This year $1.66 million in grants* were awarded to recognizable projects including the Walter Gropius-designed Bauhaus Building in Dessau; the Melnikov House in Moscow (the first Russian project to receive a grant); and Frank Lloyd Wright’s only skyscraper, Price Tower.
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*THE GETTY FOUNDATION
Keeping It Modern: 2017 Grants Awarded
Schusev State Museum of Architecture
Melnikov House, Konstantin Melnikov, 1929, Moscow, Russia
Moscow's Melnikov House is a superlative example of Soviet avant-garde architecture and a masterpiece of structural ingenuity. Built as two intersecting cylinders, the house's unconventional style reflects the boundary-pushing vision of architect Konstantin Melnikov, who designed the house as his studio and family residence. Two generations of the family lived in the building until the death of the architect's son in 2006, and the property was transferred to the state in 2011 to be operated as a museum. The house and studio contain more than 14,000 objects, including original furnishings, paintings and drawings by Konstantin and Victor Melnikov, as well as architectural drawings and sketches. The site has now become the new State Melnikovs Museum—a branch of the Schusev State Museum of Architecture.
Among the defining features of Melnikov's design is the reliance on cylindrical shapes to provide both material economy and structural sturdiness. The house contains no interior load-bearing walls, allowing for large, unobstructed rooms and maximum light and space. The home also incorporates glass to striking effect, most notably with its 64 unique 'honeycomb' hexagonal windows that provide diffuse light throughout the interior.
Because of renewed interest in the home's long-term preservation—and the desire of museum officials to increase annual visitation—the museum must address the building's underlying conservation needs. Grant funds will support the development of a conservation plan, based on studies of archival records combined with technical research into the roof, façade, and windows; an assessment of the structural condition; a study of the heating, ventilation, and internal electrical and mechanical systems; and a survey of the interiors. The plan will serve as a model for best practice for other avant-garde monuments from the 1920s-1930s in Russia and include participation by local and international experts.
Grant support: $120,000
