Place of Truth and Reconciliation

It is an attempt to take one’s imagination a step further to explore a vision of the future and the possibilities for Russia, to be a place where people stand up for forthrightness and the truth. It is a proposition of the journey through the seven buildings, looking at different typologies that enable people to search and understand the reality and the truth.

The ‘ new’ culture and society are seeking for the liberation from the past (Epstein,1995). The inevitable need of fresh emotional anchor for a society, powered by places for debates, free speech as well as news transmission or governmental archive opening to the public. As this possibly would happen only just in ‘ideal’ world, the need to push boundaries further is imminent. The proposal is based in the upcoming world.\nThis master thesis explores a vision of the future and the possibilities for Russia, to be a place where open-minded views are encouraged. The aspiration starting with establishing the idea of a ‘unit of truth’. This unit would act as a mediation and rallying space that would house free speech and encourage people to take action. Consequently these units would create a network round the whole country. The analysis directs focus on Moscow, where the scheme would evolve into a ‘network of truth’ reinforcing people to act in search for reality, hope and belief in possibility of change. Realising a demand of a more permanent space to house the previous regime memorials, archives and documentaries. A space where people would reminiscence the past but would be able to see truth of the present and house it for future generations. Thus, the place of Truth and Reconciliation would be established. This proposition is developed into a proposal of the journey through seven buildings, looking at different typologies that enable people to search and understand the truth. The space would serve as a space of mediation of intervention, where confrontations of expressive ideas would happen and people would be able to see and understand beyond what they are given. The idea culminated in the proposition of a Truth and Reconciliation complex set in an upcoming future. This is realized as a series of towering pavilions-memorials within a repurposed Gorky Park, Moscow, providing spaces to play, learn, discuss and, fundamentally, to re-connect with the ‘truth’ of Russia dramatic history. This is not a proposal of a solution, but an exploration of architecture as a tool of change and means of embracing ones mind.