In the second half of the 20th century, Soviet architecture has spread a common aesthetic across highly diverse environments, being an integral part in promoting the totalitarian ideology that disregarded local cultures, envisioning a unified, homogenous society. Nevertheless, in practice, the architecture proved itself susceptible to adaptations and local influences, perhaps nowhere more than in Central Asia. The article looks at the architectural heritage of a geographical area largely excluded from the Western-centric narratives on Soviet Modernism, encouraging a re-reading of a layered and nuanced urban landscape, with images by Roberto Conte and Stefano Perego.
Kyrgyzstan: The Latest Architecture and News
Yerevan-Based SNKH Studio Designs the 2020 Garage Screen Cinema in Moscow, Russia
The new Garage Screen cinema designed by SNKH Architects was just unveiled in Moscow. The winning project of the second Garage museum of contemporary art competition for the design of a pop-up summer cinema “resembles an inverted Bedouin tent”. Selected out of 136 submissions from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia, the intervention is not instantly recognizable as a cinema, reinventing the usual design.
Eastern Bloc Architecture: Monumental Museums & Memorials
This article is part of "Eastern Bloc Architecture: 50 Buildings that Defined an Era", a collaborative series by The Calvert Journal and ArchDaily highlighting iconic architecture that had shaped the Eastern world. Every week both publications will be releasing a listing rounding up five Eastern Bloc projects of certain typology. Read on for your weekly dose: Monumental Museums and Memorials.
ArchDaily and Strelka Mag Launch a Publishing Platform for Emerging Architects
ArchDaily and Strelka Mag have launched a jointly curated section that will host projects of emerging architects and offices that promote new design ideas and bring about positive transformations in their cities.
The platform welcomes projects from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
The key criteria for selecting projects will be sustainability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency.
ArchDaily & Strelka Award
ArchDaily, Strelka KB and Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design announce an open call for a joint award to celebrate emerging architects and new ideas that transform contemporary cities. Apply before July 10.