He knew how to move buildings: Emmanuel Gendel plaque unveiled in Moscow
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A plaque commemorating prominent Soviet engineer and architect of the 20th century Emmanuel Gendel has been unveiled in Moscow. Sculptor Salavat Shcherbakov created the bas-relief that has been placed on the wall of Number 36 on 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street (formerly, 64 Gorky Street) where the engineer lived.
Mr Gendel was a leading specialist in rare architectural technology – moving and straightening buildings.
“His engineering projects helped save important architecture on this street from demolition,” said Alexei Yemelyanov, head of Moscow’s Cultural Heritage Department. “These included the fairy terem [palace] building of the Savvinskoye Podvorye, which historically looked out on Tverskaya Street, and is now further back on the even side of the street. In November 1939, this residential building weighing 24 metric tonnes was moved 50 metres towards the back.”
Emmanuel Gendel implemented a total of over 80 large projects in the Soviet Union and overseas. His professional skills made it possible to preserve rare historical sites like the Mayor’s Office, Savvinskoye Podvorye, the city’s oldest eye hospital and the Octagon pavilion of the Gagarins’ Studenets estate, which has been moved to Krasnaya Presnya Park. He also designed a way to straighten the minarets at the Bibi-Khanym Mosque that date back to Tamerlane’s rule and the Ulugbek Madrasa in Samarkand.
Presently, Gendel’s study, Engineering Works in the Restoration of Architectural Sites, is used all over the world for moving and restoring buildings. This technique makes it possible to expand old towns, and make them more beautiful and convenient, while preserving their historical view.