Hotels. A variety of architectural solutions for modern hotel complexes Hotel architect

The architectural bureau "AVK-Project" offers the following types of hotel design services:

• Development of pre-project proposals (PP, EP, Space-planning solutions, Architectural concept);
• Development of the "Project" stage for all sections;
• Development of a complete set of working documentation;
• Coordination of the completed project;
• Interior design of hotels and hotel complexes;

The architectural bureau "AVK-Project" uses the most modern design methods in the development of hotel projects, saving the customer both time and money. We create an individual, memorable image of the finished object. Based on the preferences of the customer, architects can create facades in various styles and materials, ranging from modern minimalism to richly decorated classics. Architectural Bureau "AVK-Project" accumulated extensive experience in hotel design and their coordination in Moscow and other cities of Russia.

Our specialists are always ready to advise you on possible architectural and construction solutions and joint work schemes.

Hotel project:

A modern hotel is a complex that combines many different functions, such as housing stock, restaurants, public areas, technical premises and service infrastructure. The main task for an architect when designing a hotel is to arrange and link zones for various purposes so that, on the one hand, there are no technological problems in the operation of the designed hotel, and on the other hand, the resulting interior space should be cozy and attractive, and the facades are beautiful and memorable.

The architectural design of hotels has a number of features that are not typical for other types of objects. These are the specifics of planning decisions and fire regulations, and the need to solve facades in such a way as to avoid the manifestation of regular planning in the breakdown of facades.

It is not so easy to achieve an extraordinary facade solution in a hotel project. This is due to the peculiarities of the layout of this type of building. A large number of identical rooms in the plan set a certain constructive step that cannot be hidden on the facades, which is why the facades of most designed hotels have a regular step of windows and balconies.

Small hotels:

This feature of hotel planning makes architects look for non-trivial ways to solve the problem. In a sense, small hotels are easier to design. This is due to the fact that with a smaller number of rooms and their greater heterogeneity, it is much easier to achieve interesting solutions for the facades of the building and the interior space. Also of great importance is the size of the site on which the hotel is being designed. The larger it is, the more interesting the project of a hotel realized on it can be.

Projects of mini hotels:

A feature of mini hotels is the almost complete lack of service infrastructure, a small number of rooms and very cramped conditions of the land. In this regard, all those auxiliary and service establishments, which, as a rule, are included in large and medium-sized hotel complexes, should be located near such a hotel.

Hotel design:

In a hotel project, first of all, great attention should be paid to the flow of visitors and staff. Competent zoning and a well-thought-out technological scheme should be the result of the development of layouts in a hotel project. If, for some reason, this cannot be done, then problems cannot be avoided during the operation of such a hotel.

The process of designing hotels begins with an assessment of a plot of land for development: its area, relief, the presence of communications on it, and the surrounding buildings. Therefore, it is not possible to start designing hotels without providing the customer with a geo-base and site plan. Also, a detailed terms of reference is required with a description of the number of rooms (number and areas of different types of rooms), engineering systems, specification of the service infrastructure. As well as the requirements set by the customer for the level of finishing of residential, technical and public premises of the hotel being designed.

After receiving all the necessary information, the architect proceeds to develop floor zoning schemes, both aboveground and underground, "landing the volume of the building" on the general plan of the site. Further, planning solutions, hotel facades, and the general layout of the site are developed. Upon completion of work on this stage, the customer receives a finished draft design of the hotel, which includes:

• Explanatory note
• Technical and economic indicators
• Situational plan
• General plan
• floor plans
• cuts
• facades
• 3D visualization

The next stage of work is the Project stage. At this stage, designers and engineers of related sections are involved. All of them develop their own sections of the hotel project, making changes to planning decisions, elevations, and sometimes the landing of the building. For each section of the hotel project, the schemes, specifications, calculations, etc. necessary at this stage are developed. Each section is agreed with the architect of the project and after the final approval and verification, the completed project of the hotel is released, ready for the necessary approvals.

