Arkady Mordvinov | |
|---|---|
 A. G. Mordvinov in 1949 | |
| Born | Arkady Mordvishev 27 January 1896 Zhuravlikha,Nizhny Novgorod Governorate,Russian Empire |
| Died | 23 July 1964(1964-07-23) (aged 68) |
| Resting place | Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow |
| Alma mater | Bauman Moscow State Technical University |
| Occupation | Architect |
Arkady Grigoryevich Mordvinov (Russian:Аркадий Григорьевич Мордвинов; bornMordvishev (Мордвишев), January 27, 1896 – July 23, 1964) was aSoviet architect and construction manager, notable forStalinist architecture ofTverskaya Street,Leninsky Avenue,Hotel Ukraina skyscraper in Moscow and his administrative role in Soviet construction industry and architecture.
Mordvinov was born in the village of Zhuravlikha inNizhny Novgorod Governorate of theRussian Empire. Mordvinov's early work, prior to his graduation fromMoscow State Technical University (MVTU) in 1930, is definitelyConstructivist, best seen in hisKharkiv Post Office of the late 1920s.
In 1929-1932, Mordvinov,Karo Halabyan andAlexander Vlasov were the founding members ofVOPRA, a group of young 'Proletarian Architects' who attacked proponents of the Constructivist movement, notablyIvan Leonidov, and all other "alien art" likeeclectics,formalism and evenbaroque: "There is noclass-free art, neither class-free architecture" ("Бесклассового искусства у нас нет и бесклассовой архитектуры тоже нет" - Khan-Magomedov cites Mordvinov's March, 1928 speech). Mordvinov was also a vocal opponent of Le Corbusier'sTsentrosoyuz building. VOPRA was used by the state against free-minded modernist architects and to consolidate the profession under tight state control. VOPRA founders had no clear creative concept beyond these rhetorics, and could not be criticised for their art, since it never existed. They definitely understood the likely consequences of their political assaults and had no remorse for their victims (the age ofshow trials already began withShakhty Trial andIndustrial Party Trial).
Despite the bitter war between VOPRA and modernist groups (ASNOVA, theOSA Group) there was an attempt to unify the architects within one voluntary union (MOVANO). With support from older generation (Alexey Shchusev), MOVANO existed in 1930-1932, however, VOPRA tried to destroy it from within and launched their own magazine,RA (Revolutionary Architecture), co-edited by Mordvinov; soon, he co-edited another magazine,SA (Soviet Architecture, 1931-1934). Formation of Union of Soviet Architects in 1932 allowed Mordvinov to move from small-time criticism to an executive position; he acquired bureaucratic muscle and set up his own workshop, present in all architectural contests of the 1930s.
Mordvinov's 1930s version of stalinist architecture - compared with oldrevivalists likeIvan Zholtovsky - was more rationalist, lackingclassical order, a simplified development ofIvan Fomin'sRed Doric style. This is a direct consequence of his lack of academic training. According to Khan-Magomedov, Mordvinov was influenced by theStenberg brothers, thedraftsmen who rendered his early works. In fact, during the 1930s Mordvinov gradually accepted the rules ofeclectics whom he had publicly nailed in 1928, and wilfully encouraged the arrest of unrepentant Modernists such asMikhail Okhitovich, who Mordvinov publicly denounced, implicating him in Okhitovich's eventual murder.
His political campaigning was rewarded with a 1947 commission to rebuild the right side ofTverskaya Street. Mordvinov's architectural input may be disputed, but he proved himself a capable project manager, successfully implementing so-calledflow methode of moving construction crews between buildings in different construction stages. This was followed by equally grand Leninsky Prospekt (1939-1940), Bolshaya Polyanka (1940),Moskva River embankments (1940-1941) and Novinsky Boulevard (1939-1941) projects.
This work earned himStalin Prize in 1941; incidentally, Mordvinov himself was on the Stalin Prize Board since its establishment in 1940. Since 1937, Mordvinov also enjoyed a management seat in the Union of Soviet Architects, has been President of Academy of Architecture (1950-1955) and International Union of Architects.
In 1943-1947, Mordvinov chaired the State Committee on Construction and Architecture, charged with rebuilding the damage ofWorld War II. In particular, he supervised the first master plans of rebuildingMinsk andSmolensk.
His influence was reinforced by a 1947 commission to design one of theMoscow Skyscrapers, now known as the Hotel Ukraina, which he shared withVyacheslav Oltarzhevsky, one of the few Soviet experts in highrise construction.
In 1955, Mordvinov received a public beating byNikita Khrushchev for his expensive "architectural excesses", but even Khrushchev could not deny Mordvinov's management and planning skills. In 1956-1964, Mordvinov completed two major projects - redevelopment ofKomsomolsky Prospekt and greenfieldCheryomushki District which became the symbol of Khrushchev's affordable housing initiative.
