Ivan Nikolaev
Encyclopedia
Ivan Sergeevich Nikolaev (1901, Voronezh
1979, Moscow
) was a Soviet
architect and educator, notable for his late 1920s constructivist architecture
and later work in industrial architecture.
Nikolaev trained at the Moscow State Technical University under Alexander Vesnin
and Alexey Kuznetsov, graduating in 1925. His work prior to 1928 was generally unnoticed (excluding a brief apprenticeship at the 1923 national agricultural exhibition).
In 1928 Nikolaev designed a residential block in Preobrazhenskoye District
of Moscow - three buildings of traditional low-cost architecture shaped as an arrow pointed at the Old Believers
' Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery
. In 1928-1929 he worked as construction manager, building the modernist campus of Moscow Power Engineering Institute
designed by Alexey Kuznetsov; Nikolaev received a credit for this project as one of Kuznetsov's six associates.
In 1929 Nikolaev won a public contest for the Communal House of the Textile Institute
- modern campus
for 2000 students. Constrained by cost and space limits, Nikolaev produced the most radical example of communal house, were students' life was subject to nearly military regulations. His ideas of reducing private living space to nothing but a sleeping cubicle without windows (the students had to keep all their earthly possessions in a separate locker room and were not allowed to enter the cubicles at daytime) was too radical even for 1920s Soviet avant-garde
, so Nikolaev had to change the plans to allow marginally more breathing space to the residents. The building stands to date, vacant and expecting rehabilitation into a modern campus.
With the advent of stalinist architecture
and a crackdown on independent professional unions (1932) Nikolaev, like Vesnin brothers
and other OSA Group
architects, switched to industrial architecture and was not involved in high-profile public projects anymore. His better known projects of 1930s-1940s were built for the textile industry
, including the 1935 Kayseri Sumerbank factory in Turkey
.
Nikolaev wrote a prolific number of textbooks and research books on architecture, notably Architecture of Roman Aqueducts, was elected member of Academy of Architecture in 1956. He has been member of the faculty of Moscow colleges since 1925. Eventually, Nikolaev completely dedicated himself to education, and held the chair of the director of Moscow Architectural Institute since 1958 to 1970.
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
1979, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) was a Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
architect and educator, notable for his late 1920s constructivist architecture
Constructivist architecture
Constructivist architecture was a form of modern architecture that flourished in the Soviet Union in the 1920s and early 1930s. It combined advanced technology and engineering with an avowedly Communist social purpose. Although it was divided into several competing factions, the movement produced...
and later work in industrial architecture.
Nikolaev trained at the Moscow State Technical University under Alexander Vesnin
Alexander Vesnin
Alexander Aleksandrovic Vesnin , together with his brothers Leonid Aleksandrovic Vesnin and Viktor Aleksandrovic Vesnin he was a leading light of Constructivist architecture...
and Alexey Kuznetsov, graduating in 1925. His work prior to 1928 was generally unnoticed (excluding a brief apprenticeship at the 1923 national agricultural exhibition).
In 1928 Nikolaev designed a residential block in Preobrazhenskoye District
Preobrazhenskoye District
Preobrazhenskoye District is a district of Moscow. It is located in Eastern Administrative Okrug. It is named after Preobrazhenskoye village where the residence of Alexis of Russia and Peter I of Russia was located....
of Moscow - three buildings of traditional low-cost architecture shaped as an arrow pointed at the Old Believers
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
' Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery
Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery
Preobrazhenka Cemetery is a cemetery in the northern part of Moscow long associated with Old Believers. It was inaugurated by a Fedoseevtsy merchant in 1777 as a plague quarantine disguising the Bespopovtsy monastery. At that time the territory of the cemetery was located outside Moscow, but near...
. In 1928-1929 he worked as construction manager, building the modernist campus of Moscow Power Engineering Institute
Moscow Power Engineering Institute
Moscow Power Engineering Institute is one of the largest and leading technical universities in the world in the area of power engineering, electronics and IT...
designed by Alexey Kuznetsov; Nikolaev received a credit for this project as one of Kuznetsov's six associates.
In 1929 Nikolaev won a public contest for the Communal House of the Textile Institute
Communal House of the Textile Institute
Communal House of the Textile Institute is a constructivist architecture landmark located in the Donskoy District of Moscow, Russia. The building, designed by Ivan Nikolaev to accommodate 2000 students, was erected in 1929-1931 and functioned as a student dormitory until 1996...
- modern campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
for 2000 students. Constrained by cost and space limits, Nikolaev produced the most radical example of communal house, were students' life was subject to nearly military regulations. His ideas of reducing private living space to nothing but a sleeping cubicle without windows (the students had to keep all their earthly possessions in a separate locker room and were not allowed to enter the cubicles at daytime) was too radical even for 1920s Soviet avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
, so Nikolaev had to change the plans to allow marginally more breathing space to the residents. The building stands to date, vacant and expecting rehabilitation into a modern campus.
With the advent of stalinist architecture
Stalinist architecture
Stalinist architecture , also referred to as Stalinist Gothic, or Socialist Classicism, is a term given to architecture of the Soviet Union between 1933, when Boris Iofan's draft for Palace of the Soviets was officially approved, and 1955, when Nikita Khrushchev condemned "excesses" of the past...
and a crackdown on independent professional unions (1932) Nikolaev, like Vesnin brothers
Vesnin brothers
The Vesnin brothers: Leonid Vesnin , Victor Vesnin and Alexander Vesnin were the leaders of Constructivist architecture, the dominant architectural school of the Soviet Union in the 1920s and early 1930s...
and other OSA Group
OSA Group
The OSA Group was an architectural association in the Soviet Union, which was active from 1925 to 1930 and considered the first group of constructivist architects...
architects, switched to industrial architecture and was not involved in high-profile public projects anymore. His better known projects of 1930s-1940s were built for the textile industry
Textile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
, including the 1935 Kayseri Sumerbank factory in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Nikolaev wrote a prolific number of textbooks and research books on architecture, notably Architecture of Roman Aqueducts, was elected member of Academy of Architecture in 1956. He has been member of the faculty of Moscow colleges since 1925. Eventually, Nikolaev completely dedicated himself to education, and held the chair of the director of Moscow Architectural Institute since 1958 to 1970.