Lesson VI Great Russian Architects

1. Read and translate texts:

V.I. Bazhenov

V. I. Bazhenov (1737 - 1799) was the founder of the Russian architectural classics of the 18-th century. He studied at the Moscow University and at Art School in Paris. He became a professor and academician of some Italian Academies of Arts, and he was 28 when he became an academician in St. Petersburg, the vice-president of Russian Academy of Arts.

Bazhenov was the first Russian architect who designed his structures in their connection with surroundings as a three-dimensional composition, actively organizing town space. In 1784-1786 he created one of his best works, a masterpiece of Russian classical architecture - the famous Pashkov house which is now the old building of the State Library in Moscow.

Those who have seen his impressive buildings and looked at them with understanding felt that he had fully succeeded in his purpose and that he had given the world something that would take its place with the greatest structures of the world.

In addition to his being an outstanding artist and architect he was also a well-known figure encyclopedically educated. At the same time he was a brilliant practical engineer and an incomparable designer of architectural ensembles, the Kremlin Palace being one of them.

N.V. Nikitin

Nikolai Vasilyevich Nikitin was an outstanding Soviet scientist, merited Builder of the RSFSR, a Lenin and USSR State prize winner, Doctor of Technical Sciences.

He was born on December 15th, 1907 in the town of Tobolsk. In 1930 he graduated from the building faculty of the Tomsk Institute of Technology.

The scope of his interests was extremely wide, and embraced unknown fields of building. The foundations of the Palace of Soviets, a unique building, were laid according to his design.

During the post-war years N. V. Nikitin disclosed the diversity of his talent that of a brilliant constructor.

NikoIai Vasilyevich Nikitin was an outstanding engineer, a creator of new building constructions, a recognized authority in the field of multistory building, a talented organizer of constructional designing, the author of world-known unique structures.

N. V. Nikitin was the creator of such structures as the Moscow University, the Palace of Culture and Sciences in Warsaw, the V. I. Lenin Central Stadium in Moscow, the first multistory building in Tashkent, the V. I. Lenin Memorial in Ulyanovsk, the Volgograd Monument to the Motherland and many others.

The above-mentioned structures have received recognition far beyond the borders of our country.

The Ostankino TV tower in Moscow, which is the tallest structure in the world, is considered to be the acme of N. V. Nikitin's creative work. Extremely complicated technical problems were solved while putting up this unique structure.

N. V. Nikitin carried out extensive scientific work as well. He was a recognized authority in the field of theoretical calculation of reinforced concrete constructions, the author of 70 printed works and 20 inventions.

For his outstanding creative achievements the honorary title of the Lenin and USSR State Prize Laureate were conferred upon N. V. Nikitin.

2. Find in the texts and explain the meaning of following words and word combinations:

founder, architectural classics, Art School, academician, connection, surrounding, three-dimensional composition, town space, masterpiece, impressive, succeed, purpose, in addition, well-known figure, encyclopedically educated, practical engineer, incomparable, architectural ensemble;

merited builder, prize winner, scope, embrace, unique, to be laid, disclose, diversity, constructor, creator, recognized authority, multistory, recognition, far beyond, to be considered, acme, extremely complicated, to be solved, extensive, theoretical calculation, reinforced concrete construction, printed work, invention, achievement, honorary title, to be conferred.

3. Which of these statements refer to the text about Bazhenov and to the text about Nikitin? Translate these sentences into English:

1) Особенностью его архитектурного стиля является то, что он проектировал сооружения в их связи с окружающей местностью. 2) Он был признанным авторитетом в области строительства многоэтажных сооружений. 3) Он является автором семидесяти печатных работ и двадцати изобретений. 4) Он создавал трехмерные композиции. 5) Чрезвычайно сложные технические проблемы были решены им при строительстве уникальных сооружений. 6) Он был инженером-практиком и несравненным дизайнером. 7) Он полностью преуспел как выдающийся художник и архитектор. 8) Масштаб его интересов был чрезвычайно широк и охватывал неизвестные области строительства. 9) Он был хорошо известен как личность энциклопедически образованная и как блестящий инженер-практик. 10) Он был признанным авторитетом в области теоретических расчетов железобетонных сооружений.

4. Answer the questions:

1) What kind of architecture was Bazhenov the founder? 2) What education did he get? 3) What education did Nikitin get? 4) What fields of building did the scope of his interests embrace? 5) What peculiarities of Bazhenov’s designs do you know? 6) How do you understand the term “three-dimensional composition”? 7) How could Bazhenov actively organize town space? 8) What structures made by Nikitin do you know? 9) Why have Nikitin’s structures received recognition far beyond the borders of his country? 10) What kind of technical problems were solved while putting up the Ostankino TV tower in Moscow? 11) How do you think, why intelligent people say that Bazhenov gave the world smth that would take its place with the greatest structures of the world? 12) Can we say that both Bazhenov and Nikitin were well-known figures encyclopedically educated and brilliant practical engineers? Prove your opinion.

5. Divide these texts into logical parts and speak about Great Russian architects paying attention to expression your own opinion to these persons and stressing common and different features both of them.

6. Listen to the text “The White House” and answer the questions of the test:

Key-words to the text:

cornerstone – краеугольный камень

submit – предлагать

sandstone – песчаник

complete – выполнить

spring – ручей

ash – пепел

to be destroyed – быть разрушенным

Test

“The White House”

1. The White House is …

a) the King Palace

b) the residence of the US president

c) the cornerstone of the Capitol Building

2. The White House is situated in …

a) Washington

b) New-York

c) Moscow

3. The White House was built in … and the Capitol Building in …

a) 1793-1794

b) 1791-1792

c) 1792-1793

4. Architect … submitted plans for the White House and received … for his work.

a) James Hoban – a 500 dollar prize

b) John Adams – a 5000 dollar prize

c) George Washington – a 50 dollar prize

5. The White House in 19^th century was … made of …

a) white – brick

b) light-grey – sandstone

c) dark-grey - reinforced concrete

6. There were no … and water was carried by … from a …

a) kitchens – car - river

b) bathrooms – hand - spring

c) steps - lift - swimming-pool

7. In … the White House caught on …

a) 1840 - earthquake

b) 1804 – storm

c) 1814 – fire

8. Its light-grey sandstone exterior was painted …

a) white to cover the effect of the fire

b) green to match the grass around the building

c) red to be more beautiful

9. The White House was called so because …

a) it was the home of the US president

b) it was cleaned

c) its grey sandstone walls looked white next to the red brick walls of other buildings

10. It was officially named the White House in …

a) 1920

b) 1902

c) 1912

7. Compose the dialog for three persons, discussing structures made by Bazhenov, Nikitin and James Hoban. Pay attention to their construction methods, inventions and fate of their structures. Using your knowledge of special terms speak about possible decoration made by these constructors and architects and color decision of theirs structures.