Vitaly Lagutenko
Encyclopedia
Vitaly Pavlovich Lagutenko (Виталий Павлович Лагутенко, 1904, Mogilev
– 1967, Moscow
) was a Soviet architect
and engineer
. His studies of low-cost prefabricated concrete
construction, supported by Nikita Khrushchev
, lead to a complete switch of Soviet building practice from masonry
to prefab concrete. Lagutenko designed the standardized 5-story apartment houses, known as khrushchyovka, and associated technologies of fast, mass-scale construction. These low-cost blocks, built by millions of units, helped relieve post-war housing shortage .
. There he meets Alexey Shchusev
. In 1931, Lagutenko graduated from Moscow Institute of Transportation Engineers and joined Shchusev’s architectural workshop. During World War II
, Logutenko worked on city camouflage
and repairs of war losses.
In 1947, in the heyday of extravagant, high-cost, low-density Stalinist architecture
, City of Moscow appoints Logutenko to lead the experimental Industrial Construction Bureau, with an objective to study and design the low-cost technology suitable for fast mass construction; in 1949, he is promoted to lead Workhop No.1. He was not alone; parallel projects were tackled by traditional architects (Ivan Zholtovsky
) and technologists (Rosenfeld and Pomazanov’s blocks on Peschanaya Street). Logutenko differentiated from them by focusing on low-cost prefab concrete and completely disposing with Stalinist grandeur.
His first project (1947–1950, architectural design by Mikhail Posokhin), an 8-story block south from Rosenfeld’s, used a frame structure made with prefab concrete beams and mixed concrete-masonry filling of external walls. Apartments are small, but not as small as his later designs; externally, the houses at least pretend to be Stalinist, using cornice
and bas relief details, also of prefab concrete.
The end of Stalinist architecture was spelled in January 1950, when an architects’ convention, supervised by Khrushchev (then the party boss of Moscow City), declared low-cost, high-speed technologies the objective of Soviet architects. In 1953 and 1954, Logutenko supervised launch of two first prefab concrete plants in western Moscow. By the time Khrushchev finally disposed with Stalin’s architectural legacy (November 1955 decree on "stripping redundancies"), plant technology was already in place and could be copied to any big city. However, designs of 1950s were not optimized for speed and cost (not to mention that they were ugly). This optimization – in engineering and project management - took another 5 years and brought Lagutenko the title of Hero of Socialist Labor
(1960).
In 1961, Lagutenko’s institute releases the infamous K-7 design of a prefab 5-story that became a symbol of khrushchyovka. Only 3 millions square meters (64 thousand units) of this type were built in Moscow in 1961-1968, but it was just a beginning. Cost cuts were everywhere, from diminutive floorplans to partitions only 4 centimeter thick. Ceiling height is usually stated as 2,48 meters, but can be as low as 2,40. Yet the structure could be topped-out in 12 days – following Lagutenko’s carefully metered project schedule, panels were assembled without mortar. K-7 quality was plagued from the start. Subsequent revisions and daughter designs somehow fixed it, but where just as crumped and ugly. They were not intended to last; the so-called disposable series (сносимые серии) had a planned 25-year lifetime. In Moscow, they are being demolished since 1994 and the city intends to complete demolition by 2009; they still stand in less wealthy towns.
Lagutenko worked on the same prefab concrete theme until his death in 1967.
In modern Russian language, lagutyonky is sometimes applied indiscriminately to all early khrushchyovka (not necessarily of Logutenko’s lineage).
Pop singer Ilia Lagutenko
is a grandson of Vitaly Lagutenko.
Mogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
– 1967, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) was a Soviet architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and engineer
Structural engineer
Structural engineers analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants...
. His studies of low-cost prefabricated concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
construction, supported by Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
, lead to a complete switch of Soviet building practice from masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
to prefab concrete. Lagutenko designed the standardized 5-story apartment houses, known as khrushchyovka, and associated technologies of fast, mass-scale construction. These low-cost blocks, built by millions of units, helped relieve post-war housing shortage .
Biography
Lagutenko, 17, came to Moscow in 1921 and found a job at the construction site of Kazansky Rail TerminalKazansky Rail Terminal
Kazansky Rail Terminal is one of nine rail terminals in Moscow, situated on the Komsomolskaya Square, across the square from the Leningradsky and Yaroslavsky terminals....
