Socialist architecture

Nico_Uru · July 14th, 2009, 04:16 AM

Hello everyone,

When most people think of socialist architecture, they think of blocs upon blocs of monotone, grey buildings stretching into the horizon. Although, that was undeniably part of the socialist legacy, it was certainly not unique to the socialist states; reference for example the public housing in the capitalist West, or even hyper-capitalist, consumerist suburban monotone architecture. What I want to do in this thread to go beyond the base ideological conflicts and biases, for and against capitalism and socialism, we should be still be able to elucidate successes of socialist architecture. The failures of socialist planning, and architecture are well known, disproportionate to their successes imo. I think one of the most successful examples of socialist architecture was Red Vienna during the 1920s and early 1930s before the proto-fascist coup d'etat. The city was ruled by rather radical socialists at the time, more information can be read here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Vienna

I am hoping others can highlight what they see as positive developments in the socialist bloc architecturally.

waccamatt · July 14th, 2009, 07:32 AM

I think you're referring to what is commonly known as "Commie Blocks". Keep in mind that socialism and communism are not the same thing.

Amrafel · July 14th, 2009, 12:29 PM

I dont think that socialist architecture is generally bad. Here in Slovakia you can find great examples of modern architecture

Nový most bridge

Slovak national gallery

Slovak technical university

Slovak broadcasting service

and many more!

mikewadera · September 28th, 2012, 01:42 PM

nice

erbse · July 14th, 2009, 12:44 PM

Stalinist architecture was the best in Socialist times. Just think about Moscows 7 Sisters or several cities in Ukraine or the former GDR (Rostock, Magdeburg, Chemnitz, Dresden, Leipzig, ...).

StigJ · July 14th, 2009, 01:37 PM

Do you (or anyone) have any pictures of the German examples that you mention?

kroten · July 14th, 2009, 02:03 PM

Some interesting examples from this thread :

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=862797

Ministry of transport, Tbilisi

Yerevan airport

USSR expo'67 pavilion, Montreal

Narkomfin house, Moscow

Freedom square, Kharkiv

image hosted on flickr

Art gallery, Vilnius

image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

erbse · July 14th, 2009, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StigJ

Do you (or anyone) have any pictures of the German examples that you mention?

Sure

Stalinist architecture in former East Germany (to be continued)

Rostock (Lange Straße - built in a neoclassicist way that resembles the brick gothic architecture of the Hansa city - Stalinism meets Gothic)

some demonstration there

image hosted on flickr

the highrise
image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

Sources: Flickr, Wiki

erbse · July 14th, 2009, 06:11 PM

Now..

Magdeburg (Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany - this street is called Ernst-Reuter-Allee)

image hosted on flickr

by flickr, Wiki

Iluminat · July 14th, 2009, 09:30 PM

Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow

CrayZD · July 20th, 2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erbse

Great. I always thought this was pre-war.

Quote:

Originally Posted by erbse

As an irony of fate, it's a capitalist department store today.

Iluminat · July 14th, 2009, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erbse

Stalinist architecture was the best in Socialist times. Just think about Moscows 7 Sisters or several cities in Ukraine or the former GDR (Rostock, Magdeburg, Chemnitz, Dresden, Leipzig, ...).

In Poland we call this style "socrealism"

for Warsaw Palace of Culture and Science is perhaps the most impressive example

but there are many more like MDM(Mokotowian housing district)

"Dom Partii" former communist party headquarters

some administrative buildings

Grand hotel

...

Iluminat · July 14th, 2009, 03:14 PM

Ministry of Transportation

Ministry of agriculture

Ministry of Finance

brvnara · July 20th, 2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iluminat

Ministry of Transportation

Ministry of agriculture

Ministry of Finance

Wow, most of these building are amazing,

Do you maybe know when were they built...just the period not exact years...unless youknow it

Iluminat · July 20th, 2009, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brvnara

Do you maybe know when were they built...just the period not exact years...unless youknow it

between 1949 and 1956 (all of them)

brvnara · July 20th, 2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iluminat

In Poland we call this style "socrealism"

for Warsaw Palace of Culture and Science is perhaps the most impressive example

but there are many more like MDM(Mokotowian housing district)

"Dom Partii" former communist party headquarters

some administrative buildings

Grand hotel

...

theese too

Union.SLO · July 14th, 2009, 03:45 PM

Ljubljana's most important socialist buildings are located on Republic square:

Slovenian parliament:

Cankar hall:

TR3 and TR2 towers are dominanting the square:

LoveAgent. · July 14th, 2009, 05:49 PM

Berlin

Fernsehenturm
image hosted on flickr

The Palace of the Republic (deconstructed to make room for a planned Stadtschloß reconstruction)

Westin Grand Hotel

Czech Embassy

Park Inn Hotel

Internationales Handelszentrum (International Trade Center)

Frankfurter Tor

Nico_Uru · July 15th, 2009, 02:35 AM

The Soviets had some pretty epic designs under Stalin that were both beautiful, ultra-modern and never built.

Interior of the proposed Palace of the Soviets:

One of the proposals for the Commissariat of Heavy Industry:

My personal favourite, a proposal for teh Commissariat of Heavy Industry:

Lest we forget the famous Moscow Subway:
image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

JmB & Co. · July 15th, 2009, 03:33 AM

Well, Im afraid I must say that I hate the general concept of "Soviet architecture" or Socialist architecture.
My country has introduced this architectural style in State housing ventures. That are called "Monoblocks", and are really horribles.
Its mi opinion. But, I hope you could open more to occidental architecture.
Even the modern Russian modern architecture is very particular.

