Stalin's Architect: Power and Survival in Moscow

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What would an architect risk for the chance to construct the tallest building in the world? This publication delves into the extraordinary life of Boris Iofan (1891-1976), the state architect under Joseph Stalin. Iofan's journey reveals the complex relationship between successful architects and power. A talented designer and committed Communist, he became the Soviet Union's leading architect after being persuaded to return to Moscow from Rome with his wife, Olga Sasso-Ruffo. His work is crucial for understanding Soviet official culture, especially as he created a new national style when the architectural avant-garde was suppressed. Notable projects include the House on the Embankment, a vast complex for the Soviet elite, and the ambitious, though unbuilt, Palace of the Soviets, a baroque Stalinist vision. Iofan's career spanned cities like New York and Paris, and he engaged with influential figures such as Frank Lloyd Wright while contending with rivals like Le Corbusier. Despite witnessing the execution of friends, including Alexei Rykov, he adhered to Stalin's directives, sacrificing his own artistic vision to fulfill the regime's ambitions. Richly illustrated and featuring unpublished material, this exploration highlights architecture as a tool of statecraft and offers a unique perspective on pivotal moments in 20th-century politics and culture through Iofan's remarkable story.