The Unbuilt Architecture of the Soviet Union
An array of unbuilt buildings that were to dot the Soviet landscape. Most show the absurdities of high modernism, beautiful on paper but impracticable for people. Above, the Palace of Soviets.
The competition for the Palace of Soviets in Moscow was one of the most extensive and impressive of this century. The idea of constructing a building which could be a symbol of the “imminent triumph of communism” in the capital of the world’s first state of workers and peasants was mooted in the 1920s. The chosen location was the site of the demolished Church of Christ the Saviour.
Here, the People’s Commissariat of Heavy Industry:
The Aeroflot Building:
The Heroes’ Arch, a monument to the heroic defenders of Moscow:
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Have you ever checked out photos of the House of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania? It’s the largest in Europe (3rd largest in the world), and sort of epitomizes the Soviet/Communist supersized architecture style:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_the_Parliament
I’ve read that there were plans afoot to build an even bigger building somewhere in Bucharest, but Ceausescu was overthrown before he got around to it. Yikes. I really wanted to make it to Bucharest to check out the Palace, but ran out of time. Ah well. Next time!
Cool building. It really does look like these illustrations.
Thanks for the link, Nugget.
This is the same sort of thing in Warsaw- the poles hate it but its the most dramatic structure in the city from that era:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Palace_of_Culture_and_Science
but i understand that 7 similar towers the ‘seven sisters’ were built in Moscow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sisters_%28Moscow%29