Russian-Polish seminar Modern Trends of Russian Architecture took place in Warsaw on 18th April 2012. Polish radio – Russian service.

Polish publishing house Info Invest has prepared in Warsaw a Polish-Russian seminar, called Russian Feel; Modern Trends of Russian Architecture. Russian Centre of Science and Culture in Polish capital city has gathered together young Polish architects and designers to meet leading Russian architects.

We asked Agneshka Tatsiak, Info Invest representative to convey to us the seminar idea.

Agneshka Tatsiak: We arrange this meeting to find out more about architectural inspirations from Russia, the country we have very diverse opinions of and gather rather diverse information about. For that reason we have invited our Russian guests to reveal what contemporary Russian architecture looks like, to present some interior designs as well as methods of designing.

Irina Zavisha: Tell us about seminar program.

Agneshka Tatsiak: The meeting was very successful; we received such great number of applications for the seminar that we had to extend it for another day. The first day program highlight was art design panorama presentation by one of our guest Valery Kashuba. This topic caused literally an avalanche of questions from the audience. The second day we have talked through regular topics, including perspective trends in Russian architecture and urbanism development. The seminar was lead by Alexey Muratov, Editor in Chief of Project Russia Magazine. We have listened to lecture by architect Sergey Estrin about particularities of Russian 21^st century architecture. The seminar was accompanies by exhibition and lecture of Alexander Khokhlov, Akh Art – weakened reality in unreal world.

Irina Zavisha: Did this seminar manage to improve rather common for Poland cast perception of Russian architecture as combination of church cupola with monumental style, in jest called Stalin Empire, and dull block buildings of the sixties?

Agneshka Tatsiak: I think so. We managed to see it in a different light. We still maintain our old prejudice caused by Russia historical perception. Yet, the country is subjected to changes that opened it to the rest of the world, including the architecture. Some projects sincerely caused huge astonishment. Many questions, addressed after the lectures testified adjustment of traditional view of the situation, general trend of perception of Russia is clearly improving.

Since the seminar was arranged for both countries it was interesting to find out the opinion of Russian architectural experts about Warsaw, that in Poland many, alas, call faceless, eclectic and even an architectural dump.

Alexey Muratov, Head of Project Russia and Project International Magazine, professor of International Architectural Academy and Sergey Estrin, Head of Architectural Studio have shared their impressions of Warsaw upon return from the seminar to Moscow.

Please listen to Alexey Muratov and Sergey Estrin opinion in audio file at http://www.radioporusski.pl.