• Each issue is dedicated to a particular theme, examined from a contemporary and historic perspective, and using the example of numerous international and Russian projects
• Award-winning designer Kyrill Zaev is responsible for the magazine’s layout
• Bilingual publication: Russian and English

 
speech: ornament
The new international architecture magazine from Moscow
220 pages over 300 images, 235 x 300mm
softcover with jacket
russian | english
ISSN 1999-6144
appears biannually

ornament

Most architectural journals are made by architects. This is perfectly legitimate and understandable, as there are few or almost no practicing architects among them. Indeed, it is difficult to combine two distinctly different activities. In this respect SPEECH is a rare exception to the rule. The idea to launch this journal was initiated by a group of practising architects, who design and successfully realize their ideas in practice on a routine basis.

Why this journal? The answer is that architecture is not only a matter of designing and building, of relationships between architects and clients, contractors and developers. It is not only things like statics, construction technologies, and economics, things like square meters, investment, and anticipated profits. All of the above is important but architecture is something that goes way beyond that.

Back in antiquity Vitruvius defined architecture as a combination of «utility, strength, and beauty». As one of the principal arts, architecture has always been a major component of culture and as such has always been looked at in this particular context. This approach is fully applicable to contemporary architecture, and this tradition which was broke in Russia is in need of renewal. As is the tradition of architectural discourse. This is exactly what SPEECH is intended for.

SPEECH sets out to specify the current trends and positions in contemporary architecture, analyzing them from the angle of theory and practice, history and modernity, to compare global trends and local special features on the basis of world and Russian architectural experience. It will provide a suitable forum for professional statements by architects, art and architectural historians, critics, and experts from a variety of architecture-related fields.

SPEECH will appear twice a year with each issue devoted entirely to a particular theme stemming directly from current architectural practice, subjects that were not distinctly articulated before, need to be discussed now, and are probably awaiting to be redefined in the near future.

Irina Chipova