Upon completion of the approvals, you can start issuing the Working Documentation. At this stage, all the necessary documentation for the construction of all sections is issued. The maximum study of all units and parts is carried out, the release of estimates and specifications, both for general construction and engineering sections of the hotel project. After completion of work on this, the last stage of design, the customer receives all the documentation necessary for the construction of the hotel. However, for high-quality and technologically correct construction work, technical and architectural supervision of construction is necessary. Representatives of which monitor compliance with the project and technical regulations of the work carried out at the construction site.

The architecture of a hotel or hotel complex is a complex and multifaceted concept, including the appearance of buildings, their internal layout, landscape organization of the territory and interior decoration of the premises.

Architectural structures, like other phenomena of modern artistic culture, are difficult to drive into the rigid framework of any style or direction. They are often on the verge of being a complex combination of various traditional and innovative architectural techniques. Therefore, it seems logical to conditionally divide the motley variety of modern hotels into groups according to the principles of their location and construction method. Each group has some common architectural features. Modern high-rise hotels - complexes with a very high level of comfort, offer a wide range of services, have a developed infrastructure. Often such hotels are included in the world-famous international chains - Sheraton, Hilton, etc. A variety of restaurants and bars, conference rooms, shops, underground parking, outdoor and indoor pools and fitness centers, as well as equipped with all modern means of communication business centers make them attractive for both tourists and people traveling for purely business purposes. The architecture of such hotels is extremely functional and modern, using the latest achievements in building technologies, modern structures and building materials.

In Europe, where many original architectural monuments have been preserved, where cultural and historical traditions are strong, there is a clear tendency in the architecture of hotels to respect history, when old buildings take on a new life. In capitals and historical cities with rich cultural traditions, these hotels are usually located in close proximity to numerous attractions. The most fashionable of them are located in old buildings of architectural and historical value in the existing urban development. Many hotels have existed for a long time, have their own history and traditions, and are proud of their famous guests. The level of comfort in them is at the highest level, since in the process of reconstruction and renovation they were equipped with all the means of modern engineering equipment. At the same time, the external appearance of the building and the interior were restored, they were returned to their original appearance, the authentic atmosphere of a bygone era was recreated. The interiors and all the decoration of such hotels are made in the style and traditions of a certain historical period.

The decoration uses expensive materials; it can be oak panels for wall and ceiling cladding, tapestries and tapestries, typesetting parquet, marble, bronze and gilding are widely used. The interiors are replete with authentic restored details and antique furniture, amaze with luxury and give the impression of complete correspondence to a certain era. It can be Baroque or Empire, Rococo or Art Nouveau. The tendency for old buildings to find new life and a new destiny has led to the fact that impregnable castles, which were spared by time, have become today strongholds of hospitality. The medieval castle of Amberley Castle has been rising among the majestic hills and vast lakes of West Sussex for almost nine centuries, one hundred and twenty kilometers from London. It strikes with a delightful atmosphere of privacy and serene peace, in which the unique flair of antiquity and the highest level of comfort inherent in a world-class country hotel coexist. In total, the hotel has nineteen suites individually decorated with antique furniture and luxurious fabrics, which have all modern amenities, with televisions, video players, telephones and other equipment delicately camouflaged in historical surroundings.

Recently, a slightly different approach to the architectural solution of hotels located in historical buildings has become more widespread. Taking care of the appearance and facades, the architect reserves the right to create a completely new interior in style and spirit. So, located in the very center of London near Trafalgar Square, the five-star One Aldwych hotel strikes with a sharp contrast: a building from the turn of the century and an ultra-modern interior. The high pace of everyday life and the poor environmental situation in modern megacities make a person turn to face nature, draw vitality from it. The advantages of a quiet and measured provincial life, tranquility and solitude in the bosom of nature, national flavor and local cuisine make "agritourism" more and more attractive. Hotels offering such a holiday are usually located in the countryside in buildings of traditional architecture. Hotel "Borgo" in Tuscany, Italy is located in an old building, typical of Mediterranean architecture, in a wine estate in the province of Chianti. Today, just like centuries ago, delicious wine and fresh olive oil are produced here. Vast vineyards and picturesque olive groves spread around, the peaceful atmosphere of patriarchal Italy reigns.

