Vladimir Vladimirovich Sherwood
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Vladimirovich Sherwood , was a Russian architect
who worked in Moscow
in 1895-1914 in Art Nouveau
style and modernized classics variant of Russian neoclassical revival
that predated modernist architecture of 1920s.
(Владимир Осипович Шервуд, 1832 — 1897), architect of the State Historical Museum
in Red Square
. His brother Sergei Vladimirovich Sherwood (1858 — 1899) also became an architect but died prematurely; another brother, Leonid Vladimirovich Sherwood
(1871 — 1954) became a sculptor based in Saint Petersburg
.
Vladimir Sherwood graduated from the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
in 1895, and was employed first as the house architect of Bromley Steel Works (1898 — 1903) and by the Moscow Merchant Society — a business consortium
responsible for redevelopment of Kitai-Gorod
and Central Squares of Moscow
(1903 — 1910). Sherwood is credited with work on the new master plan for Kitai-gorod, partially executed before World War I
, although exact extent of his input has not been reliably studied.
His first independent work was a Gothic revival Reck Mansion on the Garden Ring (destroyed). It was followed by an extant apartment block in Smolenskaya Square
which remained Sherwood's only pure example of Art Nouveau. As he gained experience, popularity of this style faded and Sherwood's later works gradually moved from simplified Art Nouveau to modernized classics. His career peaked in the five years preceding the outbreak of World War I
. Sherwood became notable as the author of numerous rental apartment and office buildings; three of his projects are listed on the protected buildings register: 12-14 Novokuznetskaya Street, 7-7 Malaya Polyanka Street (Ivan Shmelyov
home), and a large neoclassical block at 1, Solyanka Street.
Sherwood's best known work, Titov Building, at 4, Staraya Square
, was a radical departure from his Art Nouveau practice. Stylistically it was in line with Russian neoclassical revival
, however, the design emphasized the steel frame
structure and was marked by unusually large glass surfaces providing adequate insolation
to deep office floors of this mixed-use building. Sherwood refused to use classical order
altogether, creating "classical atmosphere" with carefully measures indents of stone-clad pilaster
s and cornice
s, and a modest, purely decorative pediment
. Contemporaries marked this style as modernized classics ; it was reused by stalinist architecture
to the point where Titov Building is frequently mistaken for a mid-20th century government edifice.
In 1920s—1991 former Titov Building housed the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
headquarters and became the symbol of party apparatus. It is currently occupied by the Presidential Administration of Russia
. Titov building, completed in 1915, remained the last recorded work by Sherwood; he lived the remaining 15 years of his life in Moscow but was not involved in construction projects anymore.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who worked in 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...
in 1895-1914 in Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style and modernized classics variant of Russian neoclassical revival
Russian neoclassical revival
Russian neoclassical revival was a trend in Russian culture, mostly pronounced in architecture, that briefly replaced eclecticism and Art Nouveau as the leading architectural style between the Revolution of 1905 and the outbreak of World War I, coexisting with the Silver Age of Russian Poetry...
that predated modernist architecture of 1920s.
Biography
Vladimir Sherwood, junior, was the son of Vladimir Osipovich SherwoodVladimir Osipovich Sherwood
Vladimir Osipovich Sherwood was a Russian architect who worked in Moscow. He was an Eclectics and Russian Revival practitioner, author of the State Historical Museum in Moscow. He was the son of Joseph Sherwood, an English engineer hired to build canals in Russia; the father died when Vladimir...
(Владимир Осипович Шервуд, 1832 — 1897), architect of the State Historical Museum
State Historical Museum
The State Historical Museum of Russia is a museum of Russian history wedged between Red Square and Manege Square in Moscow. Its exhibitions range from relics of the prehistoric tribes inhabiting present-day Russia, through priceless artworks acquired by members of the Romanov dynasty...
in Red Square
Red Square
Red Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. The square separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod...
. His brother Sergei Vladimirovich Sherwood (1858 — 1899) also became an architect but died prematurely; another brother, Leonid Vladimirovich Sherwood
Leonid Sherwood
Leonid Vladimirovich Sherwood was a Russian sculptor. Sherwood was of English descent, his grandfather Joseph Sherwood was an English engineer who emigrated to Russia. His father was the architect Vladimir Osipovich Sherwood and his brother was the architect Vladimir Vladimirovich Sherwood...
(1871 — 1954) became a sculptor based in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
.
Vladimir Sherwood graduated from the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
The Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture was one of the largest educational institutions in Russia. The school was formed by the 1865 merger of a private art college, established in Moscow in 1832, and the Palace School of Architecture, established in 1749 by Dmitry Ukhtomsky. By...
in 1895, and was employed first as the house architect of Bromley Steel Works (1898 — 1903) and by the Moscow Merchant Society — a business consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
responsible for redevelopment of Kitai-Gorod
Kitai-gorod
Kitay-gorod , earlier also known as Great Posad , is a business district within Moscow, Russia, encircled by mostly-reconstructed medieval walls. It is separated from the Moscow Kremlin by Red Square. It does not constitute a district , as there are no resident voters, thus, municipal elections...
and Central Squares of Moscow
Central Squares of Moscow
The Central Squares of Moscow consists of a chain of squares around the historical Moscow Kremlin and Kitai-gorod areas of central Moscow, Russia. These squares and avenues connecting them form the innermost ring road in Moscow open to regular traffic...
