Landmarks of Soviet Architecture 1917-1991 - Softcover

Ryabushin, Alexander; Smolina, Nadia

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3433023344 ISBN 13: 9783433023341

Publisher: Wilhelm Ernst & Sohn Verlag fur Architektur und technische Wissenschaften, 1992

Synopsis

Since Gorbachev introduced his reformist policies the Soviet Union has been in a state of flux. This mighty empire, which played a leading world role in the fields of painting, film and architecture, indeed in all aspects of 1920s culture, is threatening to collapse. At times of radical change, memories are awakened, and past achievements are looked at with a sharper eye. This publication documents architecture in the Soviet Union from the October Revolution to the present day, showing the most important buildings. Politics had much more influence than in the West, so views and buildings styles changed with varying political constellations. In the late 20s architecture was still dominated by the Constructivists, but in the early 30s it began to recall the riches of folk art, and tried to combine traditional forms with new materials. There was a shift away from this approach under Stalin. The prestige element was restored to architecture. High-rise buildings went up, and so did monumental streets and underground railway facilities in precious materials like marble. The architecture of the 50s was governed more by engineering and calculation than architectural endeavour. In subsequent decades Modernist was analyzed more intensively, and co-operation with artists re-established.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wilhelm Ernst & Sohn Verlag fur Architektur und technische Wissenschaften
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3433023344
• ISBN 13: 9783433023341
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160