if you are talking about revolutionary communism, i'd start with moisei ginsberg's style and epoch, but that's soviet of course. the differing theories between russian constructivists and rationalists are most interesting. for russians its ginsberg, tatlin, ladovski, popova, stepanova, el lissitzky, and any work executed at the vkutemas. some of the most interesting stuff was done in film, not architecture. it could go on and on. i suppose it depends on what you're interested in.
read Anatole Kopp's "Town and Revolution." As for Eastern Europe, you may consider the following projects:
1. Stalinstadt (now Eisenhüttenstadt), a town in E. Germany built near the Eisenhüttenkombinat Ost metallurgical plant in the Oder-Spree canal near the Polish border. The town was built in 1950 as a series of housing clusters for steel workers. The plans were built under an assemblage of regulations called "The Sixteen Principles of Urban Development", which were uncannily similar to the CIAM/Athens Charter edicts.
2. The Stalinstadt experience also influenced the building of "new socialist" towns, such as Nowa Huta (Poland), Sztalinszvaros (Hungary), and Smolyan, Plovdiv, Zheravna, Koprivshtitza (Bulgaria).
3. If you want to deal with E. Europe (as opposed to the USSR), realize that you will probably dealing more with "Socialist Realism" as opposed to "Constructivism/Productivism". Hence folks like Boris Iofan will be more important than folks like Melnikov or Leonidov.
4. N.A. Milyutin's Linear City-inspired "Sotsgorod" projects will be important. As will the formalism vs. heritage debate between Stalinist cronies and German Leninists (and Bauhaus folks) like Hannes Meyer, Bruno Taut, and Ernst May. Meyer competed head to head with Ivan Leonidov for the plan of the city of Magnitogorsk (ca. 1933). Meyer also planned some cities in Siberia.
5. In terms of scholarship, look to Ruth May and Jörn Janssen for work about E. Germany. For socialist realism, look to Anders Åman.
Also check out Manfredo Tafuri's Architecture and Utopia. Tafuri was a Marxist, or so I am told. I have the book but havent gotten around to reading it.
I've recently read a book called Metromarxism - it is a good introduction to marxist thinkers writing on the city, might be something to look upon. it is not the cleverest book but will give you a good overview.
check out anxious modernisms , article by francesca rogier, for an interesting comparison of a soviet 'showcase' housing project vs. a western 'showcase' housing project, both in berlin in the 50s. pretty good at establishing how the goals regarding what each was meant to convey were different and how things played out.
architecture of communism: reading
i'm doing some research, granted in beginning stages... can anyone recommend reading - ?
my initial interest is eastern europe, but spill-over to china, cuba would be fine too.
(or architects in specific that you can recommend) (though this seems unlikely)
depends on what you mean by communism...
if you are talking about revolutionary communism, i'd start with moisei ginsberg's style and epoch, but that's soviet of course. the differing theories between russian constructivists and rationalists are most interesting. for russians its ginsberg, tatlin, ladovski, popova, stepanova, el lissitzky, and any work executed at the vkutemas. some of the most interesting stuff was done in film, not architecture. it could go on and on. i suppose it depends on what you're interested in.
read Anatole Kopp's "Town and Revolution." As for Eastern Europe, you may consider the following projects:
1. Stalinstadt (now Eisenhüttenstadt), a town in E. Germany built near the Eisenhüttenkombinat Ost metallurgical plant in the Oder-Spree canal near the Polish border. The town was built in 1950 as a series of housing clusters for steel workers. The plans were built under an assemblage of regulations called "The Sixteen Principles of Urban Development", which were uncannily similar to the CIAM/Athens Charter edicts.
2. The Stalinstadt experience also influenced the building of "new socialist" towns, such as Nowa Huta (Poland), Sztalinszvaros (Hungary), and Smolyan, Plovdiv, Zheravna, Koprivshtitza (Bulgaria).
3. If you want to deal with E. Europe (as opposed to the USSR), realize that you will probably dealing more with "Socialist Realism" as opposed to "Constructivism/Productivism". Hence folks like Boris Iofan will be more important than folks like Melnikov or Leonidov.
4. N.A. Milyutin's Linear City-inspired "Sotsgorod" projects will be important. As will the formalism vs. heritage debate between Stalinist cronies and German Leninists (and Bauhaus folks) like Hannes Meyer, Bruno Taut, and Ernst May. Meyer competed head to head with Ivan Leonidov for the plan of the city of Magnitogorsk (ca. 1933). Meyer also planned some cities in Siberia.
5. In terms of scholarship, look to Ruth May and Jörn Janssen for work about E. Germany. For socialist realism, look to Anders Åman.
hope this helps!!!!
Also check out Manfredo Tafuri's Architecture and Utopia. Tafuri was a Marxist, or so I am told. I have the book but havent gotten around to reading it.
yes, i guess i meant e. eu and parts of former soviet union. that was a bit sketchy.
but thanks for the info. that's amazing. any more is welcome.
archinect, have i told you lately that i love you...
might be a good starting point if you haven't read it already.
I found this website that I believe is a research project done on the subject. Tittled:
Western Utopias of the Eastern Bloc
I've recently read a book called Metromarxism - it is a good introduction to marxist thinkers writing on the city, might be something to look upon. it is not the cleverest book but will give you a good overview.
check out anxious modernisms , article by francesca rogier, for an interesting comparison of a soviet 'showcase' housing project vs. a western 'showcase' housing project, both in berlin in the 50s. pretty good at establishing how the goals regarding what each was meant to convey were different and how things played out.
check Slavoj Zizek for philosophical background of communist society
again, thank you all!
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