Lezhava, Ilya Georgievich

Lezhava Ilya was born in Moscow on March 11, 1935, in a family of architects Georgy Ilyich Lezhava and Maria Ilyinichna Dzhandieri. During the Great Patriotic War he lived in Moscow, as well as in evacuation in Astrakhan . He graduated from Moscow school number 31 in 1954 .
In 1960 he graduated from the Moscow Architectural Institute .
From 1961 to 1962 he worked in the Design Department of the Palace of Soviets . ^[one]
For most of his life, from 1962 until the last days, I. G. Lezhava taught at the Moscow Architectural Institute. In 1988 he defended his thesis for the degree of Doctor of Architecture on the topic: "Function and structure of the form . " As part of scientific and pedagogical activities, he traveled with students across all continents, visited more than 60 countries, many of which several times.
He was engaged in design practice, competitive projects, construction of residential and office complexes, in recent years - scientific and pedagogical activities.

In the early 1960s, at the Moscow Architectural Institute, a group of students developed a new conceptual futuristic direction in urban planning - NER. New Element of Resettlement . Later, the ideas of NER formed the basis of candidate and doctoral dissertations and practical projects (such as the reconstruction of Arbat and Stoleshnikov Lane in Moscow). Three stages of NER were exhibited at world architectural exhibitions, and were recognized by the international community. Books written from design studies have become architectural bestsellers. The topic of NER has been developing up to the present time - the Sibstream project. ^[2]

NER “Kritovo”

In the fifth year of the Moscow Architectural Institute, Ilya Lezhava joined the group of Alexei Gutnov , who was engaged in the study of modern architecture and the “City of the Future”. The rector of the institute, Ivan Nikolaev , supported the group, and, as a result, a project was created that filled the entire newly built White Hall of MARCHI. The authors of the project: Gutnov A. , A. Baburov , N. Gladkova , A. Zvezdin , I. Lezhava , N. Kostrikin , S. Sadovsky , A. Sukhanova and Z. Kharitonova . The project influenced architects, theorists and practitioners. The project ideas were presented in the book “ A New Element of Settlement: On the Way to a New City ” ( Stroyizdat , 1966), authors: Gutnov A. , Lezhava I., Baburov A., G. Dumenton, S. Sadovsky, Z. Kharitonova . The book has been translated into many languages, published in many countries and has become an architectural bestseller. NER ideas have spread around the world.

NER Triennial

In 1968, the NER group was invited to participate in the Milan architectural triennial. The authors of the updated concept of NER: A. Gutnov , I. Lezhava , A. Bazhenov , I. Belman , I. Lunkova , E. Rusakov , V. Skachkov , A. Skokan , I. Telyatnikov , N. Fedyaeva , V. Yudintsev , sociologist G. Dumenton . More than ten models of plasticine were made, huge drawings printed on whatman paper with printing ink in complex manual technique. At the exhibition, this material was demonstrated in the interior pavilion, in the form of photos from layouts and drawings. The project was presented by Alexey Gutnov. An exhibition of the Arkigram group was located next door.

NER Osaka

In the late 1960s, the NER group was invited to participate in the 1970 Osaka World Expo . A new version of the NER was made, in the form of a snail (spiral) - a completed urban element containing all types of housing: from high-rise in the center with an extensive park, to individual residential buildings with household plots and dissolution of the spiral in nature. A large layout was exhibited at the exhibition. Based on the research of this stage, in 1977 in Stroyizdat the book “ The Future of the City ” was published. Authors: A. Gutnov, I. Lezhava.

After graduating from the institute from 1961 to 1962, Ilya Lezhava worked in the Office for the Design of the Palace of Soviets on the Lenin Hills . ^[one]
Ilya Lezhava :

The Second Palace of Soviets had a sad fate. He was forgotten. Crossed out from the history of Soviet architecture. Lost the sketches. In vain. DS-1 was a great symbol of the 1930s, DS-2 was an equally significant symbol of the 1960s.

