MOSCOW | Palace of Soviets | 1,624' Pinnacle / 1,362' Roof | 100 FLOORS | NEVER BUILT

[Chicago2020]

I have never seen this project before, thought I might share it.

Construction did start in the late 30's but because of WW2, construction stopped.

http://www.archinect.com/images/uploads/palace_soviets_01.jpg

http://www.masterandmargarita.eu/images/04mappen/paleis.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Palace_of_Soviets_-_cross_section.jpg/756px-Palace_of_Soviets_-_cross_section.jpg

[Ducov]

I love the way this was proposed a few years after Lenin said he didn't want any statues built of himself........:rolleyes:

[ethereal_reality]

I've always loved this meglomanical proposal.
The statue itself was larger than the Statue of Library.

[Jibba]

This would have been something to be seen, but, for me, not in the way that the architect likely intended. This is just egomaniacal insanity.

[ardecila]

The amphitheater spaces (or were they for political assemblies?) look pretty cool to me - they remind me of the Senate Building with the little floating pods in Star Wars.

[ethereal_reality]

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/9131/iofan1stconceptnm8.jpg

Iofan's 1st concept.




http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/3614/iofan2ndconcepttx8.jpg

..and his 2nd concept.

[Jonovision]

From a purely architectural standpoint I think this would have been amazing if it was built. So monolithic! And yes, very reminiscent of Star Wars. lol

[ethereal_reality]

Iofan's final proposal. ( It's HUGE )

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/3903/iofanplanzy6.jpg

[RLS_rls]

Ah! Where are all these pictures coming from?!? I hadn't realised there were different designs. All these years I've only ever seen the same two drawings, which were the first two in the thread. I have to admit that cutout confused me. I had always thought this would have been 100 floors, impossible with that massive amphitheatre in the middle of it.

And what was Iofan's first concept? Is that a modernist dome I see on the left? The entire complex would have surrounded a...lighthouse(?) topped with Lenin's statue?

Pretty monumental overall. Too bad it was never completed...

[canucklehead2]

I love this building not only for its great height, but also because it's looks vaguely sinister and the epitome of what paranoid Westerners thought the USSR was really like during that time. Turns out it was... To me I'd still love to see it built one day, although I know that isn't going to happen for several reasons ie, the fall of communism, the rebuilding of the church on that site, budget realities, but still... one can dream right?

[JDRCRASH]

Does anybody see a touch of Jeruselum in it?

[Dac150]

You have to wonder what they would do with this place today if it were built.

[ethereal_reality]

This is extremely cool.


http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/8444/iofanplastermodelaq6.jpg

[RLS_rls]

Yeah so what is it? Neo-classical? It seems kind of art-deco-ish to me. Would this be classified as 'Stalinist' architecture?

[skirwin1]

lol, i love it. its vile... but really bloody impressive at the same time. looks like something from North Korea, but more extreme coz its one top of a skysscraper :O

[Lecom]

Yeah so what is it? Neo-classical? It seems kind of art-deco-ish to me. Would this be classified as 'Stalinist' architecture?

This is the epitome of Stalinist architecture. And yes, it's a mix of Neo-Classicism and Art Deco.

[ethereal_reality]

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/5483/111statuecomparisonjh2.jpg


A comparison of the size of the Lenin statue to the Statue of Liberty.

[NDPhilly]

Is that Joseph Stalin :previous:

[dunbrine47]

Lol every time I look at that the dark theme from Star Wars Comes to mind.
P.S Replace Lennin With a statue of Darth Vader:haha: :haha: :haha:

[Patrick]

I kinda wish it was built, it would have been an amazing sight to see!

[Yasir]

It's such a pity it didn't get built! It would've been such an awe inspiring sight, very sinister as well.

[anm]

I feel fine it has not been realised on this particular site. This is what we have now with the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour rebuilt:

photo from http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/sergeyk2171/album/25517/?p=1

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/2/immortal-ru.11/0_12087_c3f59b6_XL.jpg (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/Immortal-RU/view/73863/)
View on Yandex (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/Immortal-RU/view/73863/)

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/4/immortal-ru.11/0_1208b_c1d23e98_XL.jpg (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/immortal-ru/view/73867/)
View on Yandex (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/immortal-ru/view/73867/)

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/2/immortal-ru.13/0_1211e_719bf340_XL.jpg (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/immortal-ru/view/74014/)
View on Yandex (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/immortal-ru/view/74014/)

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/54/immortal-ru.14/0_12279_201c8bb5_XL.jpg (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/immortal-ru/view/74361/)
View on Yandex (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/immortal-ru/view/74361/)

If it were planned outside Garden Ring (about as far as you can see Moscow State University in the last pic) - I would have fewer objections to it, although I do not like the design where a building is a pedestal to a monstrous stature. (BTW, the stature was supposed to rotate to always face the sun).

The project I regret has not been completed is the 8th sister in Zaryadje (on the foundation of which Hotel Rossija, now demolished, was has been built instead). It was IMO the best design of the eight. The site for it was somewhat questionable (dwafing St Basil's Cathedral), but we would have gotten used to it in that place. It was a beauty, not like the monster diiscussed in this thread.

