Arkhnadzor calls to save Melnikov's house

The Archnadzor public movement and experts in the field of architectural heritage turned to the Minister of Culture and the Moscow authorities with a request to save the famous monument of constructivism - the house -master architect Konstantin Melnikov on Arbat. In their opinion, the preservation of a unique house is threatened by a nearby construction.

"The section on the architectural heritage of the Soviet period of the Federal Scientific and Methodological Council under the Ministry of Culture, together with the Archnadzor, sent a letter to the Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, the head of the Moscow City Highlight and the Head of the Moskomarchitecture of Andrei Antipov with an urgent request to take urgent measures to save Melnikov’s house and other Monuments and historical buildings located in the immediate vicinity of the construction site, ”the Archnadzor press release says.

In early August, the demolition of the 18th -century Melgunov house on Arbat 41 continued even after the developer received the instructions of the Moscow City Work on the suspension of work. Despite the efforts of architecture defenders, the building was destroyed up to the facade wall. Demolition led to damage to the architectural monuments located nearby. Significant cracks were discovered in the neighboring "Okudzhava House", which is recognized as an object of cultural heritage. Cracks also appeared on the facade of another architectural monument-the building of the Military Court.

According to the project, a multifunctional shopping and living complex with a total area of ​​more than 13 thousand square meters should be built on the territory of the combined security zone of cultural heritage. At the same time, behind the screen of historical facades in the section of the demolished 2-3-storey buildings 39-41, a 4-5-story building is designed. The project provides for the development of underground space at least two levels. This is fraught with the destruction of the world-famous architectural monument of the twentieth century, which turned out to be in the neighborhood of the construction site-the house of architect Konstantin Melnikov, located at Krivoarbatsky Lane, 10. According to expert conclusions of 2006-2010, any volumetric underground construction in the neighborhood threatens the existence of Melnikov’s house.

Melnikov’s house is unanimously recognized by experts by one of the most outstanding works of Russian architecture, one of the candidates for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.