Soviet Constructivist Architecture – Blueprints and Realizations

Posted by Ross Wolfe

The following pictures are examples of architecture built in the Soviet Constructivist style, a style founded by the Vesnin brothers (Aleksandr, Leonid, and Viktor) along with Moisei Ginzburg between 1923-1925. Officially, the Society of Modern Architects (OSA) was the main organ for all Constructivist architecture. However, I have also included pieces which clearly exemplify the Constructivist style, even if the architects involved were not technically members of OSA. Both blueprints and photographs of the eventual realizations of their plans are shown here:

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OSA’s Modern Architecture (Современная архитектура)

Posted by Ross Wolfe

Современная архитектура

Tomorrow I am going to finally get a chance to take a look at the physical copies of Sovremennaia arkhitektura’s full run, from 1926-1930. I have looked through virtually the entire journal before on microfilm, but this will be the first time I actually handle the documents themselves. Anyway, I’m bringing my camera. Expect PDFs.

“Comrades!

The twin fires of war and revolution have devastated both our souls and our cities. The palaces of yesterday’s grandeur stand as burnt-out skeletons. The ruined cities await new builders[…]

To you who accept the legacy of Russia, to you who will (I believe!) tomorrow become masters of the whole world, I address the question: with what fantastic structures will you cover the fires of yesterday?” ⎯ Vladimir Maiakovskii, “An Open Letter to the Workers” (1918)

“Utopia transforms itself into actuality. The fairy tale becomes a reality. The contours of socialism will become overgrown with iron flesh, filled with electric blood, and begin to dwell full of life. The speed of socialist building outstrips the most audacious daring. In this lies the distinctive character and essence of the epoch.” ⎯ I. Chernia,“The Cities of Socialism” (1929)

“The idea of the conquest of the substructure, the earthbound, can be extended even further and calls for the conquest of gravity as such. It demands floating structures, a physical-dynamic architecture.” ⎯ El Lissitzky, The Reconstruction of Architecture in the Soviet Union (1929)

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The Charnel-House

From Bauhaus to Beinhaus

SA

Soviet Constructivist Architecture – Blueprints and Realizations

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OSA’s Modern Architecture (Современная архитектура)

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With lightning telegrams:

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With lightning telegrams:

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