Ogonyok Printing Plant

Design for Joint Stock Company Ogonyok Printing Plant.
Designer - architect Lissitzky. Axonometric perspective.

Photo: © Natalia Melikova | 2015

Years of construction: 1930-1934

► Russian version

The building's function after reconstruction is unknown, previously it was reported that the building would serve as a hotel. See a review of the situation as written in 2013 in El Lissitzky's Ogonyok Printing Plant Under Threat.

TIMELINE

Plain – Lissitzky / Bold - Ogonyok / Italics – Lumiere

1914 Graduated from the Riga Polytechnic Institute
1919-1921 Taught at Vitebsk Art School with Kazmir Malevich
1922 Moved to Germany, illustrated the magazine Veshch
1920’s Lived in Holland, Switzerland
1930’s Taught at VKHUTEMAS
March 2, 1930 Lissitzky asked to design a printing house for Ogonyok
1931 - 1933 Construction of Ogonyok
1933 - 1934 After worsening of Lissitzky’s health condition, M. Barshch completes the construction
1934 - 1938 Ogonyok printing plant
1938 - 1990s NKVD, MGB, KGB, FSB (security services)
1990s - early 2000s Ogonyok abandoned (lost)
1994 Plot of land (17Б) given to Cinematographers Union
2003 Plans for Lumiere residential building with underground parking, not approved
2005 Inteko joins the project, project gets approval
2006 Plans for Ogonyok’s demolition
July 26, 2007 Included into the Register of Cultural Heritage of the city of Moscow
April 30, 2008 Building permit approved
Aug 21, 2008 Recognized as a cultural heritage landmark of the city of Moscow
Oct 12, 2008 Put up a fence for the construction site, construction begins
Oct 12, 2008 Fire on the roof of Ogonyok (arson suspected)
Dec 2009 Attempt to remove Ogonyok from the list of monuments
June 2011 Work halted by the Moscow government to correct the design plans (make adjustments to the entrance to underground parking which had been planned on Ogonyok territory)
Dec 4, 2012 Assigned status of a regional landmark of historic and cultural significance
April 19, 2013 Received approval to continue with construction work

PARTIES INVOLVED

Lissitzky’s Ogonyok Printing Plant: Regional landmark of historic and cultural significance
Zhurgaz Residential Journalist Housing: Regional landmark of historic and cultural significance
Кино-7 (Kino-7): Developer; Кино-7 belongs to the Cinematographers Union, led by Nikita Mikhalkov
Inteko: Investor, construction company; Inteko previously an enterprise of Elena Baturina, the wife of former Moscow Mayor Luzhkov

MAIN ISSUES OF CONCERN

• Inteko built in two historical zones (XVIII century estate and Ogonyok/Zhurgaz plot), and only 5-7 meters from Ogonyok; Lumiere is 12 stories while the tallest neighboring buildings are 3-5 stories
• undisclosed restoration project, with clear violation of what is allowed as restoration work
• construction activities at Ogonyok went on for several years, without any accountability
• Ogonyok’s change of address from 17 (which included all buildings on the territory) to being split as several different address making it unclear what is protected by monument laws

Photos of Ogonyok in February 2016 after reconstruction was completed: