ARCHITECTURE
wooden architecture — research, maintenance and restoration

This type of a house is called in Russian ‘brus’, i.e. a rectangle framework in plan, within which successively are located the habitable part in front, the anteroom in the middle and the section including household areas behind. In the case under consideration the section allotted for household is widened; the basis of the design of the structure is a parallelepiped-shaped rectangle covered with a symmetrical gable roof, the slope above the household section is a longer one. The habitable part is two-storied, includes an attic room; the longitudinal wall divides into ‘izba’ (a habitable room) and ‘gornitsa’ (a sitting-room); there are two complementary rooms in the hall.

The household section is two-storied as well (the lower floor is allotted for cattle-sheds, the upper floor is for various needs); the upper floor is supported by massive pillars. The ramp to the upper floor of the household section joins the western wall and runs along the habitable part; the ramp is set on the angle relative to the household section. The face wall numbers six windows; the pediment features a balconied attic window that consists of three pieces. The main entrance to the house is in the eastern wall and reveals a landing on which corners are located columns that support the balcony accessible from the upper floor.

The doorways (two on each of the floors) are used to reach the household section from the anteroom. Two stairs near the wall connect the floors in the household section.

The habitable part on the lower and upper floors is lighted by six windows from the east, the anteroom by two windows; the upper and lower parts of the household section, cattle-sheds are lighted by a window each. The western wall numbers 12 windows of the lower and upper floors of the habitable part, also gates and a window of the household section. The balusters of the stairs inside are small planks ornamented with figured carvings. Decorative window trim (shutters, head and sill pieces) are made up of plain profiled boards.

Facial boards feature volumetric-formed carvings in the form of rectangular cogs and small pyramidions placed like in brickwork, and circles; a contour-cut pattern is found on the edge. The ends of facial boards and ‘towel’ elements have identical fretwork which includes two segmented circles and small openings along the edge; they are completed with trapezoidal drops. The ornamental board set under the roofing of the balcony has a fretwork, too. Tetrahedral columns feature plain geometry carving. Balusters on the balcony are small planks ornamented with moderate fretwork. ‘Lock’ - the element used to fix together frameworks of the habitable part and the household section is a half-beam with semi-circular ends.

Russian stove is used for heating ‘izbas’, sitting-rooms are equipped with round stoves, complementary rooms with heaters. The doors inside are paneled.