Publisher's Synopsis
A secret is harbored in the city of Tomsk in Siberia: it is the site of over 1000 wooden buildings dating from the end of the 19th century, all multi-storey log houses with richly embellished window surrounds, doors, facades and roofs. Werner Blaser gives us a beautiful photographic record of this fairytale world of wood. He has unearthed plans and with the help of Siberian experts, has documented the history of wood architecture in Tomsk.;Originating as simple log constructions, these homes of wealthy merchants came to display ever grander ornamentation as each strove to outshine the other. The houses evolved into veritable works of art and represent today the high point in the art of wood construction in Siberia. But these fanciful, dreamlike buildings also hold a lesson for constructing with wood today: much is to be learned from the interplay between building structure and the decorative texture of carved and sawn ornamentation.;Regrettably, these magnificient houses are being threatened with ruin. While they have been listed as a UNESCO recognized world cultural monument, the necessary means to assure their preservation are lacking. Not the least of the aims of this book is to contribute to the effort to safeguard the unique wooden buildings of Tomsk for future generations.
