The role of boarding houses in the urban housing system funds of Moscow at the turn of the XIX–XX centuries

Abstract

The subject of this study is apartment buildings in Moscow during the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and their significance in the context of the urbanization and industrialization of the city. The research aims to investigate the architectural features, functional characteristics, and socio-economic impact of these apartment buildings on the urban landscape. Special attention is paid to the quantitative and qualitative growth of these structures, as well as their contribution to addressing the issue of housing shortages in light of rapid urban population expansion. The focus of the study is on apartment buildings in Moscow during this period. The article examines specific examples of these buildings, their architectural design, construction stages, ownership, and occupancy. Attention is given to analyzing how these buildings were integrated into the city's infrastructure and influenced Moscow's appearance. The research employs diachronic, statistical, and chronological methods. The novelty of this study lies in its exploration of the previously understudied history of apartment houses in Moscow from a financial, economic, and social perspective. Apartment buildings played a significant role in Moscow's urban life. On the one hand, they provided housing for different segments of the population, making housing more accessible and helping to solve the problem of housing shortages. It was common to rent a room or apartment. On the other hand, apartment buildings became not only a social, but also an economic phenomenon. They were attractive for investing capital and contributed to their proliferation. The success of constructing such buildings led to the formation of joint-stock companies that focused on building apartments. These companies invested in real estate projects, expecting to generate significant profits from renting out apartments. The emergence of these companies indicates that the residential real estate market was a lucrative business.