ARCHITECTS IN RUSSIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 132, 7 June 1938, Page 10

ARCHITECTS IN RUSSIA

A FAVOURED PROFESSION. “Architects, with authors and artists, are probably better off financially than any other groups in the country,” wrote a Moscow correspondent of the Journal of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. “Private practice is not at ; . negligible for successful architects. Few individuals will ask you to build them houses but co-operative groups of families, anywhere from two to 20, may want small apartment buildings. If you become popular, your name may be specified by factory workers and other industrial groups when a building is being built for them, and the wishes of such groups have a great influence on the executives of the trusts who will employ you. Competitions are quite common and all architects are reimbursed for their pains. “Architecture is probably the most democratic and least dangerous vocation in Russia. Arguments and discussions on architecture, or any form of art, can have, except in Germany, no political repercussions to embarrass the Government, so that all are invited to express their opinions, and their opinions are largely acted upon. In competitions the designs are exhibited in public and the public vote on them. This vote is usually accepted by the Commission of Judges selected to choose the winning design. “You might think that such an adjudication would be irresponsible, but the Russian is a serious fellow and the type that consider themselves capable' of casting votes on architectural merit are probably better equipped to do so than are known between architectural critics at an exhibition disagreeing over the best position of elevators or the adequacy of the circulation facilities, so seriously do they take their privilege. This desire to express their opinions and the yearning for a good all night argument, is the weakness and the strength of the Russian character. The Government, predominantly Georgian, feel that to allow the Russian his full scope in discussion in many matters will lead to political chaos, and it comes, therefore, as a relief all round that they can quarrel over artistic questions without having to be shot. “The people's best method of being vocal about architecture is to write to the papers. Russians are the greatest letter-writers to the newspapers in the world. They also solemnly pass votes of censure or approval at their industrial clubs which are sent on to the proper authorities and are published in Moscow’s daily architectural newspaper. It may sound incredible that there should be a daily architectural paper, but there are" also daily papers on art, music, science and other things which take the place of the social, sport, financial and other pages and supplements of our newspapers. Pravda and Isvestia only publish news.”