The All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, which eventually became known as VDNH, is a recognised architectural masterpiece. The best architects of their time had a hand in creating the exhibition site, developing unique decorations and planning solutions. Today, 83 years after its opening, the 325-ha-plus exhibition has 250 buildings, many of which are recognised as cultural landmarks. VDNH is the largest exhibition, museum, and recreational park in the world, serving as a symbol of Moscow and a major attraction for tourists from all over the country and abroad. At the same time, there is a pressing issue of preserving the architectural splendour of the exhibition, possibly also adapting the buildings to modern needs: over the past decades, many of them have been damaged due to both weather and the carelessness of pavilion tenants. But how can you restore a building’s historical appearance without turning it into a Frankenstein’s monster, wildly combining technologies from different eras? This is where MSU-1 GC’s unique in-house professional restoration experts come in.
Science-based restoration differs significantly from other construction areas. With its requirements for authentic technology, like-for-like materials, and absolute adherence to the no-harm principle, cultural heritage work is one of the most demanding activities in the construction industry in terms of complexity and responsibility. The task of preserving Russia’s architectural heritage is given to specialists with unique skills. Each restorer is aware that any mistake could result in a lawsuit against the whole team, because the authorities are constantly monitoring the project for compliance with the most stringent of standards.
MSU-1 GC has completed a full range of restoration works for the Cosmos pavilion, one of VDNH’s landmarks. The Company teams are now working on three projects: the Tsentrosoyuz and Karelia pavilions and the Golden Spike restaurant.
The Tsentrosoyuz pavilion: wrong windows, decapitated sculptures, and all kinds of stucco decorations in one project
For this project, MSU-1 GC is adjusting the design of the pavilion building, having each stage approved by the Department of Cultural Heritage of Moscow, and performing a full range of works, including the restoration of the unique stucco decorations and gilding of the spire. A total 95% of restoration work is being performed by the Company in-house, while world-class subject specialists have been brought on board for certain tasks.
Serious challenges emerged as early as the façade stage. Firstly, the historic layer needed to be exposed with the help of special removers to remove the earlier barbaric “upgrades”. Secondly, the walls were originally clad with two types of terrazite plaster with a unique grain structure, so to recreate the lost elements, the restorers duplicated the original composition with the same content of the same minerals. Thirdly, the entire façade features a huge number of stucco decorations, and restoring them requires (as it always does in restoration) both full compliance with manufacturing techniques and recreation of the authentic visual design. Each stage is approved by the Department of Cultural Heritage of Moscow.
“Even my teachers’ teachers used to say: ‘Anyone can build a level wall, but our job is to make that wall authentic’,” said Kirill Bakakin, head of VDNH restoration projects at MSU-1 GC. “We can make a rosette on the façade so perfect that even a laser scanner would not be able to find any asymmetry, but was it like that in the original design? So instead, we revisit archival photos, study the technology of the last century, and hand finish all the decorations – just like they did. And if, say, historical chronicles say that plaster was applied with a squirrel’s tail, that means it is time to look for a squirrel.”
Another challenge is to restore the interior stucco. For the project, a temporary workshop was set up at the pavilion, where MSU-1 GC workers are able to replace damaged bricks and recreate the lost bas-reliefs, medallions, the coffered ceiling, and kokoshniks. The pavilion abounds with different stucco types, each of which requires different technology. The decorative elements are carefully dismantled, cleaned to perfect condition, then silicone molds are made for them, and lost parts are cast from a special authentic mix. All weak spots and cracks are identified in advance with a 3D scanner.
Along with that, loose and damaged bricks in the walls are replaced in the original pattern, with all wooden rafters reinforced and treated with fire retardants and wood preservatives.
An interesting structural feature came to light when working on the walls: the original window openings had been bricked up by tenants in the 1990s. The restorers removed the later masonry and restored the original geometry of the room.
Right now, the gilding work in the pavilion interiors is nearing completion. The building is almost finished and being prepared for opening in May 2023.
Golden Spike: the revival of the most famous restaurant in the USSR
For the restoration project for the famous Golden Spike restaurant, MSU-1 GC acts as both the project designer and the contractor for the full range of works. The Company completed a series of emergency preparedness measures in-house, thanks to which the building was able to survive the winter safely. The façade walls were reinforced by injecting, under pressure, a special bonding mortar through process openings to impregnate the walls and protect them from further degradation.
MSU-1 GC plans to begin a comprehensive restoration of the Golden Spike restaurant in the spring of 2023. Company specialists have studied the building condition, probed and scanned the walls, and proposed a number of design solutions to breathe new life into the landmark building.
The Karelia pavilion: a wooden façade and the largest group of sculptures at VDNH
The pavilion façade, with its wooden elements, would be a real challenge for any restorer. The pavilion hallmarks are its carved pediment with bas-reliefs and the iconic front door. The smaller pediments above the side entrances and the roof, which is made of natural larch and has carved rafters, also have a great architectural value. The façade and the interior of the building are decorated with stucco elements.
At project phase 1, MSU-1 GC is conducting a mycological inspection to check the wood for fungi. The project team is thoroughly studying historical documents to detail the building’s interior.
The next step will be the roof restoration, which will be focused on preserving the rafters as much as possible, just as for the Tsentrosoyuz pavilion. Façade restoration works are to begin in May. The pediment will be covered by a temporary roof for additional protection.
