Socialist architecture - examples

[Rascian]

Oh, too bad for that reclad, the original building was great.

[Rascian]

The faculty of philosophy in Belgrade built in 1965. One of my favourite socialist era buildings in the city. It created a new quality urban ambient in the city center, really rare for 1960-70 architecure.

The public plaza in front of the building







The wide passage to Knez Mihajlova street



part of the building facing Knez Mihajlova street



[IMG][/IMG]

[nauportus90]

Communist architecture in Slovenia consists mainly of ugly apartment buildings where the workers lived, so I generally find it to be very unattractive! But there are few interesting buildings from that era (or should I say buildings that aren't as ugly as the others are)!

Velenje-The Home of Culture

Velenje is a city that was built after WW2 and was used as a model town for others similar towns in Yugoslavia. When presidents, dictators and other leaders visited Yugoslavia, Tito usually included a visit of Velenje in their trip. The most interesting building is The Home of Culture (built in 1959), where different events for the workers were held. It's located on the main square-Tito's square (you can also find the biggest statue of Tito in the world on that square-this statue has been a matter of some controversy in the last few years, for many people want to have it removed).


(Source:http://www.velenje.si/imagelib/magni...ages/kd-08.jpg)


(Source: http://kraji.eu/PICTURES/korosko_sav...ni_dom_big.jpg)


(Source: http://www.mladina.si/mladina/200926...oe_miklavc.jpg)


(Source: http://shrani.si/f/2p/7g/2gjit1BW/ku...-dom-forum.jpg)

Here's another photo of Tito's square-that "infamous" statue and the old castle are visible in the background.





Ljubljana-Parliament

Well, the building of the Parliament (also built in 1959) itself is very ugly if you ask me, but what makes it special are statues that are located above the entrance-I forgot what they are supposed to represent, but I find them beautiful nevertheless.


(Source:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3EDcen8L1n...-parlament.jpg )


(Source:http://img.siol.net/09/050/633706592125615021_dz.jpg )

image hosted on flickr

(Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3562/...g?v=1236022936)

image hosted on flickr

(Source:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3550/...5dde8f9366.jpg)

The last photo shows President of the National Assembly in front of the Parliament-it was taken in may, after drunk students, anarchists and skinheads attacked the building after some demonstrations, and caused major damage to the building...

(Source: http://www.delo.si/assets/media/pict...0_cernivec.jpg)

[Kampflamm]

Socialist apartment block in Leipzig:

image hosted on flickr

[Buffalo Soldier]

It's not eastern Europe, but this is how socialist architecture looks like in Belgium

Ghent: Vooruit



Ghent: Volkshuis/Bond Moyson



Brussels: Maison Du Peuple/Volkshuis (Horta - demolished)

[Rocky031]

Few buildings from my city,Osijek ex Yugoslavia

[Amrafel]

Generally, socialist architecture (If we talk about east-european modernism, not stalinism) is not bad, I think that it is only negative reaction on commieblocks. Here are the most beautiful examples from Slovakia:

Museum of Slovak national uprising, Banská Bystrica:





Agricultural university, Nitra:


New bridge, Bratislava:



Slovak radio, Bratislava:

[ophizer]

I like this architechture a lot, especially the stalinist buildings built in city centers in E. Europe. I'm afraid there's somewhat of a bias against this architecture primarily due to the commie blocks that were so much more prevalent. But those are called, at least in the former Soviet Union, "Kruschyovka" (built by Kruschev to aleaviate the housing shortages in the USSR). Intended to act as temporary structures with average lifespan, of "disposable" houses at least, of only 25 years. The hope was that once the Soviet Union achieved "complete" communism by 1980's, shortage of all kinds of things would have disappeared, commie blocks would have been replaced by something more adequate, permanent and architecturally worthy.

I would be very happy if all commie blocks looked like this. They are certainly better than anything that the modernists and internationalists were doing in the west at the time.

These should all be residential














Also, I thought this was quite intersting. A luxury apartment complex recently completed in Moscow (2007) in a stalinist style.

[ophizer]

Just for comparison, here's what the father of internationalism, Le Corbusier, was doing in New York around the same time. Commie blocks will be commie blocks and it doesn't matter where they are. They are city destroying, blightful monstrosities that have a singular purpose--provide housing stock to overcrowded cities at the cheapest possible cost.







http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/4...wngettyafp.jpg

[Union.SLO]

Originally Posted by nauportus90

Ljubljana-Parliament

Well, the building of the Parliament (also built in 1959) itself is very ugly if you ask me, but what makes it special are statues that are located above the entrance-I forgot what they are supposed to represent, but I find them beautiful nevertheless.

Well, it depends of personal taste, but I think is not that bad. Don't get me wrong, it's completely inappropriate as parliamentary palace, but the building itself is a quality representative of its period. Those figures you mentioned are depicting people performing diverse activities (education, textile industry, fishing, forestry, mining, etc.); there are also some nice mosaics and frescos in the interior... It would be best to place here some museum and built a new parliament at new location IMO.


