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Soviet Cities
In recent years, Russian cities have changed, but the architectural heritage of the Soviet period has not been fully acknowledged. As a result, many modernist buildings have been destroyed, while others have become almost unrecognizable following insensitive renovations.
Russian photographer Arseniy Kotov intends to document these buildings and their surroundings before they are lost forever. He likes to take pictures in winter, during the "blue hour," which occurs immediately after sunset or just before sunrise. At this time, the warm yellow colors inside apartment block windows contrast with the twilight gloom outside. To Kotov, this atmosphere reflects the Soviet period of his imagination. His impression of this time is unashamedly idealistic: He envisages a great civilization, built on a fair society, which hopes to explore nature and conquer space.
Russian photographer Arseniy Kotov intends to document these buildings and their surroundings before they are lost forever. He likes to take pictures in winter, during the "blue hour," which occurs immediately after sunset or just before sunrise. At this time, the warm yellow colors inside apartment block windows contrast with the twilight gloom outside. To Kotov, this atmosphere reflects the Soviet period of his imagination. His impression of this time is unashamedly idealistic: He envisages a great civilization, built on a fair society, which hopes to explore nature and conquer space.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 2, 2021
I really do enjoy these Fuel books on all things Russia/former Soviet Republics. This one focused on Soviet-era architecture in cities throughout the empire (or whatever that bloc of Soviet-ness was called... was it bloc?). I have to admit that I found the murkiness of many of the photos a bit off putting (dare I say lugubrious?). I know! I know! The photographer had a really nice afterwards that explained the "blue hour" and resulting gloom and orangy-y glow of lights that delights artists. Hahaha! I'm not an artist so I found many of the photos overly murky for my tastes.
Plus, UGH, these Russian/Soviet peeps built so very many apartment complexes, highrises, and monolithic homes that by the end of the book I was feeling completely suffocated by all the same-iness of the structures. Without a doubt, my own raised-in-places-with a proliferation of detached housing prejudices are showing. So let me assure you there are tons and tons of great photos of all those multi-family homes. Just perhaps a few too many for me to be able to decipher the differences amongst the vast quantities.
Having said all that, I really wanted to post so many of the photos in the book that really tickled such a sense of delight in me (despite all the Soviet-ness!!). But I'm gonna hold back and just post the three - complete with terrible photos of photos - I absolutely couldn't resist. Seriously, buy the book or borrow from your own library to enjoy all the delights to be found herein.
As a librarian, I'm always amused when I see friends posting images of archtictectually beautiful libraries they want to visit. LOL, I'm amused that THIS library isn't included. I mean, who wouldn't want to visit that monument to... cement and cement? Sorry, that's just a bit of sarcasm since I work in an ugly library that will never appear on anybody's bucket list of places to visit.
I utterly delight in waves as a form. Forgive me for thinking I'm not alone in adoring waves as these multi-family buildings built in the shape of worms/snakes/wavy whatnots show
I love mountains. Love 'em! And if I had to live in any of the countless multi-family structures photographed in this book, I think this would be my #1 choice. LOL, as long as I had a mountain view!
Plus, UGH, these Russian/Soviet peeps built so very many apartment complexes, highrises, and monolithic homes that by the end of the book I was feeling completely suffocated by all the same-iness of the structures. Without a doubt, my own raised-in-places-with a proliferation of detached housing prejudices are showing. So let me assure you there are tons and tons of great photos of all those multi-family homes. Just perhaps a few too many for me to be able to decipher the differences amongst the vast quantities.
Having said all that, I really wanted to post so many of the photos in the book that really tickled such a sense of delight in me (despite all the Soviet-ness!!). But I'm gonna hold back and just post the three - complete with terrible photos of photos - I absolutely couldn't resist. Seriously, buy the book or borrow from your own library to enjoy all the delights to be found herein.
As a librarian, I'm always amused when I see friends posting images of archtictectually beautiful libraries they want to visit. LOL, I'm amused that THIS library isn't included. I mean, who wouldn't want to visit that monument to... cement and cement? Sorry, that's just a bit of sarcasm since I work in an ugly library that will never appear on anybody's bucket list of places to visit.
I utterly delight in waves as a form. Forgive me for thinking I'm not alone in adoring waves as these multi-family buildings built in the shape of worms/snakes/wavy whatnots show
I love mountains. Love 'em! And if I had to live in any of the countless multi-family structures photographed in this book, I think this would be my #1 choice. LOL, as long as I had a mountain view!
October 26, 2020
Una maravillosa colección de fotografías actuales que miran hacia otra época, la de la extinta URSS. A Arseniy Kotov le fascina la arquitectura soviética por lo mismo que nos fascina a muchos: es la traducción al arte de una ideología, de una forma de pensamiento en la que la humanidad está por delante del beneficio. Es sobrecogedora la sección de monumentos y mosaicos celebrando al obrero y al campesino, igual que la parte que dedica a centros de investigación. No hay mucho texto pero no es necesario: nada habla mejor que una buena imagen, y las hay desde Moldavia hasta los confines de Rusia, pasando por Estonia o Tayikistán.
February 15, 2022
Absolutely worthwhile and some incredible work in here, but begins to drag a little in the residential sections, at least for me. Interested in checking out the author’s other book.
July 18, 2022
Some really outstanding pictures of Soviet era buildings and monuments. A great compilation and some interesting texts from the Soviet period. A slight nostalgia trip for me as in a past life I have had business meetings in several of the buildings and stayed in at least one of the hotels. Many of them still serve as effective public or office buildings with the addition of modern facilities.
January 4, 2021
Beautiful photography chronicling Soviet architecture and public art.
September 9, 2021
Excellent!
March 15, 2025
Some beautiful shots of a variety of styles of brutalist and mid-20th century soviet architecture. The chapter on housing blocks is perhaps a little long, but they also have their charm.
May 2, 2025
對於生長在資本主義陣營的我而言，裡頭的建築風格實在是大開眼界；規模龐大的集合住宅、粗獷派建築可能先前已有概念，但是蛇行、環形的建築倒是首次知道。
July 18, 2022
Lots of monolithic apartment blocks by twilight. But a few truly gorgeous buildings, and some fabulous pieces of imagination. Some of the below are stock photos, not the author's:
Regional Khokimiyat (Administration) of Samarkand, Uzbekistan - elegant golden lines snake up a blocky skyscraper, then twist into a flower/star motif.
Ministry of Highway Construction of the Georgian SSR - three white "trunks," with rooms jutting out like knobbly branches, rise above the surrounding trees.
The National Library of Belarus, "constructed in the shape of a rhombicuboctahedron."
Tashkent, Uzbekistan's "Pearl" - an experimental, 16 story residential building. The "Pearl" had five special recreational zones, ascending throughout -- providing places for children to play, plants to grow, and grandmothers to rest. No surprise that this humane, well-rounded project was by the only woman architect I saw featured in this book:
Regional Khokimiyat (Administration) of Samarkand, Uzbekistan - elegant golden lines snake up a blocky skyscraper, then twist into a flower/star motif.
Ministry of Highway Construction of the Georgian SSR - three white "trunks," with rooms jutting out like knobbly branches, rise above the surrounding trees.
The National Library of Belarus, "constructed in the shape of a rhombicuboctahedron."
Tashkent, Uzbekistan's "Pearl" - an experimental, 16 story residential building. The "Pearl" had five special recreational zones, ascending throughout -- providing places for children to play, plants to grow, and grandmothers to rest. No surprise that this humane, well-rounded project was by the only woman architect I saw featured in this book:
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews