHITECTURAL PROPOSAL THAT WILL FACILITATE THE RESTORATION AND REASSEMBLY OF 300 CHURCHES ONTO KIZHI ISLAND IN NORTHERN RUSSIA. THE CHURCHES WERE ONCE CENTRAL TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, JUST AS THE ORTHOD OX FAITH WAS CENTRAL TO THE PEOPLE. THESE FRAGILE, DESECRATED STRUCTURES HAVE A SPIRITUAL PRESENCE THAT COMMAND RESPECT, THOSE THAT STILL REMAIN, STAND AS TESTAMENT TO THE IND OMITABLE SPIRIT OF THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE LIVING THEIR LIVES. IN THE NEXT 10-15 YEARS THE WO ODEN STRUCTURES WILL TOTALLY DISAPPEAR . THIS PROJECT CONSIDERS AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION TO PROTECT THESE STRUCTURES. A NEW RESTORATION FACILIT Y AND MUSEUM IS PROPOSED TO FACILITATE THE DISMANTLING OF EACH MONUMENT, ITS TRANSPORTATION TO KIZHI ISLAND AND ITS RESTORATION. THE INTERVENTION WILL COMPRISE OF B OTH TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT STRUCTURES, TO RESEARCH, STORE AND PRESERVE EACH ARTEFACT THAT HAS BEEN RELO CATED. THESE ARTEFACTS WILL THEN BE EXHIBITED AROUND THE ISLAND AS PART OF A NEW OPEN AIR MUSEUM.

THE PROJECT ADDRESSES T WO PROBLEMS; TO PROTECT AND RESTORE THIS FRAGILE HERITAGE, THAT TODAY IS ON THE VERGE OF TOTAL EXTINCTION, AND TO RADICALLY REDESIGN THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE ON THE ISLAND, THAT LACKS HISTORICAL DIVERSIT Y AND A SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY FOR THE ISLAND. THE INTERVENTION AD OPTS A RADICAL APPROACH TO THE ISLAND’S LANDSCAPE; THE WHOLE ISLAND IS TREATED AS A REPOSITORY OF PROTECTED BUILDINGS THAT IS CONSTANTLY TRANSFORMING AND CHALLENGING EXISTING NOTIONS OF RESTORATION OR PRESERVATION. THE NEW FORMATION OF THIS LANDSCAPE WILL BE THE IMPETUS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE BUILDINGS AND THE AMASSING OF DATA CONNECTED TO THEM.

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KIZHI ISLAND RESTORATION HANGAR SECTION - CUTAWAY PLAN SCALE 1:200

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KIZHI ISLAND Остров Кижи

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