National flavor is one of the main features characteristic of the architecture of country hotels intended for recreation. The use of techniques, details and materials traditional for the area in the architectural appearance allows the building to harmoniously fit into the environment and optimally adapt to natural and climatic conditions. In addition, the national flavor, present both in the architectural appearance and in interior design, is an important emotional and aesthetic factor that affects the formation of a positive image of hotels.

To give pleasure to the guest, to make his stay at the hotel pleasant and not boring, to entertain him and surprise him, to amaze his imagination and remain in his memory for a long time is a peak that not all hotels manage to achieve. It submits only to those who firmly know the formula for success: an expressive architectural form must be filled with the content of high-class service.

Today, given the rapid development of tourism, special attention is paid to the development of the hotel business. The value of a hotel or hotel complex in the modern tourism infrastructure can hardly be overestimated. And this is no coincidence, because for travelers of our days, the hotel should become a cozy and comfortable home for a while, where they will want to return again.

Many specialists are working on solving this issue, and not the last place in this is the work of an architect who, at the design stage, lays the foundations for the hotel's image. The architecture of a hotel or hotel complex includes both the external appearance of buildings, their internal layout, and the landscape organization of the territory and the interior decoration of the premises. Each component is important, but only together, uniting into one harmonious whole, they become a complete artistic image, corresponding to the general idea of ​​the hotel. At the same time, the architectural appearance becomes the visual factor that makes the very first and strongest impression on a person.

And today, almost all modern architectural trends and trends are reflected in the architecture of hotels. Being a complex and complex object in its purpose, combining social and entertainment functions along with housing, the hotel allows the architect to realize all creative ideas and create an expressive and memorable image. To do this, architects often use planning techniques and building materials traditional for the area. In combination with unexpected innovative ideas, the architects manage to provide an attractive and memorable image of the hotel complex for tourists. Given the different approach to the architectural design of hotels, they can be divided into several groups - modern hotel complexes, hotels located in historical buildings and exotic hotels.

Modern high-rise hotels

The architectural appearance of such hotels usually does not have a national coloring - it is, first of all, a visual image of modern architecture, striking the imagination with the boldness of forms and technical solutions. The architecture is extremely functional and modern, using the latest achievements in building technologies, modern structures and building materials. The latest engineering equipment - systems of energy and water supply, ventilation and heating allow you to create your own microclimate inside the hotel complex, a comfortable environment for a person.

Having autonomy, such complexes enable a person to realize their needs for entertainment and recreation without going beyond it. In addition, such hotels have all the conditions for the successful holding of various business events - congresses, conferences, etc.

These hotels include the seven-star Burj al-Arab Hotel. It is the largest building in the Middle East, taller than the Eiffel Tower. The hotel is built in the shape of a yacht sail. It stands on a triangular artificial island 280 meters off the coast of Jumeirah. The building has steel diagonal bracing on the outer sides of the walls and is set on concrete piles that extend into the seabed. The total area of ​​its premises is 111 thousand 480 m2, and the height of the building is 321 m. The hotel is equipped with the fastest elevators in the world. Their average speed is seven meters per second. On the top floor there is a restaurant with a fantastic view of the sea and the coast. The luxurious hotel accommodates two hundred two-level rooms. The area of ​​the smallest single room is 169 m2. The most exquisite materials were used to decorate the interiors of the hotel: marble, precious woods, natural stone, leather, and even precious metals - more than 8 thousand m2 of the hotel is decorated with pure gold of the highest standard.

