· 1,000 historic buildings destroyed, experts warn
· Ghettos for rich replace city's unique heritage
Luke Harding in Moscow
Tuesday May 15, 2007
The Guardian
Its buildings include florid art nouveau houses, brutalist Stalin-era
skyscrapers and a magnificent Willy Wonka-like chocolate factory. But
Moscow's unique and diverse architectural heritage is under "full-scale
attack" and in serious danger of disappearing altogether, a group of
British and Russian experts warned yesterday.
Russia's sprawling capital is being transformed into a series of
"super-gentrified ghettos," an "ersatz city" fit only for "Gucci-bagged
oligarchs' wives".
....
Although Russia has strict preservation laws, corrupt officials failed
to enforce the rules. Other historic buildings mysteriously "burned
down", the report says.
In their place, new pastiches are being constructed that "ape" the
originals. Moscow has failed to learn the key role played by historic
areas in the rejuvenation of other European capitals - like Covent
Garden and Smithfield market in London, or the quaysides of Copenhagen
or Stockholm, the report says.
"Architectural monuments of all eras are under threat. Nothing is
sacrosanct," Marcus Binney, the president of Save Europe wrote in the
report's introduction. "Moscow is in danger of becoming an ersatz city,
which makes a mockery of Moscow's great past. "The prevailing view is
that a modern version of an old building is just as good as, or better
than, the original, and the concept of authenticity has been lost. This
attitude is informing the approach of the city authorities to historic
buildings of first importance."
cont'd....
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/architecture/story/0,,2079749,00.html