The Russian Academy Of Arts

On December 13th, 2010 there will be the 100th birth anniversary of Michael Posokhin (1910-2010), the People’s Architect of the USSR, Moscow Chief Architect in 1960-1982.

The first period of Michael Posokhin’s career has been marked by the design of a highrise in Ploshad Vosstanya (now Kudrinskaya Square) in 1948-1954. Among his architectural works of the late 1950s -1980s included in the list of the most distinguished monuments of the Soviet architecture in the second half of the 20th century are: the Kremlin Palace of Congresses in Moscow (1959, Lenin Prize); Pitsunda Resort Complex (Pitsunda, 1962); Soviet pavilions at the World Exhibitions EXPO-67 in Montreal and EXPO-70 in Osaka; Kalinin Prospect (Moscow, 1962-1970); the building of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Moscow, 1970); a complex of buildings of the Academy of Public Sciences in Vernadsky Prospect (1972), exhibition complex and the World Trade Center on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment (Moscow, 1972, 1974), “Olympic” sports complex in the Olympic Prospect (1975); the building of the Defense Ministry in Arbat Square (1979), Victory Monument on Poklonnaya Hill (Moscow, 1979) and others.

Under his leadership as a chief architect of Moscow (1960-1982) there were built many innovative for that time apartment districts such as Khoroshevo-Mnevniki, Troparevo, experimental housing construction area “North Chertanovo”, new major public architectural ensembles.

Michael Posokhin has shared his rich experience as an architect in his books “The City for a Man”, “The Architecture of the Environment”, “The Road of Life” and other books and publications.

In 1979 Michael Posokhin initiated the establishment of an architecture department in the Russian Academy of Arts which he headed for ten years. The department uniting the most noted architects made a big contribution to the promotion of close cooperation between architects and masters of fine arts, in particular, sculptors and representatives of monumental painting.

On display at the Affiliate of the Research Library of the Russian Academy of Arts are books and over twenty articles published in various periodicals about his creative work in various years.

Books:

N.A. Pekareva. People’s Architect of the USSR M.V. Posokhin. Moscow, Soviet Artist, 1985. 239 pages, illust.

M.V. Posokhin. The City for a Man. Moscow, Progress, 1980. 219 pages, illust.

M.V. Posokhin. Roads of Life: From the Architect’s Notes. Moscow, Stroyizdat, 1995. 225 pages, illust.

M.V. Posokhin. The Kremlin Palace of Congresses. Moscow, Stroyizdat. 1966, 179 pages, illust.

M.V. Posokhin. Exhibition of Works: Architecture, Graphic Works, Paintings. 1995, Moscow. In honor of the 80th birth anniversary, 1910-1989. Catalogue of the Exhibition. Moscow, 1995. 27 pages, illust.

M.V. Posokhin. Exhibition of Works: Architecture, Water colors, Paintings. Moscow, 1980. Catalogue of the Exhibition. Moscow, Soviet Artist. 1980, 63 pages, illust.

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