Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Architecture and transition after socialism

I thought of posting some project references with architects' website links for study by Mongolian and international colleagues (at least for perusal of drawings / pictures) . I recently read an interview with Hungarian architects, Bence Turanyi (b1974) and Gabor Turanyi (b1948) of T2a discussing, among other things, the changes to architects working methods since 1990 in the context of political changes in Eastern Europe.

They noted how architecture work has moved from "centralised plan factories" to privately owned architectural practices. How the souls of "state" architects were "liberated when they were able to go freelance"... how "new assignments and technologies had brought new possibilities"... how architects had previously lacked structural and material resources but now can build almost everything from anything." (European Architecture May/June 2008 p.19)

My related selection of projects showcased in the journal include;
Office Building, Sofia, Bulgaria by Aedes Studio
Shipping Terminal, Herceg-Novi, Montenegro by Studio Grad
Churches, Litomysl and Cernosice u Prahy, CZ by Zdenek Franek
Sports Hall, Jurmala, Latvia, by Substance
Commercial Centre, Zagreb, Croatia, by Igor Franic
Office Building, Ankara, by Cira Koglu Architecture
Academy of Performing Arts, and Bridge and Square, Sarajevo by various inc. Archipelagos

How has architectural practice changed since Perestroika? How are these projects relevant to post-socialist Mongolia's situation now?

No comments: