Kharkov’s Gosprom: A Resilient Symbol Under Siege
October 29, 2024
Ah, Kharkov! The land of striking architecture, rich history, and now, it seems, a target of Russian aggression that’s as relentless as the plot twists in a soap opera. On October 28th, a guided bomb—a modern-day letter bomb—was dropped on Gosprom, or the House of State Industry, one of Kharkov’s architectural wonders. It’s no wonder the locals call it “our everything,” because losing it is akin to losing a limb. Or worse, your favorite cafe.
Gosprom: A Symbol of Dreams and Determination
Constructed in the 1920s and embodying the avant-garde spirit, Gosprom isn’t just another building; it’s a wailing identity for the people of Kharkov. To those who dwell in or near it, it symbolizes hope and resilience. Maxim Rosenfeld, an architecture researcher, likens it to a “dream come true.” I mean, sure, we all have dreams, but most of us don’t see them materialize into monumental structures that also serve as cultural hubs. Lucky Kharkov, huh?
This behemoth wasn’t built by wizards but by thousands of intrepid builders during what could only be called an architectural renaissance. Just imagine the noise—seriously, at peak times, could you even hear yourself think?
The Attack: A Symbol Wounded
Now, let’s unpack this unfortunate missile delivery. Oleg Sinegubov, the head honcho of Kharkov’s regional administration, reported that the bomb hit with such precision it took out three floors. Talk about ‘target practice’ gone awry! This isn’t just an attack on a building; it’s an assault on the spirit and identity of the people who call Kharkov home. In a city already scarred by recent history—just look at that poor regional administration building demolished back in March 2022—this blow feels doubly significant. It’s like watching a beloved TV character get brutally written off the show. Breathe, people, breathe.
Architectural Marvel or Soviet Folly?
Gosprom, a distinguished constructivist structure, has faced its share of controversies. Was it a bold leap into the future or simply a product of too much caffeine and undelivered mail? Built for the government of the Ukrainian SSR, it served as a center for industry and hope. Yet, within its walls lies a tale of aspirational architects and the tragic turn of historical events that often steals the spotlight. After all, what did dreamers think would happen? A tea party?
It’s fascinating to observe how this building, exceeding the height of even the Statue of Liberty with its TV tower included, has braved the tests of time—unlike my attempts at fitness!
Ghosts of the Past
Along with architectural majesty, Gosprom carries a suitcase full of urban legends—from rumored mammoth bones to the potential sighting of communist hymns in its blueprints. Urban legends are like that awkward friend at a party: once one gets started, you can’t help but pile on the embellishments. But if they could see it now, they’d be weeping into their latte at the damage done—especially since Gosprom has already faced threats in WWII and post-war reconstruction.
The Spirit of Kharkov
So, while Gosprom may be battered, the Kharkov spirit remains unbroken. Residents refuse to wallow in despair; instead, they’re hustling to clean up the rubble, patching up their beloved building. As Rosenfeld eloquently puts it, “No matter how painful it is for you, you need to heal.” Such resilience—and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want a little of that in their lives?
And What Now?
As we watch Kharkov’s architectural titan stand against the odds, we must remember the larger story: it’s a tale of hope, perseverance, avant-garde thinking, and a sprinkle of sarcasm. This isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s about the heart and soul of a city that refuses to bend, or break, under bombardment.
So, if you’re ever feeling down about your dreams, remember Gosprom. And remember the Kharkov locals who are literally moving the rubble to build not just their city back, but a future worth dreaming about.
Photo caption: Many Kharkov residents consider Derzhprom one of the most important symbols of their city
October 29, 2024
On Monday evening, the Russian army carried out a strike in the center of Kharkov that resulted in a guided bomb hitting one of the most famous buildings in the city: the 1920s-built House of State Industry, or Gosprom. We talk about the history of this architectural monument in the constructivist style and why it became a symbol of Kharkov.
This is a slightly modified translation of the material by BBC Ukrainian Service correspondent Victoria Prisedskaya; the original in Ukrainian can be read here.
“Derzhprom is not just a symbol of the technological and architectural avant-garde, it is a symbol of a dream come true,” says Maxim Rosenfeld, a researcher of the history of architecture, a Kharkov resident.
In 1925, when this project was conceived, the whole idea seemed absolutely unrealistic and futuristic. But its creators – architects, engineers and thousands of builders – were not afraid to look into the unknown, and they succeeded, says the researcher.
On October 28, Gosprom was hit by a Russian bomb. The head of the Kharkov regional administration, Oleg Sinegubov, said that it was a direct hit, which partially destroyed three floors in one of the wings of the building.
“Our everything”
A 13-story skyscraper in the constructivist style stands in the very center of Kharkov, on the city’s main Freedom Square. At the other end of the same square is the building of the regional state administration, which was completely destroyed by a Russian missile attack on March 1, 2022.
Now Gosprom houses a large office center with an area of 60 thousand square meters, where various public and private organizations operate.
The building, with a silhouette recognizable far beyond the borders of Kharkov, consists of three parts in the shape of the letter “H”, which are connected by bridges-transitions.
Nearby is the main building of the Kharkov National University. Karazin and the legendary Slovo house, where Ukrainian poets and writers of the early last century lived.