(1903 — 1910). Sherwood is credited with work on the new master plan for Kitai-gorod, partially executed before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, although exact extent of his input has not been reliably studied.
His first independent work was a Gothic revival Reck Mansion on the Garden Ring (destroyed). It was followed by an extant apartment block in Smolenskaya Square
Smolenskaya Square
Smolenskaya Square is a square in the center of Moscow. The Garden Ring crosses the square. Arbat street runs towards it and ends near the Foreign Ministry skyscraper, the main building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. The later faces Smolenskaya square....
which remained Sherwood's only pure example of Art Nouveau. As he gained experience, popularity of this style faded and Sherwood's later works gradually moved from simplified Art Nouveau to modernized classics. His career peaked in the five years preceding the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Sherwood became notable as the author of numerous rental apartment and office buildings; three of his projects are listed on the protected buildings register: 12-14 Novokuznetskaya Street, 7-7 Malaya Polyanka Street (Ivan Shmelyov
Ivan Shmelyov
Ivan Sergeyevich Shmelyov was a Russian émigré writer best known for his full-blooded idyllic recreations of the pre-revolutionary past spent in the merchant district of Moscow...
home), and a large neoclassical block at 1, Solyanka Street.
Sherwood's best known work, Titov Building, at 4, Staraya Square
Staraya Square
Staraya Square , literally Old Square, connects Ilyinka Street with Varvarka Gates Square in central Kitai-gorod area of Moscow, Russia. It is not a square in a true sense, but a street, normally closed to regular city traffic...
, was a radical departure from his Art Nouveau practice. Stylistically it was in line with Russian neoclassical revival
Russian neoclassical revival
Russian neoclassical revival was a trend in Russian culture, mostly pronounced in architecture, that briefly replaced eclecticism and Art Nouveau as the leading architectural style between the Revolution of 1905 and the outbreak of World War I, coexisting with the Silver Age of Russian Poetry...
, however, the design emphasized the steel frame
Steel frame
Steel frame usually refers to a building technique with a "skeleton frame" of vertical steel columns and horizontal -beams, constructed in a rectangular grid to support the floors, roof and walls of a building which are all attached to the frame...
structure and was marked by unusually large glass surfaces providing adequate insolation
Insolation
Insolation is a measure of solar radiation energy received on a given surface area in a given time. It is commonly expressed as average irradiance in watts per square meter or kilowatt-hours per square meter per day...
to deep office floors of this mixed-use building. Sherwood refused to use classical order
Classical order
A classical order is one of the ancient styles of classical architecture, each distinguished by its proportions and characteristic profiles and details, and most readily recognizable by the type of column employed. Three ancient orders of architecture—the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian—originated in...
altogether, creating "classical atmosphere" with carefully measures indents of stone-clad pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s and cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
s, and a modest, purely decorative pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
. Contemporaries marked this style as modernized classics ; it was reused by 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...
to the point where Titov Building is frequently mistaken for a mid-20th century government edifice.
In 1920s—1991 former Titov Building housed the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , abbreviated in Russian as ЦК, "Tse-ka", earlier was also called as the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party ...
headquarters and became the symbol of party apparatus. It is currently occupied by the Presidential Administration of Russia
Presidential Administration of Russia
The Presidential Administration of Russia ) is the executive office of Russia's president created by a decree of Boris Yeltsin on 19 July 1991 as an institution supporting the activity of the president and vice-president The Presidential Administration of Russia (also known as Staff of Russia’s...
. Titov building, completed in 1915, remained the last recorded work by Sherwood; he lived the remaining 15 years of his life in Moscow but was not involved in construction projects anymore.
See also
Architects involved in Kitai-Gorod redevelopment by Moscow Merchant Society, 1890s-1917:- Alexander KaminskyAlexander KaminskyAlexander Stepanovich Kaminsky was a Russian architect working in Moscow and suburbs. One of the most successul and prolific architects of 1860s - 1880s, Kaminsky was a faithful eclecticist, equally skilled in Russian Revival, Neo-Gothic and Renaissance Revival architecture...
- Roman KleinRoman KleinRoman Ivanovich Klein , born Robert Julius Klein, was a Russian architect and educator, best known for his Neoclassical Pushkin Museum in Moscow. Klein, an eclectic, was one of the most prolific architects of his period, second only to Fyodor Schechtel...
- Ivan KuznetsovIvan Sergeyevich KuznetsovIvan Sergeyevich Kuznetsov was a Russian architect primarily known for his pre-1917 works in Moscow, Moscow suburbs, and Vichuga. Born into a working-class family, Kuznetsov independently broke into the elite architecture society of Moscow. He worked in many different styles, but was most...
- Fyodor SchechtelFyodor SchechtelFyodor Osipovich Schechtel was a Russian architect, graphic artist and stage designer, the most influential and prolific master of Russian Art Nouveau and late Russian Revival....