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​Art Deco at the Edge of Space

The competition project by Stepan Liphart – a high-end residential complex executed in a reserved classicist style in close proximity to the Kaluga Space Museum – responds equally well to the context and to the client’s brief. It is moderately respectable, moderately mobile and transparent, and it even digs a little into the ground to comply with strict height restrictions, without losing proportions and scale.

Julia Tarabarina

Written by:
Julia Tarabarina
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

17 January 2023
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The concept was developed for a closed-door competition that was conducted in 2022: several contestants had a task to design a small high-end residential building for the site located next to the Space Museum, on the Akademika Koroleva Street, with a height restriction of 10 meters, no more than 3 stories high. The central location and the client’s will dictated historicism architecture – and its modern representatives, including Stepan Liphart, were invited to the competition.

This invitation makes perfect sense – in addition, the architect had already worked in Kaluga; his works are well-known for his interest in the style of the 1930s, which Liphart interprets so masterfully and creatively.

The house, proposed for the center of Kaluga, is exactly of this kind. It combines a reserved character of its curves and the respectable stone-like plaster of the facades. On the other hand, stucco was proposed as the finishing element, but this does not matter much in the framework of this concept because if the project were implemented, fiber-concrete could be used just as well. What mattered were the shape preferences.

And the shape here is interesting indeed: without violating the height restrictions, and staying within the limits of three floors, Stepan Liphart was able to propose a solution that was simultaneously monument, rhythmic, and well-organized, chiefly thanks to the proportions, lots of bay windows, colonnades, piers, and vertical flutes on the wall surfaces. At the same time, the house is light, transparent, and flexible: it has large windows, lots of terraces on the upper level, and rounded corners. Such a house would have been appropriate somewhere in Nice before World War II; it has a few things about it that are quite surprising in Kaluga, yet it fits in very nicely with the local context too due to its sybaritic character.



The project is based on two planning axes of different characters. The volumes, including the residential buildings and the entrance to the car park, surround the courtyard in an asymmetric U; the yard opens on Koroleva Street, and on this side, the main entrance is situated – through the gate that breaks the tall colonnade with a grille. First of all, it is turned in the direction of the Space Museum and its park, and it interestingly “mirrors” the entrance frame of the modernist building across the street – a very “contextual” idea. Second, the solution is very much “Saint Petersburg”, and it slightly resembles the Benoit House on the Kamennoostrovsky Avenue, and many other similar compositions of the early XX century.



Underneath the yard, there is an underground parking garage; underneath the houses, there are cellars, and there is also a playground with an amphitheater in a remote corner – it is situated beyond the compound’s barrier, and is available to city people.

The second axis is a traverse one. The main residential building, which stretches along Gogol Street, was supposed to have an end-to-end atrium in its north part – on the axis running parallel to Koroleva Street. It led to an art object on the eastern border.



This entrance is not named as the main one, yet it is still more stately because it is “on the city side”. Theoretically, here, alongside Gogol Street, a whole new city street could have formed: the little namesake park on the opposite side of the drive was set off by the facade front, forming the “redline” with a recessed entrance space and pergolas on the sides. On the inside, there are two staircase and elevator halls on either side of the entrance, and a high-ceilinged through passage with glass walls and stone portals that look like marble frames of the antique cities.  Symmetric, transparent, and solemn. Obviously, this is the “grand” entrance.



A while after he worked on the main project, Stepan Liphart proposed a luxurious interior design for the atrium: with golden caissons on the ceiling, carved oak cases, and elements of “flame gothic” bringing up associations with British fireplaces, even though there are no actual fireplaces here.





Another interesting feature of the project is that staying within the height limit of 10 meters, yet looking not to lose in the scale, ceiling height, and proportions, Stepan Liphart proposed to sink the house into the ground a little bit, which was not much of a problem, considering that it stood on an underground car park and cellars. Both the yard and the first floor are sunken by about 75 centimeters. This makes the yard space even more private and cozier – the effect is further enhanced by wooden flooring that the architect proposed.



The apartments of the bottom floors received another bonus – they have recessed balconies marked in front of them, whose floor is also lowered by 75 cm compared to the sidewalk level; they are protected from the city by greenery. The semi-private spaces, sufficiently hidden from the eyes of the passers-by (rather sparse here), and open enough to fresh air, bring up associations with little front gardens, usually placed inside of the yards, and not on the street, or about the galleries of the first floors, usually occupied by local businesses. For the shops, however, there are too few potential customers here, and the surroundings have a lot of “country home” quality about them, so these terraces seem to be the perfect solution. One should note that this is a rare format nuance; at least, this is the first instance of this I’ve seen so far.



