Alexei Komech
Encyclopedia
Alexei Komech preservationist
, architectural historian and critic in Russia who helped to protect the cultural heritage
of Moscow
and Saint Petersburg
for over 50 years. He was the Director of the Moscow Art History Institute and a member of the Moscow's City Government's Architectural Consultative Council. He was well known presence in the city and often battled with the mayor, Yury Luzhkov, and local developers to save the city's architectural heritage from the "substitution of historic sites with modern reproductions and theatrical imitations." He also served on the board of the Open Society Institute–Russia
Preservationist
Preservationist is generally understood to mean historic preservationist: one who advocates to preserve architecturally or historically significant buildings, structures, objects or sites from demolition or degradation...
, architectural historian and critic in Russia who helped to protect the cultural heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
for over 50 years. He was the Director of the Moscow Art History Institute and a member of the Moscow's City Government's Architectural Consultative Council. He was well known presence in the city and often battled with the mayor, Yury Luzhkov, and local developers to save the city's architectural heritage from the "substitution of historic sites with modern reproductions and theatrical imitations." He also served on the board of the Open Society Institute–Russia
'The city is interested in receiving so much [from construction] that it pushes the architecture council to allow anything,' he said. 'It has allow[ed developers] to destroy, to start anew, to build underground garages at the price of the historical part of the city. ... It's all at the expense of the city's history'
Publications
- Komech, Alexei (1991) The Golden Ring: Cities of Old Russia. ISBN 1-55859-216-4
- Gippenreiter, V.; Komech, Alexei; and Gippenreiter, Vadim (1991) Old Russian Cities. ISBN 1-85669-009-1
See also
- "Tearing Down Moscow", Moscow Times - Crisis facing Moscow's historical buildings
- "New Moscow's Architecture: Harmony Or Cacophony?" Pravda 21 October 2003