Singer House
| Singer House | |
|---|---|
| Дом компании «Зингер» (Russian) | |
 Singer House | |
| Alternative names | House of Books |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Art Nouveau |
| Location | 28 Nevsky Prospekt, Saint Petersburg, Russia |
| Coordinates | 59°56′9″N 30°19′32″E / 59.93583°N 30.32556°ECoordinates: 59°56′9″N 30°19′32″E / 59.93583°N 30.32556°E |
| Completed | 1904 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Pavel Suzor |
Singer House (Russian: Дом компании «Зингер»), also widely known as the House of Books (Russian: Дом книги), is a building located at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and the Griboyedov Canal, directly opposite the Kazan Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is recognized as a historical landmark, has official status as an object of Russian cultural heritage, and contains the headquarters of the VK social network.
History
The building was designed by architect Pavel Suzor for the Russian branch of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. The management of the Singer Company initially intended to construct a skyscraper, similar to the Singer Building, the company headquarters being built at that time in New York, but the Saint Petersburg building code did not allow structures taller than the Winter Palace, residence of the emperor. The architect found an elegant solution to the 23.5 meter height limit: the six-story Art Nouveau building is crowned with a glass tower, which in turn is topped by a glass globe sculpture created by Estonian artist Amandus Adamson.[1] This tower creates the impression of a substantial elevation, but is subtle enough not to overshadow either the Kazan Cathedral or the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.
During the First World War the US Embassy was located in the building for a brief period.[2] In 1919, not long after the October Revolution, the building was given to the Petrograd State Publishing House. It quickly became the city's largest bookstore, and was subsequently named "The House of Books" in 1938. The bookstore remained functioning during the Siege of Leningrad until November 1942, reopening again in 1948. The building closed for reconstruction from 2004-2006, reopening as the home of several businesses, including the familiar House of Books. [3] and Café Singer.[4]
- Singer House
Frontal view
Side view
The tower with the globe on the top
Entrance
Sculptures on the facade
Sources
- Рубашкин А. И. (2003). В Доме Зингера и вокруг него (in Russian). Logos. p. 568. ISBN 5-87288-255-6.
- Вознесенский А. (2008). Дом компании "Зингер" - Дом Книги (in Russian). Коло. p. 44.
References
- ↑ Дом Книги (Дом Зингера) (in Russian).
- ↑ http://www.saint-petersburg.com/buildings/dom-knigi/
- ↑ "The House of Books, the Book Shop". Saint Petersburg Encyclopedia.
- ↑ "Cafe Singer home page".
External links
Media related to Singer House at Wikimedia Commons