Imperial Pomp Post-Soviet High-Rise

Frank Herfort

Frank Herfort remains fascinated by the uniquely shaped buildings that have seemed to sprout from the ground since the end of the Soviet era.

In documenting a unique Russian architectural phenomenon with its retrofuture angles and monolithic forms, the German photographer Frank Herfort has journeyed to the most remote areas of the former Soviet Union. Spending the years from 2009 to 2013, traveling all over Russia and the former Soviet territories, from metropolises to remote rural zones, he visited 20 cities to find the most ostentatious and bombastic of the odd mix of architectural formsHe captured the bizarre architecture of the post-Soviet era, a strangely ostentatious and bombastic architectural style that sprung up throughout the new republic and peaked in the 1990's in a stunning photographic sensibility and technique, which mixes film with digital, emphasizing sharp detail and color. What makes his work stand out is the juxtaposition of these curious futurist massive building against the somber surroundings of empty space, low brick residential space, miniaturized people (if there are any), or any unexpected object. Frank Herfort has an amazing eye for framing contrasts.

The force and magnitude of these buildings appears bizarre, pompous and exotic, it conflates the aesthetics of monumental Soviet architecture with the Western language of form seen in the twentieth century.

Totally unlike conventional urban photos, his images of monstrously massive buildings with an overwhelming presence seem to come from another time and dimension. All these buildings have sprung up as if from nowhere, backed by the new financial elite that formed after the Soviet Union crumbled. There’s no doing things by halves here – these buildings are all about pomp and circumstance and making a statement.

Towering over everything, these phantasmagorical structures look like something from a parallel universe. Between 2009 and 2013 Frank Herfort traveled across Russia and former Soviet republics like Kazakhstan, Azerbaidshan and Belarus. He traveled by plane, train and his beloved blue Volga car, that he purchased in Moscow, to the extreme edges of the country.

Imperial Pomp: Post Soviet High Rise

Herfort’s incredible photographs have been published in Imperial Pomp: Post Soviet High Rise (2013, Kerber), and all the structures together look more like a speculative vision of a surreal future than reality.

It conflates the aesthetics of monumental Soviet architecture with the Western language of form seen in the twentieth century. A fine selection of the 100 best photographs of these eye-catching structures are published in his book "Imperial Pomp - Post Soviet High-Rise."

After seven years I struck camp in Hamburg and traveled to Moscow. It was time to take new paths and explore new worlds. So I followed my intuition and traveled through the "Gate to the World” to the Russian capital. Europe’s largest city had always fascinated me, even though I had not yet seen it. Images of Soviet soldiers with their tanks in the streets, Pioneer scarves in the classroom, roll calls in front of the school building, and my mother’s stories of trips to Lake Baikal had left a considerable impression on my childhood. So I set out to discover with my own eyes the largest country in the world.

In the meanwhile, politics represented somewhat different ideals and objectives, and one midnight I arrived in the metropolis of the new Russia with the temperature at zero Fahrenheit.

From the start I was fascinated by the oversized, very colorful, and unusually shaped high-rises, which did not conform at all to the image in my mind. Yet somehow I had already realized that Russia would presumably not be all naked Olgas and Svetlanas, policemen with Kalashnikovs, brown bears with vodka glasses, crumbling nuclear power plants near Kiev, and Russian dolls.

On my extended tours through the urban region of Moscow I repeatedly encountered these particular high-rises, which seemed very exotic to me since I had never seen them before. At first I wasn’t sure whether I liked these skyscrapers, but the more of them I saw, the more I enjoyed the playful way they simply combined eras such as classicism, Stalinism, the avant-garde, and a touch of Lego. I found it refreshing to see different buildings that did not follow the call of Western architecture and that offered a decorated façade now and again instead of glass. These buildings, symbols of the new Russia, stand for this lightness of being, the forgetting of old times, and finding a new one.
Frank Herfort

 

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More Background on Imperial-Pomp.info: Exploring Post-Soviet Architectural Extravagance

Imperial-Pomp.info is an intriguing digital archive dedicated to showcasing the unique and often surreal architectural landscape that emerged in the former Soviet Union after the fall of the Iron Curtain. The website is centered around the work of German photographer Frank Herfort, whose photo series "Imperial Pomp" documents the imposing and ostentatious high-rises that have become a defining feature of the post-Soviet skyline.

History and Purpose

Imperial-Pomp.info was originally created to promote Frank Herfort’s photography book Imperial Pomp – Post Soviet High-Rise, which was published in 2013. The site served as an online companion to the book, offering visitors a deeper look into Herfort's explorations and the architectural phenomena he captured. Over time, the website evolved into a comprehensive resource for those interested in post-Soviet architecture, thanks in part to restoration efforts funded by the Web Archive Project.

Architectural Significance

The architectural style highlighted on Imperial-Pomp.info is both a reflection of and a reaction to the Soviet past. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many new high-rise buildings began to appear across Russia and other former Soviet republics. These structures, often funded by the emerging financial elite, are characterized by their monumental scale, flamboyant designs, and a curious blend of Soviet and Western architectural influences. Herfort's work vividly captures these "gargantuan" buildings, which often loom over their surroundings, dwarfing both the landscape and the people nearby.

Herfort’s photography showcases buildings like the Bayterek Tower in Astana, Kazakhstan, and the Grand Park Towers in Moscow. These structures are not just architectural feats but also symbols of the new Russia's ambition to project power and modernity. The buildings often appear out of place, described as "flowers cropped in the landscape," standing in stark contrast to the more modest, traditional buildings that surround them.

Cultural and Social Impact

The architecture documented on Imperial-Pomp.info is more than just a display of engineering and design; it is a cultural statement. These buildings reflect a society grappling with its Soviet past while striving for a place in the modern, globalized world. The architectural style, which some have dubbed "architecture on steroids," combines the grandeur of Soviet monumentalism with the luxury and modernity of Western designs. This fusion creates a visual language that speaks to both nostalgia and aspiration, embodying the complex identity of post-Soviet society.

Moreover, the website and Herfort’s work have sparked discussions about the human aspect of these architectural giants. Critics have pointed out that many of these buildings, despite their impressive exteriors, were not designed with people in mind. They lack basic infrastructure like pavements and accessible entrances, leading some to describe them as "architectural dictators" that manipulate their surroundings and diminish the human scale.

Audience and Reception

Imperial-Pomp.info has attracted a diverse audience, including architects, historians, photographers, and those with a general interest in post-Soviet culture. The website has been praised for its detailed presentation of Herfort's work and its role in preserving an important aspect of post-Soviet history. The photography featured on the site has been described as both surreal and thought-provoking, offering viewers a unique glimpse into a world that is often misunderstood or overlooked.

The website's restoration and continued presence online underscore its value as an educational tool. By preserving and showcasing these images, Imperial-Pomp.info contributes to the broader understanding of post-Soviet identity and the cultural shifts that have taken place in the region over the past few decades.

Imperial-Pomp.info stands as a testament to the power of architecture to reflect and shape societal change. Through Frank Herfort's lens, the website captures the contradictions and ambitions of a society in transition. It offers a compelling exploration of the ways in which architecture can serve as both a symbol of progress and a reminder of the past. For anyone interested in the intersection of architecture, culture, and history, Imperial-Pomp.info provides a rich and rewarding experience.