Hearty greetings to the participants and visitors of the 8th International Architectural Exhibition in Venice!

Russia's Gosstroi (State Committee of the Russian Federation for Construction and Housing) is a state structure responsible for building and communal property of our country. We are responsible not only for large scale residential construction, the tempo and quality of which will determine the standard of life of millions of people in the new century, but also for the town planning and architectural solutions that will shape the future aesthetic and spiritual climate of our society. Keeping a balance between progress and preservation of the cultural succession is an exceptionally important task for any kind of construction. This is especially true for an architectural activity in the already set urban environment. Furthermore, the responsibility grows thousandfold when unique objects are involved.

Enough has been said to understand the importance and urgency of the problem stated by the Russian exposition "Two Theatres", dedicated to two national symbols, two monuments of world culture. These two names ring all over the world like music: the Bolshoy and the Mariinski. They are familiar to every accomplished person. Reconstruction of these two major objects has to be undertaken in the next few years. This is an imminent necessity supported by a government decision. How should it be executed? Is it correct to press for adding and changing the buildings and the urban environment imperceptibly, or is it acceptable to add the obvious contribution of our time to the historical strata? In the second case should we imitate older forms or act by means of contrast? Finally, could we keep our distance from the world architectural process? In spite of their tremendous differences the two projects at this exhibition are interesting, serious and both, in their own way, answer these questions in similar fashion.

It is important for us to present our search for the correct path to the judgment of the international architectural community at such authoritative forum as the Venice Biennale.

Chairman of Gosstroi of the Russian Federation 
Anvar Shamuzafarov