1. Genetically inherent defects - related to the experimental nature of the design of the house, eliminated temporarily, but reappearing again

Melnikov House

For any architect, coming into contact with the creative genius of architect Konstantin Stepanovich Melnikov is an incredible professional experience. And when you have the good fortune to enter into an invisible dialog with him, working directly with his construction, it is not just an experience, but practically a new university. It is with this message in mind, understanding the degree of trust and responsibility, that our team approached the task of first researching and then proposing solutions to preserve the House that was created by the author for his family in 1929.

Every house, like every person, has its own fate, its own history. It leaves its traces and marks on the face and body. Houses live longer than their owners, so we have the opportunity to unravel the fate of their owners after a while by the evidence that has materialized in the body of the house, and to highlight those authentic features and elements that carry the memory of the former inhabitants. And this is what we must preserve first and foremost. This approach is particularly important when both the building itself and its occupants are significant to culture and history. The fate of the House is inextricably linked with the lives of its author and its inhabitants — Konstantin Stepanovich Melnikov, Victor Konstantinovich Melnikov, their families, and the events of the twentieth century. And, of course, it is generally recognized that the K. S. Melnikov House is an outstanding symbol of the Russian avant-garde, which influenced the development of world architecture.

The main thing that we tried to understand and recognize in our study was an attempt to classify the defects and pathologies of the house into those that are essentially part of the "genetics" of the experimental structure and those that have arisen due to the causes of later interventions and exploitation. The main guide for us was K. S. Melnikov’s diaries, which describe in sufficient detail the process of creating the house, all deviations from the project and compromises related to the objective circumstances of that time, and record in detail the further life of the object, its natural deformations and transformations of the postwar period. Second, we studied the project documentation of the Spetsproekt-Restoration Research Institute, which carried out restoration work in the house in 1996, and other research materials. This allowed us to determine the dating of all the elements of the building with a high degree of accuracy, to penetrate, as far as possible, into the author’s idea and the circumstances of the object’s life. We would like to share the results of this research on the pages of this publication.

Our work was greatly assisted by the results of research conducted in 2018: comprehensive engineering and technological surveys conducted by InzhStroyServis-1 LLC, historical and cultural surveys by Tatiana Tsareva, field studies by Tapani Mustanen, and studies of paint layers by Mariel Polman and Luc Megens. Invaluable help was also kindly provided by Konstantin Stepanovich’s granddaughter Elena Viktorovna Melnikova, who clarified a number of unclear points for us. And, of course, we cannot fail to mention the Shchusev Museum of Architecture and Pavel Kuznetsov himself, who was not only our customer, but also a full member of our team, who made a huge contribution to our common cause.

The architectural study of K. S. Melnikov’s house lasted almost a year. This year we lived together with him, we touched him, we looked into him, listened to him, communicated with him, trying to find a common language and understanding. It seems to us that we have succeeded.

Narine Tyutcheva,
Head of AB "Rozhdestvenka"

К. S. Melnikov
Entry in the tear-off calendar for 1927.

• Manifestation of genuine authentic elements of the house and those recreated during previous restorations

• Determination of the degree of restorative intervention depending on the authenticity and type of defect

• Architectural measurements

In-situ research:

History of construction

The walls were plastered with lime mortar in different periods of the year, including cold and frost, standing in the rain. Plaster layers differ in thickness, quality and material. The fact that there are no eaves contributes to the accumulation of moisture — any precipitation affects its walls. The main masonry walls were erected in the cold season and stood for quite a long time before plastering, which could also contribute to moisture accumulation.

The facade of the building is covered with a network of shrinkage temperature and humidity cracks, leakage along the façade under the window sills — probably where the sill outreach was too small and the shape of the drip edge was not optimal. In general, it should be pointed out that the house is prone to this defect due to the geometry of the windows. There is a leak on the façade from the entry point of the roof tray into the horizontal gutter pipe — water flows past the tray.
Vertical cracks cross the inscription "Konstantin Melnikov Architect" practically in the same places as now. This defect appears due to the transfer of deformations from the pavement to the plank base of the inscription (most likely, under load, the ends of the pavement ribs, due to the deflection in the center on the support, lift up and pull the inscription upward, revealing the cracks). On the eastern facade there is an oblique crack running from the roof level to the attic floor vent and to the upper corner of the window. It is now also manifested (is through-and-through). Darkening of the trim near the parapet trim. This congenital defect is the result of constant exposure of the unprotected parapet surface to precipitation (rain, snow).

The technical condition of the walls is characterized by the presence of defects of the exploitation and constructional-sedimentary type: the exterior walls in the ground part are damaged in the places of weakening of the hexagonal window openings by vertically oriented cracks; on the surface of the walls there are visually fixed the places of the earlier hexagonal window openings of the walls; the plaster protection of the walls is damaged by a network of cracks, partially crumbled in some areas; there are traces of water leaks on the plaster at the drainpipes and under the windows; in the lower part of the walls there are traces of water leakage along the walls. The space between the ends of the walls of the small cylinder forms a common opening filled with a stained glass window with an entrance door. Therefore, the construction of the walls of the small cylinder is not closed.