Since 1962, I. G. Lezhava worked at the Moscow Architectural Institute. Since 1979 - Head of the Department of Urban Planning of MARCH. Under the direction of Lezhava, more than 500 graduates, interns and masters graduated. From 1987 to 2007 - Vice-Rector for Research at MARCH.
I. G. Lezhava gave lectures and conducted studio classes in 15 countries ( France , Holland , USA , Mexico , Argentina , Japan , China , Vietnam , Poland , Yugoslavia , etc.)
Organizer of exhibitions on architecture and urban planning in seven countries: France (4 exhibitions), England , Japan , etc.
He led groups of students in work on international architectural competitions. I traveled abroad with students in Soviet times, when travel was forbidden, and competitive victories are especially significant. Students prepared by I. G. Lezhava received more than 50 prizes, of which the first 9 were awarded at prestigious international competitions (Belgium, Holland, France, Japan, etc.). In Japan, several architectural magazines were published on the competitive works of MARCH students.

Famous Students

In the design, competition and scientific groups of I. G. Lezhava participated:

• Avvakumov, Mikhail
• Andreyev, Pavel
• Belov, Mikhail
• Kirpichov, Vladislav
• Skuratov, Sergey
• Khazanov, Mikhail

In the 1980s, in the process of working on competitive projects at once in several groups of MARCHI students abstract poetic and ironic ideas were born that were not always real. Lezhava I. G., in the process of managing the works, was the “father of paper architecture” ^[3] , from his filing a name was established that existed since the time of Piranesi , but in this period gained new strength and took shape in an independent genre of architectural conceptualism. In the context of an overly regulated situation in the construction industry of the USSR, “architectural poetry”, predictive and graphically flawlessly executed “wallet” projects were a fresh breath of air that influenced the expansion of architectural consciousness, understanding of the social role of architecture and its connection with nature, culture, history. The active participation of wallets in competitions ended by 1987-1988, but their exhibitions were in many cities around the world. Today, alternative projects by young architects have become classics, several hundred works are in the largest museums in the world.

Main buildings

• The Neglinnaya Plaza complex on Trubnaya Square , 2008, together with M.V. Shubenkov, Yu. V. Kuzin, N.R. Zorina
• Office center on the street Rozhdestvenka , d. 17, in the team of authors.
• Office center in Dmitrovsky Lane , 7, 2006., in the team of authors
• Residential village "Verbovsky" in Murom for 25 thousand inhabitants

Competition Projects

• Competitive project " Zaryadye ", 2004
• Competition of the International Gas Union "City 2100", project "Sibstream" , 2003
• Reconstruction of city centers: Murmansk , Yaroslavl , Nizhny Novgorod , Tashkent (awarded prizes)
• Tenders for the development of residential areas of Tallinn and Tbilisi
• Competitive Moscow reconstruction projects of 1966 and 1968 (1st and 2nd prizes)

Patents

• Copyright certificate “For the creation of a minimized living cell for extreme conditions” , 1981 ^[2]

For more than 20 years, Lezhava I.G. headed the MArHI Council for awarding doctoral degrees. Under the guidance of I. G. Lezhava, 18 candidate dissertations were prepared and defended, he oversaw the defense of 7 doctoral dissertations.
The author of more than 50 articles, 30 scientific papers in the field of theory of architecture and urban planning.
Since 2011 - Vice President of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Building Sciences .

In 2003, the City Gas Competition was organized by the International Gas Union for the World Gas Congress, at which a review of forecast projects from 8 countries was held. For this congress, the Sibstream project was created - a linear system of resettlement of Russia from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. Authors: Lezhava I. G. , Shubenkov M. V. , Khazanov M. D. , R. Mulagildin , sociologist G. Dumenton . The project is a development of the topic “NER” - linear systems, with residential clusters along the highway. ^[4] The project is developing as a scientific concept, the doctrine of Lezhava I. G.

For several years, Lezhava, together with the president of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences, Alexander Kudryavtsev, was prosecuted in cases of abuse of power and fraud with the participation in the construction of a house on Zvonarsky Lane in Moscow. With the money of construction investors, apartments were bought for waiting staff members of the Moscow Architectural Institute, who in court stated that they had no complaints against the Moscow Architectural Institute and asked to exclude them from the number of victims ^[5] . He was found guilty by the court on both charges imputed to him and sentenced to two years probation ^[6] .

