August 29 will see the opening of the 13th International Architectural Biennale in Venice, where Russia is to present its project pertaining to the Skolkovo innovation center outside Moscow.
The presentation will be held under the Space for Communications motto, which is quite in line with the 2012 Biennale’s main idea that organizers touted as ‘common ground.’ By the way, the Skolkovo project also reflects a certain common ground given that architecturally, it is being implemented by specialists from Russia, Germany, Britain, France, the US, Japan, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
The Russian pavilion will be accommodated in a building which was constructed in Venice almost a century ago. Designed by renowned Russian architect Alexei Shchyusev, the building complies with traditions of ancient Russian architecture of the 17th century. Curator Sergei Choban says that the Skolkovo project embodies both the past and the present.
"The history of Skolkovo reflects the history of a spate of science towns created in the Soviet era," Choban explains. "The towns were located on fenced territories and seeing them could only be possible through the keyhole. Residents of those towns were separated from each other. They lived and worked in the other dimension, something that will be a theme of our exposition located on the pavilion’s ground floor, Choban says. In contrast, Skolkovo’s operation is based on an absolutely different principle. An open town, Skolkovo turns to society and is due to become a center of attraction in the future. This is a very important description of Skolkovo as a town-planning project," he concludes.
Importantly, the information will constantly be updated,’ another curator Sergei Kuznetsov says and elaborates. "The Skolkovo project is yet to be completed," Kuznetsov says. "This may turn into a protracted process, which will be just partly shown at the 2012 Venice Biennale. With architecture being constantly developed, the line-up of those involved in the Skolkovo project will be changeable. As for the architects, some of them will work in Skolkovo in the future," Kuznetsov adds.
It is safe to assume, therefore, that the organizers of the Russian presentation at the Venice Biennale are seeking to tout Skolkovo as a process that can be at first watched and then joined.
Source: Voice of Russia