Designers have taken care not only of the beauty of the facade and interior decoration, but also of the convenience of the staff, which provides guests with a truly impeccable service. Each floor has its own reception service and butler service for every guest. The hotel has 6 chic restaurants, one of which is underwater.

Today, modern hotel complexes are closely connected with the entertainment industry. This trend can be seen in the example of hotels located in the territories of theme parks, such as Disneyland. Under these conditions, the hotel corresponds so much to the fairy-tale reality surrounding it that it becomes a kind of decoration against which guests get an amazing feeling of an illusion come to life. The architecture of hotels in the world gambling center Las Vegas is characterized by the fact that they are based on the sights of various countries.

For example, the Paris - Las Vegas hotel is France on the American continent, and the New York - New York hotel consists of many "Manhattan" skyscrapers, in front of which there is a small copy of the Statue of Liberty. Las Vegas also has its own little Venice - the Venice Hotel, which allows guests to visit Venice, the most romantic city in Italy, without leaving the States. The Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and other Venetian sights have been recreated with the highest authenticity in the hotel complex. The construction of this hotel cost $4.2 billion.

Entering the entertainment industry to a new level was marked by the opening of the Bellagio hotel-casino, which is a real art museum, for which paintings by famous artists were specially bought: Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, Picasso and other celebrities.

Construction of hotels in Las Vegas continues. So, D. Trump, an American billionaire, announced his intention to build the highest hotel on the territory of the famous Street quarter in Las Vegas. The hotel will be similar to the International Hotel and Trump Tower in New York. Construction of the 64-storey hotel, consisting of 1,000 rooms and 50 luxury apartments, is scheduled to begin in 2005. Its cost is estimated at 300 million dollars. The duration of construction can be 18-24 months. The 197 m tall hotel building will exceed the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas (187 m), which will be built in April 2005. Moreover, its cost is estimated at $2.6 billion. A 196-meter-high Palazzo hotel is being built next to it, the construction of which will cost $1.6 billion. It is planned that it will be put into operation in 2007.

New life for old hotels

The trend of preserving and restoring old hotels can be traced almost all over the world. This is especially noticeable in Europe, where many original architectural monuments have been preserved. In the architecture of hotels, the tendency to respect history is most noticeable, and old buildings are given new life. In European capitals and historical cities with rich cultural traditions, such hotels are usually located in close proximity to other historical attractions.

The most fashionable of them are located in old buildings of architectural and historical value in the existing urban development. Many hotels have existed for a long time, have their own history and traditions, and are proud of their famous guests. The level of comfort in them is at the highest level, since in the process of reconstruction and renovation they were equipped with all the means of modern engineering equipment. At the same time, the external appearance of the building and the interior were restored, they were returned to their original appearance, the authentic atmosphere of a bygone era was recreated. The interiors and all the decoration of such hotels are made in the style and traditions of a certain historical period. Such hotels have become world famous.

For example, the Parisian Hotel Meurice is considered the most prestigious hotel in France and is part of the famous Dorchester Group, which includes the most luxurious hotels in the world. During the 183 years of its existence, the hotel was reconstructed three times (in 1907, 1947 and 2000). The architect and designer who carried out the renovation project were well aware that the Meurice is not just the oldest hotel in Paris - it is part of its history. In Paris, which is called the living room for the whole world, there are a large number of hotels located in renovated old buildings. These are the Saints-Peres Hotel, a charming and noble old mansion with completely restored interiors, and the Lotti Hotel, which first opened in 1910, where the rooms are decorated in the styles of Louis XV and Louis XVI.

The Lancaster Hotel, built in 1889, was completely renovated in 1996 and still perfectly exemplifies the "art of living the French way" of the Second Empire. The great and only Ritz is located in the very center of Paris. The preservation of historical buildings is also at the heart of the urban planning policy of other Western countries. In Zurich (Switzerland), which, while remaining one of the largest business centers in the world, combines the sophistication of antiquity and the elegant simplicity of a modern cultural center, is the "Dolder Grant Hotel". Located on a high hill in an old city park, it was built about a hundred years ago in the Art Nouveau style (French L "Art Nouveau - new art). The appearance of the hotel corresponds to the surrounding landscape and resembles a castle.