The house eventually receives some rather sophisticated plastique; it is reserved, yet active in its interaction with the surrounding space, one part of its interaction being determined by its inner organization: the recessed balconies of the first floor neighbor on the terraces of the second and particularly third ones, as well as on bay windows and pergolas, let alone the “French” windows reaching to the floor with the lattices of their barriers – unexpectedly tall and slender. The house constantly changes the scale of its elements: the first floor is small, especially because of the fact that it is sunk in the ground, the second seems huge, a real “piano nobile”, the third again looks smaller – like an attic – although this is mainly due to the terraces, the ceiling height is almost the same, 3.2 / 3.2 / 3.1 meters. Meanwhile, the image, with the actual equality of floors, corresponds to the classical “triad” of bottom, middle and top.



The sum total of plastique techniques also develops the reservedly classicist approach with a twist of something that I feel like calling “retro-progressivism”, even though the official term for it is “streamline”. Streamline is a design trend of the 1930s. It likes flowing lines and curves, yet not of the kind that you see with Zaha Hadid, but controllable, symmetrical, and repeating. In this instance, it is echoed by the rounded corners of the volumes, their “striped” surface, frames with rounded corners around the entrance, and smooth chamfers of the bay windows. All these lines, made of stucco or “stone”, look as though they were molded by some metallic guides. When they meet in a corner, the two chamfers of the bay windows form something like a pair of smooth “wings” – an unexpected solution for a corner where two ledges collide.



This house is not exactly classicist- I think that the other contestants proposed even more traditional versions. One thing this house does not have is a cornice, which, combined with a striped texture, produces quite a fresh look. There are also conservative inclusions, however, such as a fluted column standing to the left of the “main” entrance to the yard as an artifact. I wonder what the art object in the yard could have looked like? These two could resonate.

All of this, however, does not make any fundamental difference. The project is designed in a recognizable style, springing from Liphart’s graphic fantasies of the “Jophan’s Children” period. And this seems more than appropriate for this land site: in the close proximity of a modernist masterpiece, the Space Museum, and a neo-Russian “Turkish House”, reminiscent of the buildings of the architect Pokrovsky, surrounded by rustic houses and panel five-story buildings, in a word, in the context of the museum and park tourist periphery, such a house would bring a certain charm. Or maybe it would have become the embryo of a distinct urban environment on a small scale.
View of the southeast facade from the yard. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
Copyright: © Liphart Architects
Overview from the south. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
Copyright: © Liphart Architects
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    The master plan. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
    Copyright: © Liphart Architects
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    The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3. Plan of the 1 floor.
    Copyright: © Liphart Architects
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    The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3. Plan of the 2 floor.
    Copyright: © Liphart Architects
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    The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3. Plan of the 3 floor.
    Copyright: © Liphart Architects
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    The plan of the underground car park. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3. Plan of the -3 floor.
    Copyright: © Liphart Architects
Overview of the entrance group from the northwest side. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
Copyright: © Liphart Architects
Visualization of the passage of the interior of the entrance group. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
Copyright: © Liphart Architects
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    Visualization of the passage of the interior of the entrance group. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
    Copyright: © Liphart Architects
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    Visualization of the passage of the interior of the entrance group. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
    Copyright: © Liphart Architects
Overview of teh yard from the southwest. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
Copyright: © Liphart Architects
A cross section view. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
Copyright: © Liphart Architects
Fragment of the southwest facade. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
Copyright: © Liphart Architects
Overview from the west. The housing complex at Akademika Koroleva Street, 3.
Copyright: © Liphart Architects


17 January 2023

Julia Tarabarina

Written by:

