GlavUpDK under the MFA of Russia is restoring and giving a major overhaul to the I.A. Mindovsky Mansion at 44, Povarskaya Street. The ongoing works will recreate the layout dating back to the early 20th century and a number of lost elements.
The building erected in 1903-1904 by acclaimed architect Lev Nikolayevich Kekushev is deemed to be one of the best monuments of the Moscow modern style. It went down in history of architecture under the name of its owner, I.A. Mindovsky, a textile manufacturer from the Upper Volga region.
The family of I.A. Mindovsky was in possession of the mansion until 1917. After that the Swedish Embassy to the Soviet Union resided at the mansion until the 1970s, and the New Zealand Embassy moved in in 1972.
Nowadays, architects and builders from GlavUpDK and specialized agencies are thoroughly recreating the original looks of the building, which is declared a cultural heritage site.
The restorers often make discoveries. For instance, they have found unique ceiling stucco, which is to be restored, in addition to several stained-glass panels, floral-design decorations, and coffered ceilings with stucco molding.
The specialists will recreate a balcony on the mansion’s northern façade and a stained-glass panel above it which has practically been lost. Also, the winter garden’s roof made of glass bricks, an extremely rare architectural solution for Moscow, will be restored. Windows decorated with a floral pattern will be glazed.
The gas lighting effect will be recreated on the roof parapets, chimneys will be extended to the original height, and smoke holes will be restored. A forged canopy depicting the motif of the mansion’s décor will be placed above the service entrance on the northern façade.
The restoration of a 2.7-meter-tall sculpture on the southern façade will be a landmark event for Moscow restores. The sculpture, which is rare for Moscow architecture, depicts the goddess of dawn, Aurora, who is holding a palette and two babies in her hands. One of the babies is reading a book, and the other is looking at Aurora.
The lost elements of the building are being restored using archive materials and results of the field research.
Pretty soon, the brickwork and plaster on the walls, arches and ceiling, the plaster-and-gypsum décor of the facades and the interior, and the original door and window blocks will be restored. Elements of natural stone decorations, including marble and onyx fireplaces, and the main marble staircase with jasper handrails will be recreated. Specialists will rebuild stain-glass panels, parquetted floors, wooden wall panels, columns made of artificial marble, and unique spelter elements of the façade.
The building will be given an innovative titanium-zinc roof, communication lines will be fully replaced, and modern energy-saving ventilation, air conditioning, heating, and water supply systems will be installed.
The restoration is based on the research of the building, its facades and interiors. According to experts, the careful use and regular maintenance have preserved the building in a normal condition. Lots of building’s elements are intact.
The project is being implemented consistent with the Federal Law on Sites of Cultural Heritage (History and Culture) of Peoples of the Russian Federation. It has been approved by the state historical and cultural inspectorate and coordinated with the Moscow cultural heritage department.