The tendency for old buildings to acquire new life and a new destiny has led to the fact that even real castles, which time spared, have become strongholds of hospitality today.

For example, the medieval castle Amberley Castle, which has been rising for almost nine centuries among the majestic hills and vast lakes of West Sussex, 120 km from London, strikes with a delightful atmosphere of solitude and serene peace. The hotel has a total of nineteen suites individually decorated with antiques and luxurious fabrics, offering all modern comforts.

Recently, another approach to the architectural solution of hotels located in historical buildings has become more widespread. Taking care of the appearance and facades, the architect reserves the right to create a completely new interior in style and spirit. So, located in the very center of London near Trafalgar Square, the five-star One Aldwych hotel strikes with a sharp contrast - a building from the beginning of the century and an ultra-modern interior.

Exotics of the hotel business

The architecture of hotels in this group depends on those design features that affect the safety of residents. So, for example, for the equipment of the underwater hotel "Jules" Undersea Lodge "two researchers-oceanologists Jan Koblik and Neil Money converted their underwater laboratory, located at a depth of 21 m under water in the Emerald Lagoon in Florida. The hotel is designed for 6 guests, equipped with a shower room, kitchen, living room, there is even a telephone, living area - 600 m2.

You can get into Jules "Undersea Lodge only with scuba gear, the "entrance hall" is arranged on land and resembles a descent into the pool. Guests enter the hotel through the so-called wet room, where you can change into ordinary clothes and take a shower. Visitors get around at the hotel without breathing apparatus, as the pressurized room is filled with air.The control of maintaining normal conditions in the hotel is carried out at the station located on the surface, in the Emerald Lagoon.The station is connected to the hotel by a cable, through which air, water and electricity are supplied to the hotel.It is believed that that Jules "Undersea Lodge" is the world's first underwater hotel. The creators of the underwater hotel initially hatched plans to build a network of similar facilities. But at the moment, with the development of this idea, they are in no hurry.

Tree-top hotels are also popular. The peculiarity of the hotel complex "Ariau Jungle Tower" is precisely that it is located on the trees. The hotel is located at the confluence of the Rio Negro with the Amazon, 55 km from the capital of the Amazon - Manaus .. And this is not just an eccentricity of architects. There were several reasons for raising the numbers to a height of 50 m. Firstly, in a particularly unfavorable season, the water level here rises by 20-25 m. In addition, there are a lot of all living creatures in the Amazon that are not averse to feasting on a gaping European tourist, for example, cute piranha fish. But despite this, "Ariau Jungle Tower" is very popular among the world's elite. At one time, Bill Clinton, the presidents of all Latin American countries and German President Roman Herzog visited here. VIP-guests took part in the conference, which are held here very often. Despite the "minor" inconveniences, the hotel is so mesmerizing with its exotic beauty that there is simply no end to the guests.

The newlyweds book the tower "Tarzan in Love" for their honeymoon, located at an altitude of 60 m. Who abruptly occupies apartments in the "Imperial Tower". And for ordinary guests, the whole range of familiar services - rooms with baths and air conditioning, guides who speak several languages, and, of course, two swimming pools, four meters above the ground.

Tree hotels are not uncommon today. There are similar “hanging hotels” in other regions of the world. For example, in Turkey, the Kadir "s tree houses" tree hotel has been operating for more than 17 years. It has a capacity of 300 beds and is a couple of dozens of cobbled huts built right on the branches of giant trees.