Julia Tarabarina
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov
Headlines now
​Streamline for City Canyons
Stepan Liphart has designed two houses for two small land sites situated in the area surrounding the Varshavsky Railway Station, which is being intensively developed now. The sites are situated close but not next to each other, and they are different, yet similar: the theme is the same but it is interpreted in different ways. In this issue, we are examining and comparing both projects.
​The Eastern Frontier
“The Eastern Arc” is one of the main land resources of Kazan’s development, concentrated in the hands of a single owner. The Genplan Institute of Moscow has developed a concept for the integrated development of this territory based on an analytical transport model that will create a comfortable living environment, new centers of attraction, and new workplaces as well.
A School of Our Time
On the eve of the presentation of the new book by ATRIUM, dedicated to the design of schools and other educational facilities, based on the architects’ considerable experience, as well as expert judgments, we are examining the Quantum STEM school building, constructed according to their project in Astana. Furthermore, this building is planned to be the first one to start a new chain. The architects designed it in full accordance with modern standards but sometimes they did break away from them – only to confirm the general development rules. For example, there are two amphitheaters in the atrium, and there is an artificial hill in the yard that is meant to make the flat terrain of the Kazakhstan steppe more eventful.
The Fluffy Space
Designing the passenger terminal of the Orenburg airport, ASADOV architects continue to explore the space theme that they first introduced in Saratov and Kemerovo airports. At the same time, the architects again combine the global and the local, reflecting topics inspired by the local conceptual context. In this case, the building is “covered” by an Orenburg downy shawl – an analogy that is recognizable enough, yet not literal; some will see the reference and some won’t.
The White Fitness Center
The white health and fitness center, designed by Futura Architects at the entrance to St. Petersburg’s New Piter residential complex, provides the developing area not only with functional but also with sculptural diversity, livening up the rows of the brick city blocks with the whiteness of its seamless facades, cantilevered structures, and dynamic inclined lines.
The New Dawn
In their project of a technology park to be built on the grounds of “Integrated Home-Building Factory 500” in Tyumen Oblast – the biggest in Russia – the HADAA architects preserve not just the industrial function of the giant hangar built in the late 1980s and 90% of its structures, but also respond to its imagery. They also propose a “gradient” approach to developing the available areas: from open public ones to staff-only professional spaces. The goal of this approach is to turn the technology park into the driver for developing the business function between the industrial zones and the future residential area in accordance with the Integrated Land Development program.
​Tame Hills for New Residents
T+T Architects have reported that they have completed the landscaping project for the yard of the first stage of Alexandrovsky Garden housing complex in Ekaterinburg – the landscape complements the contextual architecture, tailored for the buyers’ preferences and downtown standards, with bold neo modernist master strokes and lush and diverse vegetation.
The Crystal of the City Block
The typology and plastique of large housing complexes move with the times, and you can sometimes find new subtleties in the scope of seemingly familiar solutions. The Sky Garden complex combines two well-known themes, forming a giant residential area consisting of tall slender towers, placed at the perimeter of a large yard, in which a crossroads of two pedestrian promenades is “dissolved”.
Sunshine, Air, and Water
The construction of the “Solnechny” (“Sunny”) summer camp, designed by ARENA project institute, has been completed, the largest summer camp within the legendary Artek seaside resort for children. It was conceived still in Soviet time, but it was not implemented. The modern version surprises you with sophisticated engineering solutions that are combined with a clear-cut structure: together, they generate Asher-esque spaces.
​Art Deco at the Edge of Space
The competition project by Stepan Liphart – a high-end residential complex executed in a reserved classicist style in close proximity to the Kaluga Space Museum – responds equally well to the context and to the client’s brief. It is moderately respectable, moderately mobile and transparent, and it even digs a little into the ground to comply with strict height restrictions, without losing proportions and scale.
Going, Going, Gone!
The housing complex “Composers’ Residences” has been built in accordance with the project by Sergey Skuratov, who won the international competition back in 2011. It all began from the image search and “cutting off all spare”, and then implementing the recognizable Skuratov architecture. It all ended, however, in tearing down the buildings of the Schlichterman factory, whose conservation was stipulated by all the appropriate agencies prior to approving Skuratov’s project. This story seems to be educational and important for understanding the history of all the eleven years, during which the complex was designed and built.
The Life of Iron
The building of the Vyksa Metallurgy Museum, designed by Nikita Yavein and Sergey Padalko, provides for the natural aging of metal – it is planned that the iron will gradually rust – at the same time utilizing the advanced type of construction, based on metal’s ability to stretch. The building will be constructed from pipes and rolled steel supplied by OMK company, as well as from recycled bricks.
​And the Brook is Flowing