July 14th, 2009, 04:16 AM	#1
Nico_Uru Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: 多伦多/蒙得维的亚 Posts: 41 Likes (Received): 0	Socialist architecture Hello everyone, When most people think of socialist architecture, they think of blocs upon blocs of monotone, grey buildings stretching into the horizon. Although, that was undeniably part of the socialist legacy, it was certainly not unique to the socialist states; reference for example the public housing in the capitalist West, or even hyper-capitalist, consumerist suburban monotone architecture. What I want to do in this thread to go beyond the base ideological conflicts and biases, for and against capitalism and socialism, we should be still be able to elucidate successes of socialist architecture. The failures of socialist planning, and architecture are well known, disproportionate to their successes imo. I think one of the most successful examples of socialist architecture was Red Vienna during the 1920s and early 1930s before the proto-fascist coup d'etat. The city was ruled by rather radical socialists at the time, more information can be read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Vienna I am hoping others can highlight what they see as positive developments in the socialist bloc architecturally. __________________ “In human society, the political is the encompassing structuring principle, so that every neutralization of partial content as 'non-political' is political gesture par excellence” -Slavoj Žižek Visit: http://perspectivos.blogspot.com/

July 14th, 2009, 07:32 AM	#2
waccamatt Gamecocks&Skyscrapers fan Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 1,540 Likes (Received): 1	I think you're referring to what is commonly known as "Commie Blocks". Keep in mind that socialism and communism are not the same thing. __________________ Columbia pictures SC Gay and Lesbian Pride 9 28 13

July 14th, 2009, 12:29 PM	#3
Amrafel Higher, better Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bratislava, Slovakia/Wareham, MA Posts: 3,822 Likes (Received): 87	I dont think that socialist architecture is generally bad. Here in Slovakia you can find great examples of modern architecture Nový most bridge Slovak national gallery Slovak technical university Slovak broadcasting service and many more! __________________ VISIT BEAUTY ON DANUBE - BRATISLAVA! projects & photos & history

July 14th, 2009, 12:44 PM	#5
erbse Leave UiG alone! Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mecklenburg, California of Germany ja! Posts: 20,294 Likes (Received): 4863	Stalinist architecture was the best in Socialist times. Just think about Moscows 7 Sisters or several cities in Ukraine or the former GDR (Rostock, Magdeburg, Chemnitz, Dresden, Leipzig, ...). __________________ MARS☻ONE *Making a Mars Settlement a Reality! (FAQ • SSC Thread • Mars One Fans Forum)*

July 14th, 2009, 02:03 PM	#7
kroten Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Szczecin Posts: 1,060 Likes (Received): 12	Some interesting examples from this thread : http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=862797 Ministry of transport, Tbilisi Yerevan airport USSR expo'67 pavilion, Montreal Narkomfin house, Moscow Freedom square, Kharkiv image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Art gallery, Vilnius image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr

September 28th, 2012, 01:42 PM	#4
mikewadera Registered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 4 Likes (Received): 0	nice

July 14th, 2009, 01:37 PM	#6
StigJ Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 24 Likes (Received): 0	Do you (or anyone) have any pictures of the German examples that you mention?

July 14th, 2009, 06:11 PM	#9
erbse Leave UiG alone! Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mecklenburg, California of Germany ja! Posts: 20,294 Likes (Received): 4863	Now.. Magdeburg (Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany - this street is called Ernst-Reuter-Allee) image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr by flickr, Wiki __________________ MARS☻ONE *Making a Mars Settlement a Reality! (FAQ • SSC Thread • Mars One Fans Forum)*

July 14th, 2009, 09:30 PM	#10
Iluminat Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 8,616 Likes (Received): 96	Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow

July 14th, 2009, 03:14 PM	#13
Iluminat Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 8,616 Likes (Received): 96	Ministry of Transportation Ministry of agriculture Ministry of Finance

July 14th, 2009, 03:45 PM	#17
Union.SLO Existere et persistere Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ljubljana Posts: 6,683 Likes (Received): 290	Ljubljana's most important socialist buildings are located on Republic square: Slovenian parliament: Cankar hall: TR3 and TR2 towers are dominanting the square:

July 14th, 2009, 05:49 PM	#18
LoveAgent. Need new name... Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: London/Warsaw Posts: 1,288 Likes (Received): 6	Berlin Fernsehenturm image hosted on flickr The Palace of the Republic (deconstructed to make room for a planned Stadtschloß reconstruction) Westin Grand Hotel Czech Embassy Park Inn Hotel Internationales Handelszentrum (International Trade Center) Frankfurter Tor __________________ flickr soundcloud YouTube LoNDoN urban showcase Have you ever had a dream, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?

July 15th, 2009, 02:35 AM	#19
Nico_Uru Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: 多伦多/蒙得维的亚 Posts: 41 Likes (Received): 0	The Soviets had some pretty epic designs under Stalin that were both beautiful, ultra-modern and never built. Interior of the proposed Palace of the Soviets: One of the proposals for the Commissariat of Heavy Industry: My personal favourite, a proposal for teh Commissariat of Heavy Industry: Lest we forget the famous Moscow Subway: image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr __________________ “In human society, the political is the encompassing structuring principle, so that every neutralization of partial content as 'non-political' is political gesture par excellence” -Slavoj Žižek Visit: http://perspectivos.blogspot.com/

July 15th, 2009, 03:33 AM	#20
JmB & Co. Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Buenos Aires Posts: 3,254 Likes (Received): 65	Well, Im afraid I must say that I hate the general concept of "Soviet architecture" or Socialist architecture. My country has introduced this architectural style in State housing ventures. That are called "Monoblocks", and are really horribles. Its mi opinion. But, I hope you could open more to occidental architecture. Even the modern Russian modern architecture is very particular.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode