September 1961

back after a long summer break and a great september in Berlin, here is something dedicated to that month... 'Come September' is a romantic comedy film directed by Robert Mulligan in 1961, starring by Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida. the story about the American millionaire who arrives for his annual vacation at his luxurious Italian villa and has to face the love games of his long-time girlfriend, might not be so sophisticated but never the less it gives a chance to see Italy and Milan in its glorious times, the 60's...

Stalinist ambition

Stalinist architecture is the term typically applied to the years between 1933 (the date of the final competition for the design of the Palace of the Soviets) and 1955 (when the Academy of Architecture was abolished). In the 1930's and 1940's the architecture represents a return to conservatism and reflected several different styles including neo- renaissance, classicism, and constructivism (although Stalin itself rejected it).

in the Soviet policy of rationalization of the country, all cities were built according to a general development plan. in order to underline the power of the state and the collectivism, Stalin desired to make cities made of 'super buildings', therefore the development was generally limited to urban planning, public buildings, luxurious residential buildings and selected infrastructure projects like the Moscow and Leningrad Metro.

the construction technology was simple brick masonry covered with rich decorated stucco (mostly in the early years) or decorated ceramic tiles. it relied on a huge labor power and a very slow building progress so by the end of the second world war, when a deep housing crisis was striking all over Europe, this inefficiency was one of the reasons for the decline of the Stalinist architecture in the future. however, with the soviet occupation and control after the war, Stalinist buildings are decorating almost every capital in the former east-block, sometime mixed with local influences like in Yerevan.

the post war years of the Stalinist style are also characterized with high-rise buildings and skyscrapers ambitions. some important projects are within the 'seven sisters', a name given to a group of skyscrapers in Moscow built between 1947 and 1953. some say they are influenced by the architecture of the municipal building in New York which made a strong impression on Stalin.