The concept of the new Ukrainian architecture before the State Industry House (Derzhprom)

In winter 1924–1925, engineer Ya.I. Kenskyi calculated the economic feasibility of an ambitious project: he proposed to construct a single building for all the trusts located in Kharkiv. According to his calculations, the project had to pay for itself quickly and start raising money for the country. It was technically possible to implement the project under condition of its priority, but the project had to be executed very quickly. As early as at the planning stage, it became clear based on the pre-revolutionary experience that a high-quality building can only be constructed in 2 stages: the first stage had to provide a concept solution of the task, and the second stage should be the implementation of that solution in the design of a particular building. But there was no time for two tenders, the construction was to start in 1925.  A solution to that problem could only be a thorough preliminary work, the result of which would enable a one-stage competition. A very dynamic and experienced architect had to take part in it, but that architect would lose the opportunity to create the final solution, he had to become an organizer, not a party to the competition. Architect Oleksandr Heorhiiovych Molokin agreed to supplement the economic calculations of Ya.I. Kenskyi to the competitive level of the future State Industry House (Derzhprom). He coped with the task in brilliant fashion. He not just prepared a detailed architectural task for the house, but also defined the concept of the new Ukrainian architecture. This concept was later transferred to competitive tasks for other houses of the square in 1920s–1930s, allowing for a unique ensemble created by different architects. All architects who designed the buildings in the square tried to embody at their own discretion the ideas worded by O.H. Molokin. The program was drawn up by engineer Ya.I. Kenskyi and architect O.H. Molokin turned out to be so well developed and easy to implement, precisely because the architect had already had his vision of the possible appearance of the house. Therefore, the State Insurance House on Sumska Street ordered by the city in 1925 became a “consolation” for O.H. Molokin. He realized in it his vision of the program of the new Ukrainian architecture, which he formulated for the Derzhprom. The State Insurance House is almost the only object in Kharkiv referred to “industrial romanticism”. We can hardly imagine it today, but the new Ukrainian architecture could gain such an appearance as well. Facades of the building are decorated with brightwork in a rather laconic manner (but more ornated than the constructed Derzhprom): rust, very simplified flat cornices, pilasters. The higher the storey, the less decorative details on the facade, but the one-piece protrusions of the balconies, on the contrary, become greater with the higher floor. Until the 1960s, the main entrance to the building was decorated on the sides with paired Doric columns; this motive still remains on the additional exits on the side facades of the cour d’honneur. The most amusing detail of the house is the balcony brackets: they are decorated with concrete elements imitating the screw nuts. However, the progressive in 1920s constructive decisions were implemented in the construction of the State Insurance House: channel reinforced concrete frame and monolithic cellular type floor. Note that a few office buildings of the 1920s can boast a fashionable at that time reinforced concrete structure, more often it was imitated by brick and wood. The State Insurance House, like Derzhprom, was designed multifunctional. While Derzhprom was planned to unite administrative premises, a club and a hotel, the State Insurance House combined 3 administrative floors and 2 housing floors for employees. As early as in 1928, the multifunctional nature of the buildings was rejected as it added value to the construction, while their use was inconvenient. In addition, the requirements for the standard of life increased, and communal life was rejected. At the end of 1920s, the standard of consumer servicing was not a communal water closet with wash basins on the floor, but a kitchen and a water closet with a bath per a separate 2–3-room apartment. A rather big building of the State Insurance House was designed without closed courtyards. The U-shaped form of the building not only allowed for illuminating all the above-ground rooms, but also forming the cour d’honneur, an extra capacitive space, which also created an additional showy area for employees in front of the entrance to the building.  In 1943, the house was given to Kharkiv Civil Engineering Institute. Given the changed function, the lobby of the house was enlarged in the 1960s, and therefore the decor of the main entrance was lost. But overall, the building is well preserved and still shows an interesting example of “industrial romanticism”. Olha Shvydenko