Phenomenon of the Russian Avant-garde. Moscow Architectural School of the 1920s

he phenomenon of the Russian Avant–garde architecture formed under the influence of the Moscow Higher School of Architecture and Art is today widely known by the name of VKHUTEMAS. This school is mentioned in the context of professional activity of the artists and architects who also worked in other institutes, but who had creative links. In the limelight is Nikolai Ladovsky, creator of the introductory course on architectural composition, lecturing along with many authoritative Moscow utilitarian architects, such as Alexander Kuznetsov, Vesnin brothers and others

Factory Kitchen, Samara, 1931, by Ekaterina Maksimova

The Maslennikov factory canteen, also known as the Fabrika Kukhnya or Factory Kitchen, was a canteen producing meals on industrial scale, a vital typology for the early Soviet urbanism. Factory Kitchen in Samara belonged to the Maslennikov Factory. The building is absolutely unique in its plan in the shape of a hummer-and cycle, symbol of the union of the working people. The "hummer" held the kitchen and storage, and the "cycle" was occupied by dinner-halls

Main Department Store

View within the west arcade, showing mezzanine level and passage to the east arcade; The trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great Victorian train stations of London. Each arcade is on three levels, linked by walkways of reinforced concrete. Shukhov was the inventor of a new family of doubly-curved structural forms. These forms, based on non-Euclidean hyperbolic geometry, are known today as hyperboloids of revolution. Shukhov developed not only many varieties of light-weight hyperboloid towers and roof systems, but also the mathematics for their analysis. It is still open today, and is a popular tourist destination for those visiting Moscow. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 6/22/2009

Main Department Store

View of the south entry; The trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great Victorian train stations of London. Each arcade is on three levels, linked by walkways of reinforced concrete. Shukhov was the inventor of a new family of doubly-curved structural forms. These forms, based on non-Euclidean hyperbolic geometry, are known today as hyperboloids of revolution. Shukhov developed not only many varieties of light-weight hyperboloid towers and roof systems, but also the mathematics for their analysis. It is still open today, and is a popular tourist destination for those visiting Moscow. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 6/22/2009

Main Department Store

View where the arcade meets the central glass dome; The trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great Victorian train stations of London. Each arcade is on three levels, linked by walkways of reinforced concrete. Shukhov was the inventor of a new family of doubly-curved structural forms. These forms, based on non-Euclidean hyperbolic geometry, are known today as hyperboloids of revolution. Shukhov developed not only many varieties of light-weight hyperboloid towers and roof systems, but also the mathematics for their analysis. It is still open today, and is a popular tourist destination for those visiting Moscow. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 6/22/2009

Main Department Store

Fountain in center of arcade; The trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great Victorian train stations of London. Each arcade is on three levels, linked by walkways of reinforced concrete. Shukhov was the inventor of a new family of doubly-curved structural forms. These forms, based on non-Euclidean hyperbolic geometry, are known today as hyperboloids of revolution. Shukhov developed not only many varieties of light-weight hyperboloid towers and roof systems, but also the mathematics for their analysis. It is still open today, and is a popular tourist destination for those visiting Moscow. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 6/22/2009

Main Department Store

View along the east (back) elevation looking south; The trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great Victorian train stations of London. Each arcade is on three levels, linked by walkways of reinforced concrete. Shukhov was the inventor of a new family of doubly-curved structural forms. These forms, based on non-Euclidean hyperbolic geometry, are known today as hyperboloids of revolution. Shukhov developed not only many varieties of light-weight hyperboloid towers and roof systems, but also the mathematics for their analysis. It is still open today, and is a popular tourist destination for those visiting Moscow. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 6/22/2009

Main Department Store

Context view, showing the west elevation of Red Square; The trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great Victorian train stations of London. Each arcade is on three levels, linked by walkways of reinforced concrete. Shukhov was the inventor of a new family of doubly-curved structural forms. These forms, based on non-Euclidean hyperbolic geometry, are known today as hyperboloids of revolution. Shukhov developed not only many varieties of light-weight hyperboloid towers and roof systems, but also the mathematics for their analysis. It is still open today, and is a popular tourist destination for those visiting Moscow. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 6/22/2009

Main Department Store

View of the central dome, looking up; The trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great Victorian train stations of London. Each arcade is on three levels, linked by walkways of reinforced concrete. Shukhov was the inventor of a new family of doubly-curved structural forms. These forms, based on non-Euclidean hyperbolic geometry, are known today as hyperboloids of revolution. Shukhov developed not only many varieties of light-weight hyperboloid towers and roof systems, but also the mathematics for their analysis. It is still open today, and is a popular tourist destination for those visiting Moscow. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 6/22/2009

Main Department Store

View looking north down the arcade; The trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great Victorian train stations of London. Each arcade is on three levels, linked by walkways of reinforced concrete. Shukhov was the inventor of a new family of doubly-curved structural forms. These forms, based on non-Euclidean hyperbolic geometry, are known today as hyperboloids of revolution. Shukhov developed not only many varieties of light-weight hyperboloid towers and roof systems, but also the mathematics for their analysis. It is still open today, and is a popular tourist destination for those visiting Moscow. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 6/22/2009