In the mid-1930s, after the establishment of Constructivism and the proclamation of a principally new approach to architectural ideology in Soviet Russia, Iakov Chernikhov, like many others, was subject to a vicious criticism. His books were withdrawn from libraries, and those already submitted to the printer were never published.

Nevertheless, Chernikhov preserved his ability to generate new ideas. By now already clearly in the Piranesi style, he created in 1934-1946 a cycle of works that included: The Architecture of Palaces, The Architectural Ensembles, The Architecture of the Future, The Architecture of Bridges, and The Palaces of Communism in which the author not only studies the image of the architecture of the new epoch, but also the issues of formation of the architectural ensemble.

“Architecture as the art of spatial forms, as a permanent visual and perceptible image is one of the mighty factors of convincing propaganda of the great ideas of communism. The heroics of the Stalin epoch, undoubtedly, will find in the architectural buildings the expressive and laconic image that will advance special category of compositional interpretations of the spatial forms. The splendor and magnificence, enthusiasm and triumph, joy and happiness, might and force – all this I tried to reflect in the compositional fantasies “Palaces of communism”.

In common ensembles the palaces of communism represent the eminent buildings affecting the silhouette of the city. The city silhouette problem plays significant role when realizing the full-size buildings.

I attach great importance to the image and form of the building. Therefore I am striving in each composition to find new sounding, new interpretation, and new compositional complex of architectural projects.

Parallel with using the wealth of the past, but in its new sounding, in unison with our Soviet socialist reality, I am striving to find the new style, new architectural forms and new kinds of reflection of creative presentations.

Therefore, I have concentrated all my attention on the architectural fantasies, as I consider that only by this way there is a possibility of solving so complicated and responsible problem of ideological substantiation of the building. The thorough creative study of the structural-spatial design of the projects in clear-cut ideologically sustained substantiations will help us create the socialist Soviet architecture. And since the problems of the wide ensemble are touched in parallel with this, it is necessary to crystallize by the compositional manner all the wealth of forms and organization of space which I think over and imagine”.

Iakov Chernikhov

Contacts: tel./fax: +7(495)788-18-16, 694-1720
e-mail: ICIF@bk.ru