[ethereal_reality]

^^^Beautiful cathedral....stunning city.

I had no idea the statue of Lenin was suppose to rotate.

[ethereal_reality]

What is this 1952 periodical/magazine? Anyone know?

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/2333/russiancover1952yw4.jpg

[anm]

What is this 1952 periodical/magazine? Anyone know?

I would loosely translate the periodical's name as "(Sience and) Technology for Youth"

This cover is interesting, it suggests that right before his death in March 1953 Stalin still endorsed this project. I wonder what the publication actually says. I thought it had been abandoned after WWII.

[RLS_rls]

^Why wouldn't he endorse something like that? lol

What did that 8th tower that you mentioned look like?

[anm]

^Why wouldn't he endorse something like that? lol

Stalin has not planned this building just because he was a megalomaniac or whimsical person. He had a solid reason for everything he has done.

This project was highly symbolic and political, nothing less than "the center of the Universe". Before WWII Stalin had a vision for every single country to become a soviet republic joining Soviet Union which would finally encompass the world being ruled from Moscow. This building would be used for general assembly meetings, kind of communist UN organization. After WWII it was clear that this was not happening, so the plans for such building were first delayed and finally abandoned, but apparently abandoned only after Khruschev came into power.

The other Stalinist scrapers have been built for different (more practical) reasons.

[anm]

more pics of the monster

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2852/dsrazrez6001hw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2865/dsbolschojzal6001ci.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://muar.ru/press_dossier/2006/visotki/12.jpg

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/05.jpg

http://www.ljplus.ru/img/n/e/newrussian/prospekt-doma-sovetov.jpeg

http://muar.ru/press_dossier/2006/visotki/09.jpg

http://muar.ru/press_dossier/2006/visotki/11.jpg

http://muar.ru/press_dossier/2006/visotki/16.jpg

http://www.ljplus.ru/img/n/e/newrussian/27.jpg

http://www.ljplus.ru/img/n/e/newrussian/09.jpg

http://www.ljplus.ru/img/n/e/newrussian/28.jpg

http://www.ljplus.ru/img/n/e/newrussian/08.jpg

http://www.ljplus.ru/img/n/e/newrussian/21.jpg

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/01_lenin_182109.jpg

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/02_lenin_132012.jpg

http://www.ljplus.ru/img/n/e/newrussian/Iofan-DS-162.jpg

http://www.ljplus.ru/img/n/e/newrussian/Iofan-DS-163.jpg

[anm]

1940s propaganda movie about Stalin's dreams for Moscow as the center of Universe (Palace of the Soviets at the end)

mQHVS_IWKRQ

[anm]

If it were built:

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/tn.jpg

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/03.jpg

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/04.jpg

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/06.jpg

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/07.jpg

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/09.jpg

http://de.fishki.net/picsw/032007/12/lenin/10.jpg

[anm]

What did that 8th tower that you mentioned look like?

the 8th sister by Chechulin

http://foto.rambler.ru/public/j/e/jelson/Moscowhighrise/Chechulin/Chechulin.jpg

the foundation was completed and several floors of the lower part were already up when Khruschev ordered to take them apart and Hotel Rossija was built on the perimeter of the foundation

a pic from wikipedia

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Zaryadye.jpg

[Yasir]

Anm you're an absolute genius! Thanks!

[ethereal_reality]

I agree....you're a HERO Anm.
Thanks for posting such exquisite illustrations.

And the video is a gem.....I can't thank you enough.

[NYC4Life]

This would had been a national landmark, for sure.

[anm]

Thanks for nice words, I am not a hero of course... it was easy - I used links from a similar thread on Russian SCC forum... many of the pics collected by newrussian who we have not seen a while here, and by some others too. I just wanted to provide some substance to discussion here.

[TANGELD_SLC]

The interior of this strucure would have been splendid.
I also like the design of the tower, too. Minus the despicable statue.
I find that prooganda video quite sinster. Too bad it didn't come subtitled in English.

[Hamilton]

You have to wonder what they would do with this place today if it were built.

Re-carve the Stalin statue into Putin? :whip:

[MolsonExport]

"Gotta be bigger than anything". Hitler and Stalin were not too far apart on architectural megalomania.

http://uk.games-workshop.com/mordor/mordorhome/images/mordor-sideimage.jpg

[[SP]Neo]

the design from hitler and stalin were indeed really close.
hitlers big hall and stalins palace of soviets. both wanted a huge landmark for their capitol.

[theWestisDead]

Its not just the Palace but the whole reconstruction of Moscow that really makes this an impressive project, too bad WWII happened and killed the dream.

[koval95]

Only soviets could invent some shit like that

[thepowerofthestar]

It looks reasonable but the statue, it is bearable by the dome???

[Duffstuff129]

This would have been bad-ass no doubt, but Soviet build quality was absolutely terrible, so it would not surprise me if they build the first ten stories, with some accidentally having 6 foot floors, and other with 20 feet, and upon realizing that the foundation they built was no where near strong enough or deep enough, they would have to top out there.

I'm sure Stalin considered how crap everything the Soviets made was before committing to this which led to its death.

