Authors

Shvetsova-Shilovskaya Elizaveta A.
THE SAINT-TRINITY ANTONIEVO-SIYSKY MONASTERY: ARCHITECTURE AND SPATIAL COMPOSITION

Architecton: Proceedings of Higher Education №1 (41) March, 2013

The article investigates the architecture of the Saint-Trinity Antonievo-Siysky monastery and analyses its spatial composition and views from the adjoining areas.

Based on historical evidence, the author examines the construction history of the Antonievo-Siysky monastery from establishment to its closing in the 1920s. This study has allowed the author to analyse the development of the architectural composition of the monastery over time and identify its basic compositional features and losses. The article shows that the centre of the monastery’s architectural composition is represented by three churches in its central area: the Temple of Three Moscow Saints, the Church of the Annunciation, and the Trinity Cathedral, the latter being the composition’s dominant. Comparison of the northern and eastern panoramas shows that the spatial composition of the monastery is oriented to be viewed from points along the west-east axis passing in the middle of the cathedral.

The findings of the article are based on a detailed analysis of historical documents and thorough visual investigation of the monastery’s remaining structures. The results of the study may be useful in the development of a reconstruction project for the Antonievo-Siysky monastery. In particular, building and restoration should involve the reconstruction of what has been lost from the composition. Especially noteworthy is the analysis of the view points in relation to the Antonievo-Siysky monastery from surrounding areas. Indeed, in addition to the need to restore the remaining structures, any reconstruction of the monastery will inevitably require the construction of new buildings, which should not obstruct the view of the entire monastic complex as a whole. Therefore the choice of construction sites for such buildings and, especially, their heights should be designed allowing for the analysis of views of the monastery from various points.

Shvetsova-Shilovskaya Elizaveta A.
THE IVERSKY SKETE OF THE SAINT-TRINITY ANTONIEVO-SIYSKY MONASTERY

Architecton: Proceedings of Higher Education №4 (40) December, 2012

The construction of sketes in remote areas, which are available in the majority of modern Russian orthodox monasteries, is one of the architectural interventions used for zoning the territory of a monastery. The need for such zoning is caused by a sharp increase in the number of pilgrims and tourists visiting monasteries.

This article describes an architectural design project for an Iversky skete at the Saint-Trinity Antonievo-Siysky monastery. The skete may accommodate 5-7 persons. There are very few sketes of such size remaining today. Moreover, the existing sketes accommodate significantly more or fewer brethren and may be referred to small monasteries or recluses, respectively.

The skete complex proposed follows the traditions of Russian wooden architecture taking into account contemporary requirements for the general layout, functionalities of individual buildings and their structures and building materials. An optimal mix of premises and communications between them has been developed to ensure that the skete is liveable, and capacity for a small expansion is provided. The layout of the cell building, consisting of log huts ‘beaded’ on a corridor, permits both separate and shared living of residents as necessary. The number of log huts may vary. The plan of the church, connected to the cell building by a vestry, allows heating to be supplied to the church and the residence from one boiler-house.

The project may serve as an analogue for both a separate monastic skete and for a skete near a religious monument of history and architecture without causing discord in the perception of the ancient object.