2016 China Prize
Untold Stories: Architectural and Urban Development from the Soviet Union to the Russian Federation

Architecture in the USSR has deeply influenced and shaped modern Chinese architecture. During the honeymoon of the new People's Republic of China and the USSR, Chinese government systematically imported USSR's social and economy systems, including Russian classical architectural theories and practices.

However, after China broke up with USSR from the 1960s, Russian architecture became a hidden myth to modern Chinese architects. Meanwhile, it also became a missing fragment in the world history of modern architecture. I am curious about what happened since the 1960s, and how Russian architecture turned into modernism based on an architectural tradition similar to China.

I am taking another perspective to look at the historical and current development of modern Chinese architecture by studying the missing piece of Russian architecture since the 1960s. This comparative research will also help us in evaluating and envisaging the future of Chinese architecture.

As to discover, reconstruct, and present Russian archjitecture from the Soviet Union preiod until now, I will focused on three themes.

1. Ideology of USSR and its reflection on architecture.
   Stalinism (means of governing and related policies implemented by Joseph Stalin) cast a deep influence on architecture. I will visit Moscow Avenues, underground metro in Moscow and "Seven Sisters"* to for a view of Stalinist architecture (Socialist Classicism). If time permits, I'd like to compare them with those in Beijing and Pyongyang as well.
   
   *Seven Sisters referes to secen Stalin's high-rises built from 1947 to 1965: Moscow State University, Ukraina Hotel (Radisson Royal Hotel), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building, Master Podelkin, Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel, and Krasnyje Worota.
2. Modernism of Russian architecture after the 1960s. Russian architecture triumphed in its new modernism period after the Stalinist Style period, which were blinded to Chinese architects. To fill in the blank, several buildings will be visited, like Belyy Dom, Pioneer Palace Gosplan Computing Center, and Housing Complex at Severnoye Chertanovo.
3. Town planning from Soviet Union to Russian period. I will visit Zelenograd, a typical new town planned and constructed in the Soviet Union period, which is also a center of electronics, microelectronics, and computer industry since then. Meanwhile, Sochi will also be discussed in my research as a typical planning work in Russian Federation period.

The Complexity of the Evolution of Architectural Modernity

After several months of data collection and background learning, I embarked on the trip to Russia in hopes of understanding what changes have taken place in the Russian (former Soviet Union) architecture and urban areas after China broke up with the USSR in the 1960s. I also hope that through these twenty-day trip, I can understand, to a certain extent, the influence of ideology on architectural design in the period of the Soviet Union and the influence of these architectural elements on other Eastern European countries and China.

During the fantastic travel, I gradually realized that this history that we intentionally or unintentionally neglected is far more complicated than I thought. When I visited these building that were no longer products of the Stalinist era, I knew that this piece of architectural history could not be simply generalized, but was connected to the social and cultural environment. The closeness and particularity of the socialist era had also created a different course of modern architectural development between Russia and Western countries.

When studying the origin of constructivism, it seemed to me that Russian architects had a natural sensitivity to architectural forms. Architects such as Konstantin Melnikov, Yuri Platonov, and Y. Bolshakov succeeded in achieving a number of breakthroughs in both architectural style and function, taking advantage of the relaxed atmosphere of art in the former Soviet Union and the thriving productivity of the people under the leadership of socialism. In my opinion, neither the neo-classical architecture after Stalin's reign reign nor the modern architecture of Russia today can be considered as high in the history of architecture.

Unlike the many sudden and roundabout events experienced in the development of modern Chinese architecture, the building development in Russia (former Soviet Union) is basically a fragmentation of styles from classicism, constructivism, and early modernism to later neo-classicism and contemporary architecture. The history of Russian architecture in the twentieth century is basically independent and distinct. The architecture of each period has its own distinctive features. This is very interesting and worthy of my in-depth study.

After days of traveling, I was reluctant to return to Beijing. I deeply understood that this Russian inspection is just a beginning. I would like to work on more in-depth issues such as the impact of ideology on the architecture. More detailed studies on Eastern European countries and northeastern region of China are needed. This incredible travel experience has also inspired my future research interest.

Thanks again for the support and help from the SOM Foundation. Without your help, I could hardly realize my dream. Let's visit the USSR together!