In recent years, work has been actively underway to create space hotels. On May 25, 2002, an agreement in principle was reached between the Russian company Atlas Aerospace and the international corporation Mircorp on the creation of an orbital hotel for tourists. Of course, there are serious disagreements between them about what should be the world's first space hotel. MirCorp offers the traditional version that has been used in the world so far, that is, a universal station. From the point of view of Atlas Aerospace, in addition to the high cost, such a station has a significant drawback - high costs for operation and maintenance during periods of forced downtime. It was for these reasons that the Mir station was flooded.

Atlas Aerospace proposes to use a fundamentally new approach - modular construction, in which individual parts of the station are highly specialized, inexpensive, can be launched into orbit and sunk autonomously, if necessary. A flexible approach allows you to build a ship from modules for a specific task. At the same time, it is planned to significantly change the internal design in the space module, adapt it to more comfortable living, and increase the volume of living quarters. The life support system of the hotel will be powered by the engines of the ship that delivers tourists to orbit. Thus, when the crew is not on board, it is just a blank, the stay of which in space costs nothing to the owners on Earth.

According to the calculations of the partners, the initial price of the project (the main ligaments that ensure the operation of the hotel in the mode of simultaneous reception of two tourists) is $100 million. At the visiting station, as partners prefer to call it, there will be two chairs. The cost of each ticket with regular launches can drop to $10-15 million. In addition to tourism, the visiting station has a second promising purpose - a platform for alternative scientific programs. There are other areas of activity, for example, the possibility of going into space for countries that are not members of the ISS Space Club today. And, finally, the hotel can become a unique platform for various shootings. Experts admit that despite the different approaches, this is the first major joint project in the history of commercial astronautics with the participation of two companies.

The stage when each private company sought to go into orbit alone has passed. Time has shown that for the implementation of space programs, cooperation of the financial and technical capabilities of former competitors is simply necessary. NPO Energia is the general contractor of the joint project. Instead of conclusion In the modern world there are a huge number of hotels. They differ in purpose, capacity, number of storeys, type of construction, level of comfort, location and other features.

All these features, in turn, have an impact on the architectural and planning solution, and hence on the image of the hotel. Indeed, today the hotel has ceased to be just a place for a temporary overnight stay. A high level of comfort is no longer enough. To succeed in the competitive struggle, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of the modern market. Just to entertain the guests and ensure their comfort - now this is not enough, you also need to surprise, and maybe even stun.

Hotel location depends on their purpose. Hotels are located near railway stations, at the intersection of busy streets and roads, in areas where administrative buildings and entertainment institutions are located. For the construction of hotels, quiet, dust-protected land plots are chosen, if possible with green spaces and sufficient territory for car parking and large garages. Hotels should have entrances that are directly adjacent to public communication routes, but located at a distance from schools, hospitals, etc. Hotel buildings are built from fire-resistant structural elements.

stairs, equipped with arched railings, should be wide enough. The exits from the hotel should be equal in width to the width of the flights of stairs, Doors "not narrower than 1 m, opening outward.

Resort hotels have large living rooms, usually overlooking the park or the beach.

Superior comfort hotels have spacious rooms for friendly meetings of a limited circle of visitors, hotels for tourists often provide only one dining room, sometimes several living rooms.

Area of ​​hotel premises public use is 1.5 - 4 m2 per visitor, depending on the type of hotel. The minimum floor area for breakfast rooms can be set, provided that visitors are served in two or three shifts. In large cities, hotels with more than 100 rooms are profitable.

Orientation to the countries of the world: rooms are oriented to the east, south, west. Kitchens, utility rooms, corridors, sometimes staff rooms are oriented to the north.

Car entrances. If possible, only one entrance to the main entrance is arranged, providing through traffic and well-observed from the hotel; the platform in front of the entrance doors should be protected by a visor.

Lobby with adjoining rooms for the through movement of visitors and staff is the center of the hotel. Stairs and elevators are located here, all operations for the registration of visitors are carried out; the length of the counter for registration is assigned at the rate of 2.5 cm per one place in the hotel.

