About Andrew Cusack
Writer, web designer, etc.; born in New York; educated in Argentina, Scotland, and South Africa; now based in London. read more
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Russia’s Classical Future
Design chosen for St Petersburg’s new judicial quarter
While a vast and multifacted state, the Soviet Union was nonetheless one in which power was highly centralised, not just within one city — Moscow — but even within one complex of buildings, the Kremlin. For the past fourteen years, however, a St Petersburg boy — Vladimir Putin — has been the man at the helm of the ship of state, and while Moscow is still the top dog St Petersburg is increasingly stealing the limelight. The number of commercial bodies (several subsidiaries of Gazprom, for example) moving from Moscow to St Petersburg is growing, and even a few government departments and other entities have moved back to the old imperial capital.
Among these is the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, which transferred to the old Senate and Synod buildings in St Petersburg in 2008. The Supreme Court and Higher Arbitration Courts have yet to make the move, however, and a scheme by architect Maxim Atayants has been chosen as the winner of the design competition for the new judicial quarter on the banks of the Neva.
The quarter includes a new Supreme Court building, the Judicial Department of the Armed Forces, a dance theatre, and a medical centre. Atayants’s Supreme Court is in a formal neoclassical style while the dance theatre will be executed in a more freehand version of the style.
The competition entry (below, in sepia tones) has already been altered, though I think the original design is superior, especially with regard to the theatre. The planned façade was influenced by the classical backdrops of ancient Roman theatres, while the newer design is classical by way of art nouveau.
Above: the original scheme; below: some updates to the design.
Lex semper intendit quod convenit rationi: ‘Law always intends what is agreeable to Reason’.
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It is a pity that Russia is so very close to a glorious renaissance, yet remains mired in corruption and veniality. The West has not helped, but Russia remains a perplexing disappointment to those of us who see such potential in the nation.
Simply magnificent.
God bless Holy Russia and speed her triumph over the apostate West.
The Russians know exactly what they are doing. We are the ones who are confused. The Russians intend to step in as the defenders and leaders of Christendom.
May God bless them.
This is an extraordinary project. Where did you find these images, and where can I find more information on it?
Thanks.
finally some good news!
There is glorious supreme justice here on the outside. One is reminded of of Karl Friedrich Schinkel. We can only hope there will be some day supreme justice on the inside.
Magnificent!
We only get ugly glass boxes designed by lefty architects.
Long live Russia!
What beautiful designs!! I am glad they are sticking with classical style for St. Petersburg.
It will be interesting to see how well tailored the final result will be. I’m hoping for a tasteful yet uniquely Russianized form of classical architecture. I hope this project will inspire future revitalization projects in Saint Peterborough while helping that city retain a distinct character. May this effort inspire other municipalities (nudge-nudge, wink-wink London). All the nightmares of steel and glass be damned!
Glad to see our Eastern-brothers taking up a bit of cultural slack. Westerners residing in Europe must look to the Antipodes with a similar affection; for it’s a monumental job requiring innovation, really only only possible from outside our Europe of Decline and Pause.
Beautiful designs… and some ridiculous comments here. It is a great irony that it is Russia, a state sinking in its mire of corruption and ddistatorial rule, where pretentious plans of authorities to stamp their footprints on the city of St Petersburg result in the freedom of architects to ignore modernism and to plan according to a superb classicist idiom.