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Hi guys! As you already know, our book about the architecture of soviet modernism in Togliatti is in progress now. What is it for, how the idea appeared, how it all began — you can read all of that in these articles:
How the idea of the book about Togliatti soviet modernism was born? Part 1
How the idea of the book about Togliatti soviet modernism was born? Part 2
Today here on Selfietecture the most aesthetic and beautiful post. Our photographers have presented the first pictures of our July trip and I’m glad to share it with you.
In this article you will see photos of Stas Knop, a talented architectural photographer from St. Petersburg. Do you want more of brutal architecture and modernism aesthetics? I strongly advise you to subscribe to his accounts in VK, FB, In.
So, today just look at pictures, and go to Togliatti enjoying this live!)
01. Medgorodok
Medgorodok is a huge medical cluster, perhaps the biggest in Russia. Clustering system is quite typical for Soviets because it is a one type of Soviet theory of a linear city, where all the functions are not mixed but divided: factories, forest belt, public places, housing.
Medgorodok appears almost the same time as the construction of Togliatti begun. As many projects of this time, it is not fully implemented. There is no dormitories and residences for physicians, which was designed directly into the structure of the complex.
02. The Volgar Sports Palace
Sports is the strongest urban identity in Togliatti. None from cities I’ve ever been hasn’t got such expressed component of sports. Maybe it’s because there were planned enough sports facilities in the city, or maybe because sports symbolizes youth, which was the main idea of young enthusiasts — constructors of Togliatti.
The second strong identity of the city is nature. This is the first thing Togliatti citizens love and appreciate in their city. Nature of Togliatti is visibly outweighed then urban environment if to consider the ideological power. Why so? Of course, the city hasn’t got enough historical formation, the proof is a huge number of new buildings in «historical style». So when citizens want to be more close to their roots, they only can be more close to nature.
The Volgar Sports Palace is a powerful object because it combines these two main identities — sports and nature. It is more like symbol then building. It has the country’s largest entertainment hall with 5,000 seats (only cinema hall «Russia» in Moscow is larger). The Tolyatti has all the largest things, you know :)
03. Olymp swimming pool.
Do you agree now with the powerful of sports identity in Togliatti?
04. The part of projected central ensemble of the city: the Palace of Culture and creativity of AvtoVAZ
You can see the interior of Avtograd library with the authentic furniture.
The city center in Togliatti was planned as a complex with ground and above-ground pedestrian lines, communication systems and a huge number of features, including an area for the parades. Unfortunately, the main high rise building — Palace of the Soviets hasn’t been implemented, so it turned on that the whole composition now hasn’t got any logical accent and leads to nowhere.
05. The Training center of AutoVAZ
Let’s now walk toward to the car factory and see .
06. A small intimate building — Musical School
I see the symbolism of the catholic churches, do you?
07. Railway station of Togliatti and its inner spaces a-la Zaha Hadid
08. So, let’s see Togliatti well-known residential typologies
This houses are truly the symbols of Togliatti.
09. Saturn cinema theatre
And I will finish it with my favorite building. Unfortunately, it is under threat of demolition now, like all the one-hall cinemas of post-Soviet space, which function is no longer in demand. Beautiful building is in an undefined status for many years, hidden by banners.
All of these buildings (today you’ve seen only part of it) will be included in the album, with the basic drawings, information, and as we plan, memories of eyewitness.
You can follow the project here: VK, FB, and my Instagram.
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