Futuristic architecture of the Soviet era

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

No matter how they now treat the legacy of the once huge power of the USSR, not all buildings of that time were gray and of the same type. Some of them still do not get tired of surprising with their fantastic form and extraordinary flight of creative thought, and even against the background of modern buildings stand out for their extravagance, and sometimes even cosmic obsession and grandeur.

No matter how they now treat the legacy of the once huge power of the USSR, not all buildings of that time were gray and of the same type. Some of them still do not get tired of surprising with their fantastic form and extraordinary flight of creative thought, and even against the background of modern buildings stand out for their extravagance, and sometimes even cosmic obsession and grandeur.

Futuristic structures of the Soviet era.

Oddly enough, but this unusual, standing out from the general pattern of construction in the Soviet Union, was captured and reflected in his book by the French photographer Frederic Chaubin, who, having seen one of these buildings, decided to create a photo project about the futuristic architecture of the late era of the USSR. He spent seven whole years on his project, traveling through the republics of the great country and collecting his collection of photographs, which were included in the book "USSR". True, the usual abbreviation in it has a completely different meaning - Cosmic Communist Consructions Photographed, which means “Photographed space buildings of communism”. In total, the book contains 90 structures that emphasize and exalt the ideas of scientific progress and the power of the Soviet Union.

In this collection, we have collected the most interesting projects that delight with their originality and splendor.

1. Architectural ensemble "Kurpaty" (Crimea)

Department of Friendship of the Kurpaty sanatorium (Crimea).

Unusual and fantastic architecture of the Kurpaty sanatorium complex (Crimea).

The architectural complex of the Kurpaty sanatorium has no analogues, it was designed and created by specialists from the USSR and the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, and it is located not far from Yalta.

2. Building of the Ministry of Highways of the Georgian SSR (Tbilisi)

Unusual architecture of the building of the Ministry of Highways of the Georgian SSR (Tbilisi).

This building is one of the 10 most beautiful buildings of brutalism (according to the BBC).

This extraordinary building was designed by architects Georgy Chakhava and Zurab Jalaghaniya and built in 1975.

3. Central Research Institute of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics in St. Petersburg (Russia)

Fantastic building of the Central Research Institute of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics (St. Petersburg).

The building of a fantastic shape was designed by S. Savin and B. Artyushin (1973–1987). It is noteworthy, but at this institute, tests were carried out with a 16-meter manipulator of the Buran spacecraft.

4. Exhibition complex "Belexpo" in Minsk (Belarus)

The impressive building of the Belexpo Exhibition Complex in Minsk.

In Soviet times, exhibitions of the achievements of the national economy were very popular. For these purposes, the impressive BELEXPO building was erected on Masherova Avenue in 1988.

5. Crematorium in Kiev (Ukraine)

Unusual architectural solution of the crematorium (Kiev).

The crematorium building was created in the form of a flame (Kiev).

The Kiev crematorium was created in 1975 at the Baikovo cemetery according to the project of the extraordinary architect Abraham Miletsky, who created a number of extraordinary buildings.

6. Historical and Ethnographic Museum on Mount Sulaiman-Too (Kyrgyzstan)

On the slope of the cliff is the Historical and Ethnographic Museum on Mount Sulaiman-Too (Kyrgyzstan.

This truly futuristic portal to the subsoil of the mountains was built back in 1978, but still strikes with its uniqueness. Its fantastic arch, created on a rocky slope, hides a two-story cave complex behind it, where the lower floor was expanded and refined, and the upper one was left in its natural form.

7. Sports and concert complex "Amalir" in Yerevan (Armenia)

The building of the Sports and Concert Complex "Amalir" in Yerevan (Armenia).

Fantastic top view of the building of the sports complex in Yerevan.

An incredible and simply fantastic project by a group of Armenian architects: A. Tarkhanyan, S. Khachikyan, G. Poghosyan and G. Mushegyan, which was implemented in 1983 on the Tsitsernakaberd hill.

8. Summer theater in the pond of the city park of Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine)

The exquisite building of the summer theater in Dnepropetrovsk.

This beautiful building was erected in 1978 by the architect O. Petrov in the city park pond. But, unfortunately, at the present time this masterpiece of the Soviet era is in a deplorable state and is gradually being destroyed.

9. Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow

The building of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.

Artistic composition made of metal on top of the RAS building (Moscow).

At the time of construction, this incredible architectural project had no analogues in Moscow. Its construction took twenty years, but its interesting idea, even now, surprises and delights with its decorative elements and whole artistic compositions made of metal and glass. The people called them the "golden brains" of the country.

10. Wedding Palace in Tbilisi (Georgia)

Incredible building of the Palace for celebrations in Tbilisi (Georgia).

This unusual building was erected in 1985 by the project of Viktor Dzhorvenadze and was used for celebrations, but after independence it was bought by a local businessman.

11. Regional Drama Theater. F. M. Dostoevsky in Novgorod (Russia)

An extraordinary building of the Drama Theater named after F. M. Dostoevsky in Novgorod (Russia).

On this site there was a theater, which was built in the first half of the 19th century, but the current building in the style of Soviet modernism was erected in 1987.

12. High-mountain hotel "Plate" in the ski resort Dombay (Russia)

The most amazing and unusual hotel in the Dombai mountains ("Plate", Russia).

This unusual ski resort hotel was built in 1969 on the slope of Mount Mussa-Achitara, at an altitude of 2250 meters above sea level.

13. Pavilion on the territory of the Exhibition of Economic Achievements of the Uzbek SSR (Tashkent)

Fantastic construction of the VDNKh pavilion in Tashkent.

One of the exhibition pavilions in the city of Tashkent was built in an absolutely extraordinary form back in the 70s of the last century. It was a fantastic project of hyperboloid column structures that had a single interior exhibition space. But, unfortunately, this building has not survived to this day.

14. Museum of Ilya Chavchavadze in Kvareli (Georgia)

Futuristic museum building in Georgia.

This extraordinary museum of the Georgian poet and publicist Ilya Chavchavadze was created in 1979 by the most avant-garde Soviet architect Viktor Dzhorvenadze.