Guiding Lines: Changes will Come
I like to read books although sometimes it might cause family disagreements. The fact is, that for a long time I’ve been obsessed with real estate, I collect large books on real estate and architecture.
Of course, they are all heavy, collect a lot of dust, and sometimes they are difficult to get to and heavy to carry but I like to take them in my hands and look through the pages of good quality paper and plunge into the world of new projects and ideas. And I still take as much pleasure in each new exhibit in my collection. Unfortunately, there are not enough books on real estate in Russia.
Of course, the situation is not so pitiable any more, as, for example, 5-7 years ago, but perfection is a long way away. In spring/summer this year a number of books have appeared on the shelves of the capital’s bookstores, on which I would like to talk about in more detail.
“Commercial space. The Best Projects in the World" series (Zhigulsky Publishing House) presents a unique six-volume translation of the collection from English, published in Spain by publishing house Carles Broto I Comerma. The series covers the best projects on the commercial real estate market, realized from 2003 to 2006 and includes the following books: "Commercial space. New Tendencies," "Shopping Centers. The Best Projects in the World," "New Shopping Centers. The Best Projects in the World," "Cafes, Bars and Restaurants. The Best Projects in the World," "Shops. The Best Projects in the World" and "Hotels. The Best Projects in the World."
For example, fans of restaurants learn that Icelandic bar Astro (in Reykjavik) successfully combines the elements of an indoor swimming pool without water and picnic tables. And in the Red Room located on the top floor of the bar, there are sensor controls built into the walls that redden when visitors walk there. The rest of the time the wall is pink.
The European Parliament in Strasburg, by right, is proud of its cafeteria where thanks to the endeavors of French architectural bureau Architecture Studio, floor coverings in the form of blossoming spring fields have been used. According to psychologists, together with the unusual form of the twisted metal counter it allows members of the parliament to relax after a hard day's work.
In the volume devoted to shops, alongside numerous boutiques of world famous fashion houses (Prada, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Armani) other innovative concepts have been presented. For example, the de Lairesse drugstore in Amsterdam, which was executed by Dutch architectural bureau Concrete Architectural Associates. In the round trading hall, 522 green plastic boxes, grouped in 36 sections, completely cover the wall. Built into the boxes are 72 luminescent lamps with green filters. Reflected from the back wall of the boxes, light passes through their transparent fronts. The unique "floating" polymer concrete counter fits the bends of the walls and partially hangs from steel foundations, hidden in a massive tree trunk, adds to the mysteriousness of the interior.
Regretfully, the contribution of Russian market players is limited to the respectable list of partners that head the Russian guild of realtors and only two premises - Globus Gourmet on Zhukovka and Moscow restaurant Nedalny Vostok, the design of which was developed with well-known Japanese architectural bureau Superpotato.
Two works by executive director of Belgian analytical company Buildings and Data Georges Binder, published by the Australian publishing house Images Publishings, are devoted to high-altitude buildings. At the moment they are only available in English. The book “One Hundred and One of the World's Tallest Buildings” presents an encyclopedia of modern skyscrapers. There are two sections in the book - Completed Buildings and Buildings Under Construction. For each of the projects there is not only a description, but also a good quality photograph, floor plans, and precise information on developers, architects, advisers on technical questions, the amount of investment, etc. The statistics of the skyscrapers are not limited to the size of the building, the book also cites specific floor areas, the number of parking spaces, building materials and other details which will, undoubtedly, be useful to inhabitants of a country where skyscrapers are up and coming (i.е. Russia). In addition, the book includes the history of the evolution of skyscrapers in figures over the last 40 years.
Triumph Palace is the only Russian project in the Completed Buildings section. But in the Buildings Under Construction section we already have something to be proud of - the Gorod Stolits, Moscow International Business Center and Federation Tower projects, which suitably reflect the future achievements of Russian developers.
The foreword to another book by Binder, "Tall Buildings of Europe, Middle East & Africa," which includes 50 of the highest buildings in these regions (both completed, and under construction), is written by Sir Norman Foster. Binder not only cites characteristics, but also analyzes the evolution of skyscrapers in different regions, their influence on architecture and the global culture of individual countries. Here there are already a few more Russian projects, even though recently skyscrapers have been built mainly in Asia and America. Therefore the Lomonosov Moscow State University (MGU) Stalin skyscraper remains among the 50 highest buildings of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Why is it that Russian projects that are famous in our native land, remain unknown to the international public? Russian people have a reason to boast - many projects could have the pretensions of the attention of the international public. However in most cases it is only possible to learn about them from advertising brochures at exhibitions, which when you thumb through them, you'll only come to understand that the employees of the company simply adhered to the allocated budget.
Another reason for the inappropriate modesty of Russian developers comes from the fact that the majority of them are focused on the "here and now," it is much more important for them to become small kings in separate local areas of Moscow with long-term and effective support of the prefecture of the district. For developers to gain international recognition they should give correct information on the company in good English language, and this seems insignificant in comparison with immediate tasks - the construction of one more elite, high-altitude residential building.
However, at some point such an attitude will be gone. We will also learn how to publish good quality advertising material written representively, in length and in good language, and the main thing – that gives objective information on the companies and premises. And we will publish books ourselves on real estate and architecture that will become best sellers. In the meantime, unfortunately, we will continue to have a deficit of books on real estate.
Strangely enough this phenomenon has been created by real estate market participants. Trying to reach the deadline of the next advertisement, they forget that periodicals are temporal. A lack of time forces global ideas in the form of articles and essays, let alone books, to be put off. It has been forgotten that good quality books and works immortalize names and projects for subsequent generations. And in this our real estate market players very much remind of us of a woodcutter from a fairy tale. Working as hard as he possibly can, the poor woodcutter uses a blunt saw, as he believes he has no time to sharpen it …