Some time ago I wrote a piece about Novgorod Theatre, a piece of Soviet era architecture you can only describe as mould-breaking. I’d learned it was a Russian collaboration with Scandinavian architects. Since the building is so alien to other 70’s Soviet forms, it seemed plausible at the time.

Meanwhile, Novgorod’s theatre also got the attention of photographer Andrei Rozen. His local driver believed the creator to be Russian rock star, Andrei Makarevich, actually a graphic artist turned musician. But Rozen, who by then had also stumbled by this blog, couldn’t confirm either story.

In Moscow, Andrei traced the building back to Giproteatr, a State design agency where Makarevich had indeed worked - but not as an architect, only as model maker. Through Makarevich, he discovered that the project was actually directed by Vladimir Somov. According to Makarevich, many radical artists worked for Giproteatr at the time, though were careful to pose as conformist, State employees in the office. Andrei relates:

Somov was trying to construct a theatre which was going to become an embodiment of the most radical visual and architectural ideals. There was to be a sort of hidden anti-Soviet “terract” embedded into the design. It was a total mystery to Makarevich how Somov’s design was approved by the bureaucrats.

But Somov was aware of the rigor and unpredictability of state censorship. He presented his designs to the Ministry piece by piece and avoided any unnecessary confrontations.

Moreover, he purposely concealed many details from government officials, preventing them from seeing the whole picture, and instead left the final sketches and exact calculations for the builders and engineers. When dealing with the Ministry his motto was, ’show less and build what you really want later.’

Novgorod Theatre is a very bold statement, both in terms of design and of beating the system. You can read Andrei Rozen’s fascinating account of the project here alongside his new photo essay.