The contest-consultation on the creation of the MELNIKOV HOUSE MUSEUM was recently announced by the Shchusev State Architecture Museum and Project Russia.
Below is a translation of the contest description on Shchusev State Architecture Museum’s site found HERE. DEADLINE to register for the contest is MARCH 25.
“Architect Konstantin Melnikov dreamed that one day the house he built in the late 1920s, for himself and his family, will become a museum. This was the will and his son, the artist Viktor Melnikov, devoted his life to preserve the house and left a corresponding will.
The Shchusev State Museum of Architecture, in the operational management of which was transferred the ownership of half of the house, has initiated a not for profit contest-consultation with invited architects on the concept of a museum in the Melnikov House. Organizers also leave open the possibility of participation to the public of professional architects and university architectural students, to all who care about the fate of the legendary house.
The purpose of the contest – gathering ideas about the creation of the museum, as well as attracting public attention to the problem of preserving the Melnikov House.
The organizers of the creative competition expect from the participants a professional and human vision of the future of the museum. The main question of competition: how to preserve the authenticity of the house, its unique atmosphere, organized with access to his visitors and providing the minimum required service infrastructure.
The format of the contest-consultation plans for the absence of a single winner. The jury, which is to be attended by representatives of government, professional and expert communities, and the granddaughters of the architect Melnikov will select five best qualified projects and comment on their choices. The authors of these projects will be brought to the working group for the creation of the museum.
The results of the contest will be published in a catalog, and an exhibition will be organized in the Shchusev State Museum of Architecture. The best of the projects submitted by participants of the open competition will be selected by the jury for display at the exhibition and publication in the catalog along with the projects of the invited architects.
To participate in the contest, it is necessary to fill out the registration form and send it to the address schusevmuseum@gmail.com no later than 25 March 2013. Terms of the competition and the registration form are attached.”
Some things to consider:
1. “concept of a museum in the Melnikov House” is misleading. The museum cannot be inside the Melnikov House; the museum would be a separate building, and the house itself would be toured in small groups of 5, at most 6 people at a time. So “Melnikov House Museum” is really: Melnikov House, & Museum (of works by both Konstantin and Viktor Melnikov).
2. “The purpose of the contest – gathering ideas about the creation of the museum, as well as attracting public attention to the problem of preserving the Melnikov House.” Considering the intensity of the construction work next door and the damage it is doing to the physical condition of the house, the PRIORITY should be to stabilize the situation. Perhaps the competition should be re-worked as a contest to solve the structural and geological issues the Melnikov House is facing?
3. It is good news that the contest has been announced, and maybe it will indeed attract more attention to the precarious situation of the Melnikov House. Here’s to positive thinking!
And here’s to positive doing: let’s spread the word – We <3 the Melnikov House!
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