CLUSTER ANALYSIS OF CARVED TERRACE WINDOWS IN VOTKINSK

Abstract

Terraced windows, along with frames, are a unique element of Russian wooden architecture. But if in the major cities of the Pre-Urals, the old wooden quarters were demolished for serial building in the middle of the 20th century, the center of Votkinsk retained its almost original appearance of the mid-19th century. As a result, the carved terraced windows are no longer so massively represented in other cities of Udmurtia and the Urals. Nevertheless, due to economic activity, the private sector of Votkinsk is actively being built up, and the owners of wooden houses that are not architectural monuments everywhere are replacing carved terraced windows with plastic windows that are more comfortable in everyday life. As a result, it is likely that in a couple of decades such an expressive element of Russian wooden architecture as the Votkinsk carved terrace windows can be lost forever. Therefore, the objective of this work consisted, firstly, in photo fixing windows still available in Votkinsk, and secondly, in their cluster analysis to identify typical signs. Their definition is necessary, for example, if, with the improvement of the production technology of serial windows, it again becomes possible to return this element of architecture, then the starting point can be not only simple imitations of preserved monuments of wooden architecture, but the existing database in all its richness of forms. In 2013-2015 the authors surveyed 35 terrace windows of Votkinsk were surveyed, mainly central streets: Kirov, May 1 and Lenin, which are presented in the appendix. During cluster analysis, it was revealed that the most common type of window consists of three modules with an arched completion with the same width of modules. As a rule, the upper part of the window consists of three elements, divided by straight partitions. The ornament of the window itself, as a rule, has axial symmetry and consists of two parts. The presence of elements that are difficult to manufacture, including semicircular and parabolic ornament lines, testifies to the high production culture and craftsmanship of the workers who made the terrace windows, the production technology of which was possible only in the workshop or artel conditions. Undoubtedly, the influence on the windows of the neo-Gothic style, which could have been brought to Votkinsk by invited foreign experts. Local culture also had a great influence. But Udmurt motifs are extremely limited, as evidenced, for example, by the lack of asymmetric parts built on the principle of rotation. In addition, obviously Orthodox motifs have been found, for example, the use of the triptychiconostasis form, ornaments in the form of a “forked” cross superimposed on the silhouette of an Orthodox church cloth. In general, Votkinsk terrace windows can be considered as a unique cultural phenomenon on the territory of Udmurtia, which is so massively not found now.