. There he meets Alexey Shchusev
Alexey Shchusev
Alexey Viktorovich Shchusev ), 1873, Chişinău—24 May 1949, Moscow) was an acclaimed Russian and Soviet architect whose works may be regarded as a bridge connecting Revivalist architecture of Imperial Russia with Stalin's Empire Style....
. In 1931, Lagutenko graduated from Moscow Institute of Transportation Engineers and joined Shchusev’s architectural workshop. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Logutenko worked on city camouflage
Military camouflage
Military camouflage is one of many means of deceiving an enemy. In practice, it is the application of colour and materials to battledress and military equipment to conceal them from visual observation. The French slang word camouflage came into common English usage during World War I when the...
and repairs of war losses.
In 1947, in the heyday of extravagant, high-cost, low-density Stalinist architecture
Stalinist architecture
Stalinist architecture , also referred to as Stalinist Gothic, or Socialist Classicism, is a term given to architecture of the Soviet Union between 1933, when Boris Iofan's draft for Palace of the Soviets was officially approved, and 1955, when Nikita Khrushchev condemned "excesses" of the past...
, City of Moscow appoints Logutenko to lead the experimental Industrial Construction Bureau, with an objective to study and design the low-cost technology suitable for fast mass construction; in 1949, he is promoted to lead Workhop No.1. He was not alone; parallel projects were tackled by traditional architects (Ivan Zholtovsky
Ivan Vladislavovich Zholtovsky
Ivan Vladislavovich Zholtovsky was a Russian-Soviet architect and educator. He worked primarily in Moscow since 1898 till his death. An accomplished master of Renaissance Revival before the Russian Revolution of 1917, later he became a key figure of Stalinist architecture.-Early years:Ivan...
) and technologists (Rosenfeld and Pomazanov’s blocks on Peschanaya Street). Logutenko differentiated from them by focusing on low-cost prefab concrete and completely disposing with Stalinist grandeur.
His first project (1947–1950, architectural design by Mikhail Posokhin), an 8-story block south from Rosenfeld’s, used a frame structure made with prefab concrete beams and mixed concrete-masonry filling of external walls. Apartments are small, but not as small as his later designs; externally, the houses at least pretend to be Stalinist, using cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
and bas relief details, also of prefab concrete.
The end of Stalinist architecture was spelled in January 1950, when an architects’ convention, supervised by Khrushchev (then the party boss of Moscow City), declared low-cost, high-speed technologies the objective of Soviet architects. In 1953 and 1954, Logutenko supervised launch of two first prefab concrete plants in western Moscow. By the time Khrushchev finally disposed with Stalin’s architectural legacy (November 1955 decree on "stripping redundancies"), plant technology was already in place and could be copied to any big city. However, designs of 1950s were not optimized for speed and cost (not to mention that they were ugly). This optimization – in engineering and project management - took another 5 years and brought Lagutenko the title of Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labor
Hero of Socialist Labour was an honorary title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries. It was the highest degree of distinction for exceptional achievements in national economy and culture...
(1960).
In 1961, Lagutenko’s institute releases the infamous K-7 design of a prefab 5-story that became a symbol of khrushchyovka. Only 3 millions square meters (64 thousand units) of this type were built in Moscow in 1961-1968, but it was just a beginning. Cost cuts were everywhere, from diminutive floorplans to partitions only 4 centimeter thick. Ceiling height is usually stated as 2,48 meters, but can be as low as 2,40. Yet the structure could be topped-out in 12 days – following Lagutenko’s carefully metered project schedule, panels were assembled without mortar. K-7 quality was plagued from the start. Subsequent revisions and daughter designs somehow fixed it, but where just as crumped and ugly. They were not intended to last; the so-called disposable series (сносимые серии) had a planned 25-year lifetime. In Moscow, they are being demolished since 1994 and the city intends to complete demolition by 2009; they still stand in less wealthy towns.
Lagutenko worked on the same prefab concrete theme until his death in 1967.
In modern Russian language, lagutyonky is sometimes applied indiscriminately to all early khrushchyovka (not necessarily of Logutenko’s lineage).
Pop singer Ilia Lagutenko
Ilia Lagutenko
Ilya Igorevich Lagutenko is the founder and lead singer of the band Mumiy Troll.He was born in Moscow, Soviet Union. Soon after his birth his father died, and the family moved to Vladivostok. In school he became engrossed in studying Chinese. He sang with a children’s choir that took him to many...
is a grandson of Vitaly Lagutenko.