Architect Hans Poelzig: a project for Ukraine

Svitlana Smolenska

smollana@gmail.com
Department of Construction, Architecture and Design; Kherson State Agrarian and Economic University ; (Ukraine)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4953-9563

Hans-Dieter Nägelke


Director of the Museum of Architecture; Technische Universität Berlin; (Germany)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9200-1734

Abstract

The paper examines one of the fragments of the creative heritage of the famous German architect Hans Poelzig: his competition project of the State Ukrainian Theatre of Mass Musical Action for 4000 seats for Kharkiv. The project is viewed through the prism of little-known competitive events of 1930, which makes it possible to decipher its architectural, compositional, urbanistic and functional ideas, to reveal its symbolism. The study is based on the architect’s original drawings preserved in the archive, primary sources of the early 1930s, biographical and critical works of other authors dedicated to the nominees of the Kharkiv competition, as well as on a comparative and meaningful analysis of architectural graphics and textual documentation.

Supporting Agencies

Volkswagen Foundation

Keywords:

Hans Poelzig’s project, international architectural competitions, modernism of the 1920s-1930s, Ukraine, theatre buildings

Heuss T., Hans Poelzig 1869-1936, Milano: Electa, 1991.
  Google Scholar

Posener J., Hans Poelzig. Reflections on His Life and Work, New York: The MIT Press, 1992.
  Google Scholar

Hambrock H., Bauen im Geist des Barock. Hans und Marlene Poelzig, Delmenhorst und Berlin: Aschenbeck&Holstein Verlag, 2005.
  Google Scholar

Smolenska S., “The modernist administrative centre in Kharkiv (Ukraine) as cultural heritage: from the early 1920s to 2022”, in Als der Krieg kam … Neue Beiträge zur Kunst in der Ukraine, Heidelberg: arthistoricum 2023, pp. 76–104. https://doi.org/10.11588/arthistoricum.1227.c17105
  Google Scholar

Smolenska S., “The heroic period of architecture in Ukraine: early modernism of the 1920s-1930s”, in DOCOMOMO journal, no. 67, (2022), pp. 38-46. https://doi.org/10.52200/docomomo.67.04
  Google Scholar

Prospectus for the international competition in composing a project for the state Ukrainian theatre mass musical stage with a 4000 seat capacity, Kharkov: Town council, Constructive aid committee, 1930.
  Google Scholar

Galović, K., “Zdenko Strižić Natječajni rad za kazalište u Harkovu”, in Peristil, no. 40 (1), (1997), pp. 137-147. https://hrcak.srce.hr/150766
  Google Scholar

Proekty mizhnarodnoho konkursu derzhavnoho ukrainskoho teatru masovoho muzychnoho diistva na 4000 mists v m. Kharkovi. Albom fotohrafii dlia holovy sektsii mystetstv tov. Petrenko, O.I. Kharkiv: USRR, Kharkivska Miska Rada, Uprava budivnytstva, 1931.
  Google Scholar

Linetsky А. V., Rudnik K. A., Shestopal M. M. “Mizhnarodnyi konkurs na proekt Derzhavnoho
  Google Scholar

ukrainskoho teatru masovoho muzychnoho diistva na 4000 mists u Kharkovi”, in Budivnitstvo, no. 7-8, (1931), pp. 32 -51.
  Google Scholar

Richter, „Wettbewerb Theater Charkow", in Die Baugilde, no. 20, (1931), pp. 1562-1588.
  Google Scholar

Architectural Museum, Technical University of Berlin (AM TU Berlin), Inv. No. 2773.
  Google Scholar

AM TU Berlin, Inv. No. HP 040,013.
  Google Scholar

Rake (theatre). Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rake_(theatre) [Access: 2 May 2023].
  Google Scholar

AM TU Berlin, Inv. No. HP 040,006.
  Google Scholar

Der dramatische Raum, Der dramatische Raum: Hans Poelzig - Malerei, Theater, Film, Krefeld: Museen Haus Lange und Haus Esters, 1986.
  Google Scholar

Český Krumlov. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Český_Krumlov [Access: 2 May 2023].
  Google Scholar

AM TU Berlin, Inv. No. HP 040,020.
  Google Scholar

AM TU Berlin, Inv. No. HP 040,021.
  Google Scholar

AM TU Berlin, Inv. No. 3501.
  Google Scholar

AM TU Berlin, Inv. No. F 1966.
  Google Scholar

Hans Poelzig. Die Pläne und Zeichnungen aus dem ehemaligen Verkehrs- und Baumuseum in Berlin / herausgegeben von Matthias Schirren, Berlin: Ernst & Sohn, 1989.
  Google Scholar

Download


Published
2023-09-29 — Updated on 2023-11-09

Cited by

Smolenska, S. and Nägelke, H.-D. (2023) “Architect Hans Poelzig: a project for Ukraine”, Budownictwo i Architektura, 22(3), pp. 059–072. doi: 10.35784/bud-arch.4241.

Authors

Svitlana Smolenska 
smollana@gmail.com
Department of Construction, Architecture and Design; Kherson State Agrarian and Economic University ; Ukraine
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4953-9563

Authors

Hans-Dieter Nägelke 

Director of the Museum of Architecture; Technische Universität Berlin; Germany
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9200-1734

Statistics

Abstract views: 170
PDF downloads: 142


License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Budownictwo i Architektura supports the open science program. The journal enables Open Access to their publications. Everyone can view, download and forward articles, provided that the terms of the license are respected.

Publishing of articles is possible after submitting a signed statement on the transfer of a license to the Journal.