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French Riviera has an amazing palette. In the morning, the azure mirror of the Mediterranean sea reflects golden rays of the rising sun. During the day the water echoing infinite sky tints with a splendid sapphire color. Yet, even by night, it preserves the last drops of the deep-blue dye left by the day. Thus, this cobalt touch draws a suggestive skyline, mixing steep Alpes-Maritimes, the sky and the sea into a single blend of color. By Maria Novozhilova

RUS

Кто был в Милане, наверняка хорошо запомнил Дуомо ди Милано, один из красивейших соборов всей Европы.

Строительство Дуомо было долгим (его возводили с 1386 по 1892 гг.) и затратным. Знаменитый белоснежный и «кружевной» мрамор из Каррары и 96 уникальных статуй, украшающих внешнее убранство собора – всё дело искусных рук специально приглашённых итальянских мастеров.

Но и по сей день поддержание собора обходится не дёшево. Работы по реставрации здесь, по сути, никогда не заканчиваются. Когда обновление всего фасада завершается, приходит время начинать новый цикл работ.

Возможно, именно поэтому, дабы подчеркнуть присутствие этого уникального памятника архитектуры, площадь Дуомо всегда была пустой и каменно-монументальной. А близкому архитектурному ансамблю, преображавшемуся каждый век, так и не позволили оттенить красоту самого собора.

Интересно, что под влиянием грядущего Экспо-2015, консервативный Милан преображается, а его устоявшиеся вековые традиции уступают место новым принципам и идеям. Так даже монументальное сердце города поменяло лик!

Под руководством миланского офиса Лиссони площадь Дуомо превратилась в зелёные джунгли, а местные архитектурные перспективы заросли цветочными узорами. Сам собор теперь проглядывается сквозь густые кроны деревьев, а вход в знаменитую галерею Витторио Эмануэлевозвышается на фоне ярких кустов свежей лаванды. Автор Мария Новожилова

RUS

Говорят, на вкус и цвет товарищей нет. И, тем не менее, на маленьком и уютном, ярком и красочном базаре домашних продуктов в Ментоне каждый останется под впечатлением.

Ментон – это город, переливающийся всеми цветами радуги, это французская диковинка, затаившаяся у подножия Приморских Альп, на Лазурном берегу Средиземного моря.

Все богатство вкусного и ароматного Прованса можно найти именно здесь. Фиолетовая лаванда, солнечные цветы тыквы, свежие морепродукты, мёд всевозможных оттенков вкуса и цвета ну и, конечно же, бесчисленные жёлтые лимоны – все вместе украсили прилавки местного базара. Так что нам, заезжим, остаётся лишь любоваться и «купаться» в этом бесконечном море местных "деликатесов". Автор Мария Новожилова

ENG

Italy is full of surprises. Small villages, divine landscapes and picturesque architecture are hidden all over the country. One of these Italian jewels, the “Humpback” bridge in borgo Dolceacqua, is veiled by the green silhouettes of the maritime Alps. The small pearl of the Liguria cost was discovered by many. Yet, it is still know by few. Alas! The master hand of Claude Monet captured the charming grace of the monumental form back in 1884. Since then time seems to stay frozen leaving intact the bridge and its beauty. By Maria Novozhilova

ENG

No name design is a small yet suggestive exhibition at Triennale di Milano open from June, 19 to September 14. It explores and compares small and, in a way, trivial objects that, however, teach us a good design providing interesting and helpful hints. The collection of more than 1000 no-design objects investigates such topics as “mono-block mon amour” (monoblocco mon amour), “made and counterfeited” (fatto e contrafatto), “handles and grips” (per una buona presa), “hammer and mallet” (colpo su colpo), “open and close” (apri e chiudi), “parts to be connected” (parti da collegare), “as clear as daylight” (chiaro come il sole), “everything is inside” (tutto dentro), “big, small and big again” (grande, piccolo e di nuovo grande), “rethink it again” (nuovo? no, migliore) and many others… By Maria Novozhilova