• Honored Architect of the Russian Federation
• Golden Section Award for the Neglinnaya Plaza complex project, 2005, together with M. V. Shubenkov, Yu. V. Kuzin, N. R. Zorina
• Honorary Worker of Higher School
• Honorary Member of the International Forum of Young Architects
• Prize of the International Union of Architects in the Field of Criticism and Education in Architecture named after B. Chumi
• Gold Medal of the Russian Academy of Arts
• Medal SAR them. I. V. Zholtovsky "For an outstanding contribution to architectural education"
• First Prize at the OISTT International Competition (France, 1977)

Books

• MARCHES OF THE XX CENTURY - Publishing House Salon-Press, 2006. Authors and Compilers A. Nekrasov, A. Scheglov. Collection of memoirs in five volumes, Lezhava I. G.:
  • Arbat memories
  • History of the NER Group
  • Office for the Construction of the Palace of Soviets
  • Notes on Leonidov
• Urban planning - Stroyizdat , 1989, textbook, Avdotin L.N., Lezhava I.G., Smolyar I.M.
• Organization and spatial modeling in educational architectural design - “Science”, 1980, textbook, in the team of authors
• The future of the city - Stroyizdat , 1977, A. Gutnov, I. Lezhava
• A new element of resettlement: on the way to a new city - Stroyizdat , 1966, Gutnov A. , Lezhava I., Baburov A., G. Dumenton, S. Sadovsky, Z. Kharitonova. Translated into many foreign languages ​​and published in the USA, Italy and the UK, etc.:
  • "The ideal Communist City", George Brazillr, New York
  • "Idee per La Citta Comunista", Il Saggiatore, Milano, 1968

Articles

• Blog articles by Lezhava I.G. Barcelona pavilion and architecture of flowing spaces
• The future of the city :
  • Blog articles Lezhava I. G.
  • "PROJECT Russia / Project Russia", No. 58 issue of the "House of Architects", "The Future of the City"
• Linear cities :
  • Domestic Notes No. 3 (48) 2012
• Linear Russia , the magazine "Urban Planning", No. 2, 2012.
• On the paths to a new settlement in Russia during the transition to an information society based on a combination of science and technology . Electronic Journal "AMIT", No. 4, 2012.
• This amazing team. About the architectural bureau Ostozhenka , TATLIN MONO, 14/12/12 ^[7]
• Le Corbusier. Perception of space , Le Corbusier. Cities. :
  • Blog articles Le Corbusier. Space perception
  • Blog articles Le Corbusier. Cities
• Four stages of training in architecture :
  • Blog articles Four stages of study in architecture
  • "Urban planning city and tawn planning" Bulletin of Architecture and Urban Studies (Kazan), No 1 (11), 2011
• The choice of the XXI century - Linear settlement system , Izvestia KazGASU, No. 2 (12), 2009 ^[8]
• Circle or line , Moscow scholar, 03.03.2009
• New Moscow. The line and the circle , Center of Contemporary Architecture, Russia in collaboration with Mendrisio Academy Press
• NER Group. Four problems of the architecture of the future , Gutnov A. , Lezhava I., L'Architecture D'Aujourd'hui, No. 1, 1970

Interview

• “BERLOGUS” 06.06.2016 “Everything is in us, not in the building”
• URBAN magazine 09/01/2013 Interview: “Following the sun”
• Channel OTR. “Great science. There is only a moment. Where will the people of the future live? ”06/20/2013
• Expert-TV "Architectural ideas for Moscow", 10/19/2012
• LOOK Business Newspaper, "Control is not sufficient", 04/17/2012
• Russian magazine "Linear Capital of Russia", 10.26.2011
• Union of Architects of Russia. Ilya Lezhava “about the bureaucratic city”: “no one will notice that the officials left somewhere”, 07/04/2011
• I. G. Lezhava, interview on the topic: “Is it necessary to unite Moscow and the region?”, LENTA.ru 11/05/10
• Seabstream. Cities of the future on line 2100, Russian Archipelago, November 2007

• I. G. Lezhava on the RAASN website
• Blog articles by Ilya Lezhava
• I. G. Lezhava on rusperson.com
• archi.ru "About Lezhava".
• "City 2100" - Sibstream
• Lezhava's opinion on a long-term construction on the site of the former Rossiya Hotel
• Student contest "Science City in Zvenigorod"