Condition of the building in terms of exterior appearance. Weathered masonry, plaster defects: cracks, lags and localized falling off of the plaster layer. Thawing of masonry in the upper part of the walls and terrace walls. Deformations: there are old cracks of sedimentary nature in the walls. Vertical cracks cross the facade inscription from top to bottom. There are cracks at the abutment of the inscription to the terrace walls in the same places as during K.S. Melnikov’s lifetime. This defect is due to the transfer of deformations from the pavement to the boarded base of the inscription. The autopsy revealed that the wooden boards of the outer filling of the laid openings were affected by rot. The burlap on the surface of the planks is destructed (decayed), the adhesion of the plaster layer with the filling boards is lost, and cracks in the plaster appear along the contour of the boards. When opening the laid openings of the exterior walls (both from outside and inside) it was revealed that at even a slight force (tapping) the bricks of the laying of the openings move — the mortar of the laying is much weaker than the mortar of the masonry walls. In case of complete stripping of plaster layers, the damage of the doorway lining is inevitable.

Repair of the building facades. The facades were grouted with cement mortar and painted with white glossy paint, the window coverings were painted with dark brown earthy color and eaves were painted with silver paint. The applied repair compositions do not contribute to the removal of moisture from the walls.

The development surrounding the Melnikov House is changing, old buildings are being demolished and reconstructed, new ones are being built with increased number of storeys and underground parking lots. Accordingly, the dynamics of hydro-geological processes increases in the zone of influence of new construction, which includes the Melnikov House. Since the late 1990s, the owners of the House and responsible persons have been paying attention to the fact that there are ground movements on the site of the House, there are defects and deformations on the structures of the House, potentially indicating sedimentary phenomena. Geodetic monitoring is carried out and beacons are installed on characteristic cracks.

2. Technological defects - defects caused by inappropriate use of the house, non-compliance with technology during previous restorations

Periodization: constructive solutions

Periodization: sections on the walls of the large and small cylinders, fragments with laid openings

Periodization: Overlaps

Periodization: Planning decisions. Floors

Periodization: Planning decisions

Periodization: Facades

Authenticity

Authenticity: Planning solutions

Authenticity: Finishing Materials, 2021

Authenticity: Facades

Defects: Floor plans

Defects: Ceiling plans

Defects: The walls are exposed. Basement

Defects: Wall drawings. 1st floor

Defects: The wall drawings. 2nd floor and interfloor staircase

Defects: Wall drawings. 3rd floor

Defects: Facade layout

• Removal of the paint layer from the entire surface of the facades;
• Replacement of some sections of late (1960s, 1970s, 1990s) cement plaster under window openings with complex lime mortar according to the recommendations of the technical engineer;
• Expansion of cracks in plaster;
• Grouting of facade plaster with complex lime mortar;
• Plastering of the open horizontal planes of the terrace parapet, as well as for the basement part of the facade, using mortar according to the recommendations of the technical engineer;
• reconstructing the cover aprons of the ventilation vents of the facades from aged galvanized steel;
• Painting of facades with lime paints according to the recommendations of the process engineer;
• Revision of wooden boards of the embedded openings of the 3rd and 4th level of the small cylinder, mending, treatment with antiseptics and biocidal compositions, prosthetics.

• Removal of the paint layer from the entire surface of the facades;
• Replacement of some sections of late (1960s, 1970s, 1990s) cement plaster under window openings with complex lime mortar according to the recommendations of the technical engineer.
• Expansion of cracks in plaster;
• Fragmentary repair of brickwork in the area of a through crack.
• Grouting of facade plaster with complex lime mortar
• Plastering of the open horizontal planes of the terrace parapet, as well as for the facade's perimeter using mortar according to the recommendations of the technical engineer
• Reconstructing the cover aprons of ventilation vents of facades from aged galvanized steel;
• Painting of facades with lime paints according to the recommendations of the technical engineer.
• Revision of wooden boards of the embedded openings of 3 and 4 levels of the small cylinder, mending, treatment with antiseptics and biocidal compositions, prosthetics.

• Removal of the paint layer from the entire surface of the facades;
• Replacement of some sections of late (1960s, 1970s, 1990s) cement plaster under window openings with complex lime mortar according to the recommendations of the technical engineer;
• Expansion of cracks in plaster;
• Grouting of facade plaster with complex lime mortar;
• Plastering of the basement part of the facade using mortar according to the recommendations of the technical engineer;
• Painting of facades with lime paints according to the recommendations of the technical engineer;
• Repair of brickwork in the places of water stagnation and cracks;
• Restoration of ventilation vents and reconstruction of covering aprons;

• Removal of the paint layer from the entire surface of the facades;
• Replacement of some sections of late (1960s, 1970s, 1990s) cement plaster under window openings with complex lime mortar according to the recommendations of the technical engineer;
• Expansion of cracks in plaster;
• Grouting of facade plaster with complex lime mortar;
• For plastering of the open horizontal planes of the terrace parapet, as well as for the basement part of the facade, use mortar according to the recommendations of the technical engineer;
• Painting of facades with lime paints according to the recommendations of the technical engineer;