ENG

Palazzo Pubblico is one of the most important works of architecture of Sienna (Italy) and of the entire world. Protected by UNESCO, it appears as the main front of the central square of the city – Piazza del Campo (we’ve already spoke about theis piazza here). Responding to the urban context, the building gently incurves embracing the piazza. This quintessential example of the Gothic Italian Palace is characterized by its peculiar large triple-arched windows, the use of bricks and the so-called 'Guelph' crenellation. By Maria Novozhilova

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Although our imaginary always depicts Venice as the city of history, picturesque water canals and charming antique bridges, there are some examples of contemporary design. One of them is the Constitution Bridge that was commissioned to Calatrava in 1996 and finally opened only 12 years later, in 2008. This bridge is different: it is made of glass. The only transparent overpass of Venetian waterways, the bridge for years has been a source of polemics.

ENG

Visiting the 14th Venice Biennale of Architecture don’t forget to enjoy the beautiful and unique city that used to be known as “Serenissima” -  the capital of the Republic of Venice. Up to nowadays undoubtedly Venice is considered as the most beautiful city built by men.

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Kosovo pavilion at the 14th Venice Biennale is a spiky circular tower built from 692 wooden stools. Responding to the theme of the Biennale “Absorbing Modernity”, the curator Gëzim Paçarizi of the pavilion showed that the Modernity has actually never been absorbed in Kosovo. It was rather related to the Kosovos's political upheaval and, therefore, it was a synonym of destruction and imposed foreign aesthetics.

For this reason the tower is designed out of "shkambis" – traditional wooden stools that have been in use in Kosovo for over 10 000 years. By @NovozhilovaM

ENG

Colorful and fluffy carpet is the main characteristic of the Dominican Republic Pavilion at the 14th Venice Biennale of Architecture. This bright and playful interior is a pretest to talk about “fair concrete” or, better, about other "finer" materials but bare cement, that used to be the symbol of the modernization of the country and therefore the primary construction material . By @NovozhilovaM 

ENG

On the occasion of the 14th Biennale of architecture curated by Rem Koolhaas, the Kingdom of Bahrain presented an installation that is an architecture, a furniture, mentality and transparency at the same time. The full height book shelf filled with books separates pavilion’s interior and exterior while drawing comfortable inside space that infinitely rotates around the central table.

The presented book (free offered to all viewers) is an extensive collection of projects that introduces the history of Arab architecture from 1914 to 2014.

Simple but effective, the Pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain is probably one of the most remarkable installations at Arsenale during the 14th Biennale of Architecture. By @NovozhilovaM

ENG

Today, June 7, beautiful Venice officially opens its spaces for the 14th Biennale of Architecture cunning by astute Rem Koolhaas.

Koolhaas’s Monditalia hidden behind a mysterious golden gate is a collection of various visions proposed by single architects: all called to debate about the state of art of Italian architecture. Eventually too political, too rhetoric, too performative, too artistic, too visual and perhaps not enough architectural, Monditalia must be understood. And to understand it one will need time. Advertisement for the visitors: one day raid tour at Arsenale probably won’t be enough to metabolize Koolhaas’s vision and therefore to comprehend his message.

Stay tuned to discover what we consider the best hints at the 14th Biennale. By @NovozhilovaM

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Worldwide Italy gained a reputation of a historical (if not archeological) site. The international audience got used to believe that its architecture is (only?) an ancient one and that the Italian taste is necessarily related to some of the past epochs. These stereotypes are still "sold" very well in Russia, Japan and, probably, in many other countries… But is that true?

The upcoming Expo 2015 is putting Italy back on the world map of contemporary architecture. The city of Milan, stayed “frozen” and almost with no amend for decades, is now speedy changing its appearance, height and life style habits of its inhabitants.

One of the main spots of the new development is the Porta Nuova. Not yet completed, the huge masterplan is transforming quite a big void of the city into a new center. Dozen of high towers, numerous lower buildings, several big parks and one central square – all linked and reconnected one with another by pedestrian and cycling paths – represent the new skyline and the new mentality of Milan. By @NovozhilovaM