Photo caption: A direct hit from an aerial bomb damaged three floors at Gosprom
Gosprom and the entire neighborhood around it are an important cultural heritage, says Rosenfeld, who defended his PhD in architecture and wrote a book about Kharkiv buildings called “Facades.”
But for Kharkov residents it means much more than just an architectural monument. “We call it ‘our everything,’” Rosenfeld says.
He has lived near the building all his life, walks past it every day and says that Derzhprom will stand forever.
Rosenfeld’s feelings are shared by many Kharkiv residents who reacted emotionally on social networks to the Russian attack.
“It’s painful to see a real, undisputed symbol of the city wounded,” it says in a post on the page of another iconic Kharkov place, the Crystal cafe.
Bold fantasies about architecture
The name “Derzhprom” (in Ukrainian “Derzhprom”) stands for “House of State Industry” (“Budinok of State Industry”).
It was built for the government of the Ukrainian SSR and the industrial sector, because in December 1919 Kharkov became the capital of the republic and remained so until 1934.
Despite this, Gosprom is not Soviet history, but the history of dreamers, Rosenfeld believes. The project embodied the wildest fantasies about architecture and engineering technologies of that time.
“Also on democratic principles,” adds the researcher. A large-scale competition was held among architects, 19 projects took part in it. The winners were architects Sergei Serafimov, Samuil Kravets and Mark Felger.
The builders used the technology of filling structures with reinforced concrete. Therefore, the building turned out to be almost monolithic.
Photo caption Built in 1928, Gosprom was a breakthrough in architectural and engineering thinking
The architectural complex consists of a group of towers of different heights, which are connected by passages. Thanks to this, the resonant frequencies of the towers, superimposed on one another, weaken the vibrations of the entire building. This method is also used in Japan for the construction of skyscrapers in seismic zones.
“These people were pioneers,” Rosenfeld says. At the time, he said, there was a lack of knowledge about the technology.
Gosprom is the result of the selfless work of thousands of Kharkov residents. It was built in three shifts from five to 15 thousand builders and simply volunteers, for example, students of vocational schools.
Avant-garde thinking
Many did not believe in the success of the project, but when construction was completed in record time in 1928, Derzhprom became an example of the impossible being realized.
He embodied the avant-garde thinking of the time, which blossomed during the short period of Ukrainian cultural revival before Stalin’s repressions. This thinking extended beyond architecture into literature, the visual arts, and science.
These were the times when director Les Kurbas founded his theater “Berezil”, when Mykola Khvylevoy, Ivan Bagryany and other residents of the “Slovo” house wrote their works, when scientists from the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology were the second in the world to split the atom.
Derzhprom inspired many writers and poets: from Khvylovy, who called it “a grandiose grandiosity,” to Mayakovsky, who was struck by the scale of construction, and Henri Barbusse.
“That’s why this is a story about the spirit of the city of dreamers, avant-garde artists, pioneers,” sums up Rosenfeld.
However, already in the early thirties, this story ended with severe repressions and executions (these events are often described as a “executed revival”).
It is symbolic that it was in the Gosprom building, in his office, that in 1933, the head of the government of the Ukrainian SSR, Nikolai Skrypnik, who pursued the policy of Ukrainization, shot himself.
Legends
There are many urban legends surrounding Gosprom.
When it was built, it was one of the tallest buildings in the Soviet Union, which is why it is often called the first Soviet skyscraper. It was so impressive in its height that some compared Kharkov to New York.
Derzhprom continues to amaze us today. In 2021, a columnist for the British edition of the Telegraph wrote about his trip to Kharkov, where he paid special attention to the style of the historical building.
When they were digging a foundation pit during the construction of the State Industrial Complex, the builders found mammoth bones, which are now kept in the Kharkov Museum of Nature.
In Soviet times, there was a legend that if you look at Gosprom from above, you can see the staff with the beginning of the anthem “Internationale”. In fact, there was nothing like that in the building design.
During World War II, while retreating from the city in 1943, German troops mined Gosprom and many other buildings. How wrote the Ukrainian pressan unknown city resident prevented the explosion at the cost of his own life, but the Nazis set the building on fire.
However, since its structure was reinforced concrete, Gosprom did not receive significant damage. From 1943 to 1947 the building was restored.
In 1954, a television tower was installed above Gosprom and the Kharkov television studio was located here. Thus, the height of the building was 108 meters, which is 15 meters higher than the Statue of Liberty in the USA.
One of the famous features of Gosprom is its elevators: some of them have been preserved since 1928, the doors in them must be opened and closed manually.
Photo caption, Kharkov experiences shelling almost every daySubscribe to our social networks and newsletters
This is not the first time that Derzhprom has suffered since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kharkov is subjected to devastating attacks from Russian missiles and aerial bombs almost every day.
But Kharkov residents are confident that State Industry will be restored. “He is also a symbol of Kharkov perseverance,” says Maxim Rosenfeld, although he adds that he does not like this expression.
In the evening after the attack on Derzhprom, he came to see the consequences. The first thing I saw was people who were removing the rubble, closing the windows, and quickly putting things in order.
“In my opinion, this is the main symbol of Gosprom,” says the researcher. “No matter how painful it is for you, you need to heal, and not scream about terrible wounds.”