Living room-hall often they decide in the form of a covered courtyard-garden, around which various rooms for residents are grouped; bar. breakfast room (designed to serve 25% of residents, dining room (for 50 residents), cafe-restaurant (most often with a separate entrance).

Public premises, as a rule, are placed adjacently in a separate wing of the building, which makes it possible to create one large banquet hall from 2 - 3 rooms by pushing the partitions. Sometimes a separate entrance with a spacious wardrobe and sanitary facilities is also provided here.

beer hall arrange usually in the basement. In modern hotels, the area of ​​​​living rooms located on the ground floor is drastically reduced. Many hotels in large cities have only breakfast rooms on the ground floor; however, these hotels are often directly and conveniently linked to independently operating restaurants and cafes. The area of ​​the first floor released in connection with this is allocated for shops, etc.

Rooms, as a rule, are located only on the second floor and above, large rooms are mostly oriented with windows to the squares and parks, to the east and south, mostly small rooms overlook the courtyard-garden.

The utility yard and the northern part of the courtyard-garden face, as a rule, utility rooms, staff and drivers' quarters.

Kitchen located, if possible, on the ground floor near the restaurant of the breakfast room and the living room-lounge. It is connected to the pantry on the upper floors by elevators and service stairs.

The area ratios of individual rooms change dramatically depending on the type of hotel.

Required area of ​​kitchens per resident; restaurant kitchens - about 0.6 m2; kitchens at the breakfast room - about 0.4 m2; only 1 m2.

1. Scheme of the layout of the hotel on a free site. Plan of the first and upper floors. M 1: 2000. 2. Hotel, on the one hand adjacent to the adjacent site. Plan of the first and upper floors. M 1: 2000. 3. Hotel on a corner lot adjacent to two adjacent lots. Plan of the first and upper floors. M 1: 2000.	4. Hotel on a site adjacent to adjacent sites on three sides. Plan of the first and upper floors. M 1: 2000.

Hyatt Regency Hotel in San Francisco is a clear example of the implementation of the above principles of space-planning solutions for hotels. It is located on a plot of land triangular in plan and includes in its volume a very attractive patio-garden, perfectly visible from the open galleries-corridors and from the glazed elevator cabins openly placed on the wall at the main entrance (Fig. 5).

5. The Hyatt Regency Hotel in San Francisco. Architect D. Portman. Plan of the 5th floor (the lowest of the floors intended for accommodation of residential rooms) and cross section. 1 - number; 2 - room with a balcony facing south; 3 - gallery for passage to the rooms; 4 - terrace; 5 - elevator hall; 6 - luggage storage; 7 - openly moving glazed elevator cabins; 8 - hall; 9 - garages; 10 - floor for shops and offices; 11 - revolving restaurant; 12 - patio-garden.

Hotel "Moscow" on Okhotny Ryad, 2 is one of the largest in the capital of Russia. It was originally built between 1933 and 1935. The project was developed by a group of architects, which included Leonid Ivanovich (?) Saveliev and Oswald Andreevich Stapran, with significant participation of Alexei Viktorovich Shchusev.

The hotel complex was dismantled in 2004, and a building was erected in its place, which was built according to the original original drawings and almost completely reproduces the former forms of the previously dismantled one (as the developers say).

Photo 1. Hotel "Moscow", the central facade of which overlooks

Manezhnaya Square

The history of the construction of the first stage

The Moskva Hotel was included in the list of the first buildings of this type in Soviet Russia. It occupies a whole block, bounded by Okhotny Ryad Street and squares - Manezhnaya and Revolution Square. The massive building became the dominant feature of the surrounding area.

It should be noted that the area of ​​Okhotny Ryad was considered at the beginning of the 20th century one of the most unfavorable in terms of sanitary conditions in the city of Moscow. Since this place was planned under the new government as a site for the construction of the Palace of Labor, the surroundings began to be cleared and brought to a more dignified appearance.