[Gamma-Hamster]

This would have been bad-ass no doubt, but Soviet build quality was absolutely terrible, so it would not surprise me if they build the first ten stories, with some accidentally having 6 foot floors, and other with 20 feet, and upon realizing that the foundation they built was no where near strong enough or deep enough, they would have to top out there.

I'm sure Stalin considered how crap everything the Soviets made was before committing to this which led to its death.
:previous:
Poor brainwashed american.

[JManc]

how would have this been structurally feasible? there would be virtually nothing supporting the structure above the dome. if it were built, would have lenin's statute have remained in present day/ post communist russia or would it have been replaced by a shirtless putin on a horse?

[Dr Nevergold]

This is the epitome of Stalinist architecture. And yes, it's a mix of Neo-Classicism and Art Deco.

It would be a fantastic historic monument that would be timeless had it ever been built. Too bad it wasn't.

how would have this been structurally feasible? there would be virtually nothing supporting the structure above the dome. if it were built, would have lenin's statute have remained in present day/ post communist russia or would it have been replaced by a shirtless putin on a horse?


Considering how many buildings still have the communist sickle and hammer logo I think it would still be Lenin on top, but that would be the fun history part. Seeing Lenin's statue as something he wouldn't of approved of is the fun part. :)

The Soviets actually built a lot of magnificent structures and industrialized Russia quite quickly, so I'm sure the building would have been architecturally sound for centuries to come.

Kind of like the anti-North Korea of communist quality. ;)

[aceflamingo23]

I could imagine this being built in n. korea!

[Lecom]

how would have this been structurally feasible? there would be virtually nothing supporting the structure above the dome. if it were built, would have lenin's statute have remained in present day/ post communist russia or would it have been replaced by a shirtless putin on a horse?

They did cart away many of the smaller Soviet monuments; however, the significant ones are actually getting restored to their former glory, such as the famous Worker/Peasant statue:

http://www.cla.purdue.edu/fll/russian/russianmaymester2005/moscow/worker_peasant_statue.jpg
http://www.cla.purdue.edu/fll/russian/russianmaymester2005/moscow/worker_peasant_statue.jpg

As a rule, the Russians have enough common sense to get rid of the reduntant idol worship cult/placing the same statue on every public square of every city, but they also have enough common sense to not erase the obvious markers of history that made up almost all of the country's 20th century existence.

[plinko]

Anybody really interested in the buildings of this era should check out this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Architecture-Stalin-Era-Alexei-Tarkhanov/dp/0847814734

Exceptional sketches and photos in the book.

[JManc]

They did cart away many of the smaller Soviet monuments; however, the significant ones are actually getting restored to their former glory, such as the famous Worker/Peasant statue:

http://www.cla.purdue.edu/fll/russian/russianmaymester2005/moscow/worker_peasant_statue.jpg

As a rule, the Russians have enough common sense to get rid of the reduntant idol worship cult/placing the same statue on every public square of every city, but they also have enough common sense to not erase the obvious markers of history that made up almost all of the country's 20th century existence.

i've noticed that about russia; they've embraced the post soviet way of doing things but they held on to their history as well. i don't think the soviet era was entirely bad as they managed to go from a subsistence agriculture based economy to putting a man in space in a span of 50 years.

[Duffstuff129]

managed to go from a subsistence agriculture based economy to putting a man in space in a span of 50 years.

At the cost of millions of lives and the terrorizing of every citizen in the country. But their history is pretty cool to study at least. :frog:

[TonyAnderson]

I still hope this gets built.

[GFW]

No way it would now,Any communist related structures in Russia seems to be a no-no now.

[mthq]

I still hope this gets built.

lol

[Onieros]

I've always favored Le Corbusier's neo-modernist design for the Palace of the Soviets. The interior was extremely modernist, and looked like something out of THX-1138. Le Corbusier argued that the modernist sentiments of the Soviet revolution were being betrayed by the classicist designs that were approved by Stalin; instead, he interpreted the revolutionary intent in neo-modernist architectural terms, rather than resolving to eclectism/neo-classical designs for the Soviet's "building of buildings".

Many thanks to those who offered up such great images and imaginings on this project.

I'm surprised that neither of the Kims from NK engaged in a 'hubris' project like this, although the supertall hotel in Pyongyang could be considered in a similar light to the proposed Palace of the Soviets.

[KlausD2]

Source: https://architectuul.com/architecture/palace-of-the-soviets


https://api.architectuul.org/media/52968733-6860-47cd-aec7-59466d7b5e1b/1312x.jpg

https://api.architectuul.org/media/52968abb-3b04-4a53-a322-590d6d7b5e1b/1312x.jpg

https://api.architectuul.org/media/52968757-b0b8-467f-9588-58f56d7b5e1b/1312x.jpg


https://live.staticflickr.com/7016/6766879621_6e7910ddda_b.jpg
(https://flic.kr/p/biY2yi)Palace of Soviets (Mechanix Illustrated, Sept. 1939) (https://flic.kr/p/biY2yi) by kitchener.lord (https://www.flickr.com/photos/27862259@N02/), auf Flickr