The building of the russian academy of sciences
The twenty-two-story building is two square towers, placed almost closely to each other on an extensive stylobate, hiding the winter garden and the concert hall. It is known, first of all, by the metal decoration on the roof, which gave the complex an ironic name "Golden Brains".
The construction of the complex became a visible and symbolic decline of the late Soviet investments of the state in science, the decision to erect was made in 1966, the construction itself began only in 1974. The building was built over twenty years, the office part was commissioned in 1990, the hall was ready only in 1997.
Construction slowed at first by complex soils and wrong choice of location from an engineering point of view, as well as a try to build a really high-quality and high-tech building.
The project was led by architect Yury Platonov of GIPRONII, continuing (or ending) Alexei Shchusev’s tradition of placing research institutes and academic buildings on the south- west of Moscow in 1930-s’. Now this buildings by Shchusev and Iofan, huddled near Gagarin Square, right "under the feet" of the Presidium.
Stylistically, the building marks a smooth transition from the late Soviet modernism - an ambitious and dramatic semi-abstract monumental art - the post-Soviet postmodernism - Favorite Yuri Luzhkov "towers" style (although , in contrast to Western post-modern , rich intellectual game , devoid of any hint of humor).
Decorative designs on the roof , chimney hoods hiding , elevator shafts , antennas and restaurant gave not only the popular name throughout the Presidium of RAS , but also, without any jokes, created a new high-altitude dominating the south -west of the Moskva River, which has not updated its silhouette from the 1950s years.