Here are some my photos of TR2 and TR3 towers, located at the other side of Republic square:







And Parliament once more:

[Piltup Man]

Here are some my photos of TR2 and TR3 towers, located at the other side of Republic square:

What are those awful dilapidated "things" on top?

[Union.SLO]

Originally Posted by Piltup Man

What are those awful dilapidated "things" on top?

That's a part of the buildings - caps coated in bronze, covered with green patina. Towers were originaly planned without them and about twice higher.

[Norkey]

Originally Posted by Amrafel

Generally, socialist architecture (If we talk about east-european modernism, not stalinism) is not bad, I think that it is only negative reaction on commieblocks. Here are the most beautiful examples from Slovakia:

I have to disagree with you. Apart from destroyed churches, historical houses and town layouts (more visible in the West than in most EEan towns, I agree), it brought nothing positive and proces of it's deconstruction has begun and I welcome that. Deconstructing panel blocks will be more slow that deconstruction of commercial/administrative houses, as renovated panel block is comfortable and cheap at the same moment, but I'm optimistic.

OD Jested in Liberec, OD Máj, OD Kotva.. are few really terrible examples of communist architecture, but every town has some brutalist concrete/panel monsters in it's town center..

the only (valuable) building from this period (60s) is Jested TV Tower, plans are even to list it as UNESCO heritage.. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1050451

[Iluminat]

I have to disagree with you. Apart from destroyed churches and town layouts, it brought nothing positive and proces of it's deconstruction has begun and I welcome that. Deconstruction panel blocks will be more slow that deconstruction of commercial/administrative houses, as renovated panel block is comfortable and cheap at the same moment, but I'm optimistic.

The only examples of demolished churches I know of were from the Stalin times USSR.
In Poland there were actually many churches built and renovated in that period like Arka Pana in Nowa Huta:


Anyway process of deconstruction you talk about is often free market bartbarism but it's stopping with more buildings listed on heritage lists etc. we shouldn't judge quality of architecture by the ideology, thats what bolsheviks did.

[540_804]

Originally Posted by Kampflamm

Socialist apartment block in Leipzig:

image hosted on flickr

With a proper interior up-fit (and if it were located in the right location), I would LOVE to live there...

[Iluminat]

National Library in Warsaw:

[Norkey]

Originally Posted by Iluminat

The only examples of demolished churches I know of were from the Stalin times USSR.
In Poland there were actually many churches built and renovated in that period like Arka Pana in Nowa Huta:

Anyway process of deconstruction you talk about is often free market bartbarism but it's stopping with more buildings listed on heritage lists etc. we shouldn't judge quality of architecture by the ideology, thats what bolsheviks did.

Many cities and towns lost their churches and skylines in the past, especially along borders with Germany and Austria. When Poland really had socialism, we had hard communism after 1968 without any creative or unique piece of architecture, religion was de facto prohibited.. Also thanks to you. :/ I doubt any churches were erected during 40 years of communism. We are building more churches now, from 1990 till today. Few new projects were presented not so long ago in czech section (general czech rep. development thread), you can take a look..

So no, it's definitely not about ideology, but really I don't like any landmark from this period (there were few of them anyway) maybe apart from Slovak Radio (personally I don't like it, but it's unique in it's own way thus interesting) and Jested Tower (also unique and internationally awarded, but it has little to do with communism, as construction started shortly before invasion in relatively optimistic and free atmosphere). What next? You could hardly find any popular and loved building from this period, especially among those which replaced much more valuable architecture in the city centers.. Only few buildings from this period is heritage listed now, mostly in Prague:







(replaced with modern mall)


Most of those projects, if not all, were realized by Liberec's SIAL by the way.. nothing to be proud of, really..

[*****]

Socialist architecture is one veeery ugly bitch,look here "masterpieces" from Croatia











This siht is even proteced as masterpiece

[Batavier]

Thanks for the examples everybody!

[Iluminat]

Originally Posted by Norkey

Many cities and towns lost their churches and skylines in the past, especially along borders with Germany and Austria.

You mean empty German towns used for artilery practice?

When Poland really had socialism, we had hard communism

Communism would be actually better than socialism, we were on the "road to communism" after all.

I doubt any churches were erected during 40 years of communism.

But wasn't that because Czechs are not religious in general so the pressure on authorities to allow it was smaller

So no, it's definitely not about ideology, but really I don't like any landmark from this period (there were few of them anyway) maybe apart from Slovak Radio (personally I don't like it, but it's unique in it's own way thus interesting) and Jested Tower (also unique and internationally awarded, but it has little to do with communism, as construction started shortly before invasion in relatively optimistic and free atmosphere). What next? You could hardly find any popular and loved building from this period, especially among those which replaced much more valuable architecture in the city centers.. Only few buildings from this period is heritage listed now, mostly in Prague:

What about this building?
image hosted on flickr

it's very beautiful