The New Moscow map, designed by Baklazanas Normadic Design studio, celebrates Moscow architectural avant-garde heritage including workers’ clubs, schools, factory kitchens, garages, communal housing, factories, bathhouses and even the first soviet crematorium and columbarium. It features 180 most stunning examples of Constructivist architecture in Moscow, both world-famous buildings (from Melnikov House and the Narkomfin Building to Shukhov Tower and Lenin’s Mausoleum) and less known residential buildings and constructivist quarters and settlements within the limits of Moscow Ring Road (MKAD).
Although the Constructivist movement produced many pioneering and unique projects and had a great impact on contemporary architecture during the Soviet period since late 1930s the Constructivist buildings were neglected and people nowadays don’t appreciate this unique heritage, while it’s one of the very few things Russians should be actually proud of. Baklazanas Studio, with this map, wanted to attract attention to the problem of demolition of the Constructivist architecture in Moscow and to show it’s pure exceptional beauty. Many Constructivist architectural masterpieces are either in ruins or under threat of demolition nowadays so the land could be sold to developers. Despite all the public protests and numerous petitions Russia’s unique architectural heritage is destroyed by the authorities.
Besides these 180 leading examples of Constructivist architecture in Moscow Baklazanas Studio included into the map some remarkable elements of Russian industrial art from the 1920s and 1930s. The four roundels refer to Soviet textile and porcelain design of 1920-1930 and their propaganda capacities celebrating industrialization, electrification, collective farming and aeronautics, announcing an era of a new type of human, trained by the overall mechanization of everyday life. Some of the patterns that were used celebrate the work of Russian designers Lyubov Popova and Varvara Stepanova who helped pave the way for all modern day graphic designers as they created art with a purpose in hopes of bettering the society in which they lived.
The map is a handmade silk screen print on high quality German paper, and it’s a limited edition. Available paper colours: white matte, grey matte with slight brown undertone, bright yellow matte, the colour of vintage paper matte, bright red glossy, white glossy.
The map features fonts created by famous Russian type designer Yuri Gordon, texts of one the most outstanding proletarian poets of early post-revolutionary Russia Alexei Gastev from the book of poems A Pack of Orders (1921) and two fabric designs: The New Village by R. Vasileva and Factory by S. Burylin from the collection of Ivanovo Regional Art Museum.
Baklazanas Normadic Design Studio
Baklazanas is a nomadic design studio focusing on visual branding and communication design for cultural, educational and governmental institutions.
For them, design is a continuous communication. Their art direction aims to engage their clients in the process that not only communicates what they want but clarifies what they are.
Their client list ranges from museums and non-profit art spaces to theatres, film producers, publishing houses, universities and research organizations, fashion brands, private charitable institutions, socially conscious organizations, and more.
Baklazanas studio has been awarded by European Design Awards 2016, Silver (Book&Editorial Illustration), Red Dot 2015 (Poster Design), Red Dot 2013, Best of the Best (Poster Design), Red Dot 2012 (Visual Identity), Red Dot 2011 (Visual Identity), New Museum Token Design Contest, 2011.
Check out more about Baklazanas Normadic Design Studio on their website: http://www.baklazanas.com/
