«Genius loci» under the plaster

Authors

Abstract

The article highlights the significant role of architecture in shaping ideas about “the spirit of St. Petersburg”. It is noted that a considerable share of information, especially on the early stages of development of the city was inaccessible to ordinary citizens and ordinary tourists, the old walls now hidden by a
layer of plaster. This was one of the consequences of reconstruction, during which the facades were stylistically updated as well. This is in contrast to examples from European cities, where many monuments of architecture are a connection of disparate parts, built at different times from different materials and unrelated stylistically; such buildings are not surprising and attempts to integrate them in a unified façade are not made. It is suggested that the origins of this perception of architecture date back to the early middle ages, a time period dominated by purely utilitarian exploration of ancient Roman heritage, which was reflected in the repeated use of architectural details such as building products, excluding artistic significance . Each part of the building was seen as valuable — especially in a material way. It is noted that in our days there is a tendency to extend the demonstration of historical heritage, to draw attention to the ordinary buildings. The facades of urban buildings are increasingly cleared away, to show the remains of ancient frescoes, reliefs, constructions or figured brickwork. The number of information stands is being increased, and the forms of presenting information are being modernized. These trends are observed in practice in St. Petersburg.The article contains recommendations for further use of international experience, provides a list of specific activities for identifying and screening of currently hidden documentary evidence about the historical development of Central areas. Their implementation will allow for a wider “window into the past” and for enrichment of ordinary citizens’ and tourists’ idea of the “spirit of St. Petersburg”, especially the information about the early stages of development of the city. 

Keywords:

the spirit of place, the architectural heritage of St. Petersburg, reconstruction, landscape centre, the image of the city, the mass consciousness

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Leonid P. Lavrov, Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Dr. Habil., professor, honored architect of the Russian Federation, corresponding member at the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences, corresponding member at the Deutsche Akademie für Städtebau und Landesplanung

Fedor V. Perov, Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

PhD, director of the Department of Architectural Engineering

References

Литература

1. Hallmann G. Leningrad (Kunstgeschichtliche Stadtebucher). 3. Auflage. Leipzig: VEB E. A. Seemann-Verlag, 1978. 183 S.

2. История русской архитектуры: Учебник для вузов. 2-е изд., перераб. и доп. СПб.: Стройиздат, 1994. 600 с., ил.

3. Vigna Guido. Storia di Mantova. Milano: Camunia editrice srl, 1989. 267 p.

4. Benevolo L. Die Geschichte der Stadt. Frankfurt: Campus, 1991. 1067 S.

5. Koch W. Baustilkunde. Gütersloh; München: Bertelsmann Lexikon Verlag, 2003. 528 S.

6. Sarnitz A. Architecture in Vienna. Wien: Springer-Verlag, 1998. 389 S.

7. Waern R., Caldenby C., Hultin O., Bjur G., Martelius J. A guide to Swedish architecture. Stockholm: The Swedish Institute; Architektur Foerlag AB, 2001. 406 p.

8. Лавров Л. П. 1000 адресов в Санкт-Петербурге: Краткий архитектурный путеводитель. СПб.: Эклектика, 2008. 416 с.

9. Лисовский В. Г. Архитектура Петербурга. Три века истории. СПб.: Славия, 2004. 416 с.

10. Пунин А. Л. Архитектурные памятники Петербурга. Вторая половина XIX века. Л.: Лениздат, 1981. 256 с., ил.

11. Кириков Б. М. Архитектура Петербурга конца XIX — начала XX века. Эклектика. Модерн. Неоклассицизм. СПб.: Издательский дом «Коло», 2006. 448 с.

12. История советской архитектуры: 1917–1958 / под ред. Н. В. Баранова, Н. П. Былинкина, П. А. Володина, Г. Ф. Кузнецова, Б. Р. Рубаненко. М.: Гос. изд-во литературы по строительству, архитектуре и строительным материалам, 1962. 346 с.

13. Kraus W. Wien von A bis Z. Eine Stadt stellt sich vor. Wiener Fremdenverkehrsverband. Wien, 1998. 104 S.

14. Памятники истории и культуры Санкт-Петербурга, состоящие под государственной охраной: Справочник. СПб.: Администрация Санкт-Петербурга, 2003. 948 с.

References

1. Hallmann G. Leningrad (Kunstgeschichtliche Stadtebucher), 3. Auflage, Leipzig, VEB E. A. Seemann-Verlag, 1978. 183 p.

2. Istoriia russkoi arkhitektury: Uchebnik dlia vuzov [A History of Russian Architecture. Textbook]. 2nd ed., pererab. i dop. St. Petersburg, Stroiizdat Publ., 1994. 600 p., ill. (In Russian)

3. Vigna Guido. Storia di Mantova. Milano, Camunia editrice srl, 1989. 267 p.

4. Benevolo L. Die Geschichte der Stadt. Frankfurt, Campus, 1991. 1067 p.

5. Koch W. Baustilkunde. Gütersloh; München, Bertelsmann Lexikon Verlag, 2003. 528 p.

6. Sarnitz A. Architecture in Vienna. Wien, Springer-Verlag, 1998. 389 p.

7. Waern R., Caldenby C., Hultin O., Bjur G., Martelius J. A guide to Swedish architecture. Stockholm, The Swedish Institute; Architektur Foerlag AB, 2001. 406 p.

8. Lavrov L. P. 1000 adresov v Sankt-Peterburge: Kratkii arkhitekturnyi putevoditel' [1000 address in Saint’Petersburg. Short architectural Guide]. St. Petersburg, Eklektika Publ., 2008. 416 p. (In Russian)

9. Lisovskii V. G. Arkhitektura Peterburga. Tri veka istorii [Architecture of Petersburg. Three century of History]. St. Petersburg, Slaviia Publ., 2004. 416 p.

10. Punin A. L. Arkhitekturnye pamiatniki Peterburga. Vtoraia polovina XIX veka [Architectural monuments of Petersburg. The second half of the XIX century]. Leningrad, Lenizdat Publ., 1981. 256 p., ill. (In Russian)

11. Kirikov B. M. Arkhitektura Peterburga kontsa XIX — nachala XX veka. Eklektika. Modern. Neoklassitsizm [Architecture of Petersburg late XIX — beginning of XX century. Eclectic. Modern. Neoclassicism]. St. Petersburg, Izdatel'skii dom «Kolo» Publ., 2006. 448 p. (In Russian)

12. Istoriia sovetskoi arkhitektury: 1917–1958 [The history of Soviet architecture: 1917–1958]. Eds N. V. Baranov, N. P. Bylinkin, P. A. Volodin, G. F. Kuznetsov, B. R. Rubanenko. Moscow, Gos. izd-vo literatury po stroitel'stvu, arkhitekture i stroitel'nym materialam Publ., 1962. 346 p. (In Russian)

13. Kraus W. Wien von A bis Z. Eine Stadt stellt sich vor. Wiener Fremdenverkehrsverband. Wien, 1998. 104 p.

14. Pamiatniki istorii i kul'tury Sankt-Peterburga, sostoiashchie pod gosudarstvennoi okhranoi: Spravochnik [Historical and cultural monuments of St. Petersburg, who are under state protection: a guide]. St. Petersburg, Administratsiia Sankt-Peterburga Publ., 2003. 948 p. (In Russian)

Downloads

Published

2016-04-15

How to Cite

Lavrov, L. P. ., & Perov, F. V. . (2016). «Genius loci» under the plaster. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Arts, 6(1), 100–122. Retrieved from https://artsjournal.spbu.ru/article/view/2022

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2016)

Section

Architecture

License

Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Arts" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.