Excesses, which resulted in the demolition in the 1920s of the chapel in the name of Alexander Nevsky and the Church of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, were not done. But, meanwhile, all the fetid dilapidated shops were destroyed here, most of which were located at the southern tip of this area, and the local market was moved from the very center of the capital to Tsvetnoy Boulevard.

Photo 2. View of the hotel complex from Okhotny Ryad Street and

Theater Square

The authors were, as mentioned above, the architects Stapran and Savelyev. The future building was to be erected in the then fashionable style of constructivism, which clearly conflicted with the architectural appearance of the area: massiveness and strict asceticism did not fit in here.

By the time the frame frame of the building was almost completed, Alexei Shchusev, a well-known architect of the pre-revolutionary school, was involved in the implementation of the project for the construction of the future Moskva Hotel. Why?

The fact is that by the onset of the 1930s, the architecture of the country of the Soviets began to move away from the avant-garde style in the outline of buildings and turned towards the urban heritage of the past, i.e. classical style, which became a factor in the emergence of the so-called "Stalinist Empire".

So, Alexey Ivanovich had to correct the initial idea of ​​his young colleagues.

It was no longer possible to make significant changes due to the already built monolithic box, but Shchusev managed to tweak a lot without infringing on the pride of Savelyev and Stapran, and create a laconic decor, executed in the spirit of neoclassicism.

So there appeared an eight-column portico with an open terrace, six floors high, numerous balconies along the facade and loggia-arcades from the side of the main entrance. Turrets appeared on the corners of the building, and after all the innovations, the building itself received a certain plasticity, which was helped to express the division into fragments of the entire facade.

The building of the Moskva Hotel was originally supposed to be of different heights: the main facade from the side of Manezhnaya Square had 14 floors, and the building along Okhotny Ryad - only 10.

It is worth noting that the building was supposed to have an architectural connection with the future Palace of the Soviets, which was planned to be erected on the site of the destroyed Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and therefore the central facade is oriented to that side and now “looks” directly at the recreated religious building.

In those same years, the architect Shchusev began to implement the plan for the construction of the second stage of the Moskva Hotel, but then the practical implementation of the project was not started.

Two additional buildings began to be erected only in 1968. It was a 10-story building on the side of the Revolution Square and a 6-story building facing the Theater Square. For these purposes, some buildings were demolished, located next to the already built part of the hotel complex, incl. and the Grand Hotel.

The work was completed in 1977 on the eve of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution.

Although they tried to build the buildings in the same architectural concept as the former buildings, the decor of the facades turned out to be somewhat dry. Many critics expressed particular claims to the building from the side of the Theater Square, which was an ordinary concrete box.

The history of the construction of the first stage of the Moskva Hotel is connected by a legend with Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin himself, the head of the Soviet state of that time.

Allegedly, the architect Aleksey Viktorovich Shchusev presented to the leader a design project for the main facade in two versions, combined in one drawing and separated by a median line: the left one was more pompous, and the right one was made in more strict forms. Stalin's signature crossed the center line, and they were afraid to decide which of them was actually approved. So they built a facade with some asymmetry.

In confirmation of this, they point to the right and left risalits that differ from each other.

The legend may be beautiful, but it does not correspond to the facts. Stalin never put his signatures on architectural projects.

"Restoration by demolition" - the architectural trend of Luzhkov's times

In 2004, the old buildings of the Moskva Hotel, which occupied a whole block, were dismantled, and in their place they began to build a remake, which in its forms was supposed to resemble the previous building. By 2013, the main works were completed, and a new history of this complex in the center of the capital will soon begin.

It is worth noting that a lot of money was allocated for the construction, of which about 90 million dollars were simply stolen. Many believe that the restructuring of the building was required precisely for these purposes - sawing.

The Moskva Hotel was built only in the 30s of the last century, and here it was possible to get by with a sparing reconstruction that would bring the building to the level of the world's best hotels, especially since such experience was already available in the capital. As an example, we can cite the hotels "Metropol", "National", "