ASADOV Architects have designed a master plan for developing a residential area at the outskirts of Kaliningrad: a regular grid of housing blocks is enriched by large-scale public facilities, the main “artery” of the new area being the fortification channel that regains its original function.
Off We Go!
The new terminal of the Tomsk airport is being designed by ASADOV bureau. The architects keep on developing its identity, building the imagery upon the inventions of Nikolai Kamov, whose name the airport bears. The result is laconic, light, and, as always, levitating.
Maximum Flexibility
The Multispace Dinamo, which recently opened within the Arena business center, is an example of a project that is entirely based upon cutting-edge approaches and technologies. It is managed via a mobile application, special software was created for it, and the spaces are not just multifunctional but carefully mixed up, like some kind of jigsaw puzzle that allows the office workers to mix their working routine for better efficiency.
A Factory’s Path
Last week, the new center for constructivist studies “Zotov” hosted its first exhibition named “1922. Constructivism. The Inception”. The idea of creating this center belongs to Sergey Tchoban, while the project of the nearest houses and adjusting the building of the bread factory for the new museum function was done by the architect in collaboration with his colleagues from SPEECH. We decided that such a complex project should be examined in its entirety – and this is how we came up with this long-read about constructivism on Presnya, conservation, innovation, multilayered approach, and hope.
The Savelovsky Axis
The business center, situated right in the middle of a large city junction next to the Savelovsky Railway Station takes on the role of a spatial axis, upon which the entire place hinges: it spins like a spiral, alternating perfect glass of the tiers and deep recessions of inter-tier floors that conceal little windows invented by the architects. It is sculptural, and it claims the role of a new city landmark, in spite of its relatively small height of nine floors.
Parametric Waves
In the housing complex Sydney City, which FSK Group is building in the area of Shelepikhinskaya Embankment, Genpro designed the central city block, combining parametric facades and modular technology within its architecture.
The Multitone
The new interior of the Action Development headquarters can be regarded as an attempt to design the perfect “home” for the company – not just comfortable but broadcasting the values of modern development. It responds to the context, yet it is built on contrast, it is fresh but cozy, it is dynamic, yet it invites you to relax – everything of this coexists here quite harmoniously, probably because the architects found an appropriate place for each of the themes.
Refinement No Longer Relevant
A few days ago journalists were shown the building of Bread Factory #5, renovated upon the project by Sergey Tchoban. In this issue, we are publishing Grigory Revzin’s thoughts about this project.
The Comb of Strelna
In this issue, we are taking a close look at the project that won the “Crystal Daedalus” award – the “Veren Village” housing complex in Strelna, designed by Ostozhenka. Its low-rise format became a trigger for typological and morphological experiments – seemingly, we are seeing recognizable trends, yet at the same time there are a multitude of subtleties that are a pleasure to go into. Having studied this project in detail, we think that the award is well-deserved.
A Tectonic Shift
For several years now, Futura Architects have been working with the “New Peter” residential area in the south of St. Petersburg. In this article, we are covering their most recent project – a house, in which the architects’ architectural ideas peacefully coexist with the limitations of comfort-class housing, producing a “multilayered” effect that looks very attractive for this typology.
Three “Green” Stories
In this issue, we are examining three environmental urban projects showcased by the Genplan Institute of Moscow at the Zodchestvo festival. The scale of the projects is really diverse: from gathering information and suggestions from the residents on a city scale to growing meadow grass between houses to paintings, which, as it turned out, possess power to cure trees, healing their wounded bark. + a list of kinds of plants natural for Moscow to help the developer.
​The Slabs of Bagration
The construction of a new skyscraper designed by SPEECH within the complex of Moscow City has been announced. A keen observer may see in it: Moscow high-rises, Chicago architecture, Malevich architecton, and an attempt of deconstruction of the integral image of the Moscow skyscraper – a technique that has been actively employed by the architects in their recent works.
​Preserving the History of Clean Ponds
How do you make a comfortable high-end residential complex that meets the modern requirements for expensive downtown housing, and keep as much of the original 1915 building as possible? Ilia Utkin, together with Sminex, solved this charade for Potapovsky Lane, 5 – here is how.
​Living in a Forest
The apartment complex in Roshchino, designed by GAFA architects, looks very much like a glamping: the residents enjoy the untouched nature of the Karelian isthmus, while having urban amenities and opportunities for social life.
A Laboratory for Life
The building of the Laboratory of Oncomorphology and Molecular Genetics, designed by the author team headed by Ilya Mashkov (Mezonproject) uses the benefits of the natural context and offers space for cutting-edge research, both doctor- and patient-friendly.
The Logic of Life
The light installation, designed by Andrey Perlach in the atrium of Moscow's Federation Tower, balances on the edge between a mathematical order of construction and the diversity of perception when viewed from different angles.
An Architect in a Metaverse
In this interview, we talked to the participants of the festival of creative industries G8 about why metaverses are our tomorrow’s everyday routine, and how architects can already influence it today.