Sergey Chernyshev: Architect of the New Moscow

Sergey Chernyshev (1881–1963), one of the founders of Soviet urban planning, deservedly occupies a special place among the leading Russian architects of the twentieth century. Already a respected architect before the Russian Revolution, his talent also gained recognition in the Soviet era. Chernyshev’s large-scale designs attracted widespread attention – from the 1935 Master Plan for the Reconstruction of Moscow to his work on the restoration of cities such as Kiev, Leningrad, Warsaw, and Berlin. Chernyshev’s designs have achieved global fame and recognition. Even in the dramatic years under the Stalin regime, Sergey Chernyshev sought to embody the concept of an “ideal society” in architecture and urban planning theories. He successfully implemented bold and innovative designs, at the same time managing to adhere to national architectural traditions and remain faithful to his own vision.