Russia's architectural avant-garde through the eyes of an American professor (PHOTOS)
In these photos, Professor William Brumfield captured unique structures outside the capital, built in the 1920s-1930s in the style of constructivism and the Soviet avant-garde.
Professor William Brumfield, an expert on Russian architecture and professor of Slavic studies at Tulane University, has been documenting Russia's architectural monuments for more than 50 years, not only as a scholar but also as a photographer. He has traveled to Russia dozens of times, amassing a vast collection of photographs.
In his new book, published by Moscow publishing house 'Tri Kvadrata', he has collected vivid examples of the Soviet architectural avant-garde. We recently reported about some of the Soviet avant-garde in Moscow and now invite you to check out a selection of unusual buildings outside the capital.
1. House of Soviets of the Narva District (N.A. Trotsky, 1930–35), Prospekt Stachek (Strikes Prospekt) 18, St. Petersburg, 2002.
2. ‘S.M. Kirov’ Palace of Culture (N.A. Trocky, S.N. Kazak, 1931–37), Bol'shoy Prospekt (Vasil'evsky Island) 83, St. Petersburg, 1971.
3. House of Technical Studies (A.I. Gegello, D.L. Krichevsky, 1930–32), Ivan Chernyh Street 4, St. Petersburg, 2002.
4. ‘K.E. Voroshilov’ Red Army building (P.A. Shcherbachyov, 1930–32). Frunze Street 165, Samara, 2001.
5. ‘K.E. Voroshilov’ Red Army building (P.A. Shcherbachyov, 1930–32). Frunze Street 165, Samara, 2001.
6. Industry building (V. Klochkov, V.K. Suhov, 1929–33; A.G. Morgun, 1960s), Kuybyshev Street 145, Samara, 2001.
7. Combine Factory Palace of Culture (Taganrog Palace of Youth; M.F. Pokorny, 1922–28), Petrovskaya Street 107, Taganrog, 2016.
8. ‘Round house’ apartment building (I.G. Taranov, 1929–30), Aleksandrovskaya Street 107, Taganrog, 2016.
9. Chekists' village (gorodok chekistov; I.P. Antonov, V.D. Sokolov, 1932–34), Lenin Prospect 69, Yekaterinburg, 1999.
10. Chekists' village, Yekaterinburg, 1999.
11. ‘Dinamo’ Physical Culture Center (V.D. Sokolov,1929), Vasily Eryomin Street 12, Yekaterinburg, 2017.
12. Office building (I. Ippolitov, 1934), Lenin Prospekt 55, Chelyabinsk, 2003.
13. Maxim Gorky Drama Theater (V.A. Shchuko, V.G. Gel'fraih, 1930–35), Theater Square 1, Rostov-on-Don, 2016.
14. Kraysnabsbyt apartment building (“Dom s chasami”; B.A. Gordeev, V.N. Nikitin, 1931–34), Krasny Prospekt 11, Novosibirsk, 1999.
15. Far Eastern Bank building (V.M. Vladimirov, 1927–28), Muravyov Amursky Street 21, Khabarovsk, 2002.
