The architectural-ensemble problem in the construction of public buildings in Kazan in the late 1960s–1980s and the principles of their placement

Abstract

The article discusses the development of city structure and principles public building placement in it. The location of Kazan on a hilly terraced terrain ensures visual perception of its central part, and most public buildings contribute to the architectural and spatial composition of the city. In accordance with the general plan of the city, the composition of Kazan’s central area tends to display a rational functional structure and desire to treat it as an integral organism by artistic means. However, the ill-conceived infill towers of Kazan University in the central part of the city, alien to its filigree character, disrupted the expressive silhouette of Kazan. At the same time, the places of greatest compositional value have not been treated properly: the edge of the city’s upper terrace, the connection of the Kremlin with the embankment of the Volga River, the panorama of the Kaban lake, etc. The study provides generalized recommendations for further construction of public buildings in the city.