Kauchuk Factory Club

Kauchuk Factory Club (Russian: Клуб завода «Каучук») is a 1927-1929 russian avant-garde public building designed by Konstantin Melnikov, located in Khamovniki District of Moscow, Russia on the edge of Devichye Pole park and medical campus at 64, Plyshikha Street.

Kauchuk Factory Club
Melnikov stands in front of Kauchuk Club
General information
Architectural style	russian avant-garde
Town or city	Moscow
Country	Russia
Construction started	1927
Completed	1929
Client	Chemists' Trade Union
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Konstantin Melnikov

History and architecture

Kauchuk rubber factory, originally based in Riga, relocated to Khamovniki in Moscow in 1915, threatened by German offensive, and was considerably expanded afterwards. Construction of a club was part of a 1920s nationwide drive to replace religion with more appropriate entertainment. Melnikov theorized that "Club is not a stern temple of some deity. We must attain such an atmosphere, that we would not need to drag a worker in. He would run there himself, past his home and past his pub... the club, if it succeeds, will show what the new private life is all about" (Russian: Клуб – не строгий храм какого-то божества. В нем нужно добиться такой обстановки, чтоб рабочего в клуб не тащить, а он сам бы бежал в него мимо дома и пивной… клуб должен, если сумеет, показать, как устроен новый быт).

Preservation

2007 photograph

The club, like all 1920s buildings, is under threat of demolition. As of March, 2007, preservationists succeeded to delay demolition. The building operates a night club and a restaurant, and is in adequate external condition; huge neon lettering that existed in 2003, has been removed. However, its interiors are lost to indiscriminate renovation, original windows are replaced with improperly-sized modern frames. According to Russian press, the building is operated by "Academy of Russian Art", established by pianist Nikolai Petrov.

References

• Khan-Magomedov, "Pioneers of Soviet Architecture: The Search for New Solutions in the 1920s and 1930s", Thames and Hudson Ltd, ISBN 978-0-500-34102-5
• Russian bio: Russian: Хан-Магомедов, С.О., "Константин Мельников", М, 2006 ISBN 5-9647-0095-0 (Khan-Magomedov, 2006)