For the Far North: models of experimental residential complexes presented at the National Centre RUSSIA
Soviet architects, designers, and engineers proposed innovative solutions to ensure comfortable living in various, sometimes extreme conditions — including permafrost. Some of these projects were implemented, while others remained on paper. Two such unrealized concepts, preserved only as models, are presented at "The Birth of Scale" exposition at the National Centre RUSSIA. These are the residential complexes "Polar 'Snezhnogorsk'" and "Polar 'Pyramid'".
"Starting architect Alexander Shipkov graduated with honors from a school in Moscow. He was offered to stay in the capital, but he, together with his wife Yelizaveta, also an architect, went to conquer Siberia and the eternal cold in the city of Norilsk. There, they developed the project 'Polar 'Snezhnogorsk.'' It consists of two buildings facing each other. They are covered with glass from the sides and from the top. Inside, a unique microclimate is created, allowing trees and flowers to grow naturally. A key challenge was to create a foundation for the buildings that would prevent the permafrost from melting and minimize human impact on the environment," shared National Centre RUSSIA guide Tatiana Lazareva.
Later, Alexander and Yelizaveta Shipkov developed another project – "Polar 'Pyramid'". It was also intended for the Far North and represented a 27-story glass pyramid with a wide base. Such a structure was supposed to ensure stability against strong polar blizzards. The windows of the apartments and balconies faced an inner courtyard, which housed swimming pools and a winter garden.
The exposition "The Birth of Scale" at the National Centre RUSSIA introduces visitors to both implemented architectural projects and ideas that remained only as concepts. These are unique models of buildings, blueprints, and layouts stored in museums and private collections. You can register for lectures, workshops, and tours for free on the website russia.ru in the "Events" section.
Partners of the exposition are DOM.RF, Ministry of Construction of Russia, Gazprom, A.V. Shchusev State Museum of Architecture, Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, the Yakov Chernikhov Architectural Charitable Foundation, and the HSE School of Design.
The lecture "Russian Architecture in the Global Context" took place at the National Centre RUSSIA on May 30.
The workshop "Apartment Planning Through a Child’s Eyes" took place on May 30 as part of the educational programme of "The Birth of Scale" exposition at the National Centre RUSSIA.
