Narkomfin building

The Narkomfin Building is a multi-story residential complex in Presnensky District, Moscow, featuring long horizontal window bands, smooth concrete walls, and flat rooflines characteristic of early Soviet modernism. A glass-enclosed bridge links two main blocks, acting as a walkway between living units and visually spanning the narrow courtyard below.

Moisei Ginzburg designed this residential structure in 1930 as an experiment in new living arrangements for employees of the Finance Commissariat, blending modernist ideas from Western Europe with Soviet planning goals. The following decades saw changes in use and neglect, until a complete renovation between 2016 and 2020 restored the original framework and brought the building back to life as a working example of early collective housing experiments.

The name comes from the People's Commissariat of Finance, which housed its staff here when the building opened, and still shapes how residents and visitors refer to this complex in Presnensky District. The corridors and shared zones retain details that show how Soviet planners wanted to reshape daily life, reducing private rooms in favor of communal gathering points where residents could eat, read, and socialize together under one roof.

The street-level view offers a clear look at the facade and the connecting bridge, while the narrow courtyard is accessible only from inside. After its complete renovation, the building operates as a regular residential complex, so visits are limited to the exterior and occasional guided tours.

The apartments were designed in multiple sizes, from narrow single cells to wider family units, all resting on a continuous concrete skeleton that allowed flexible layouts. This construction approach made it possible to adapt floor plans according to need and is now recognized as an early step toward modular housing concepts in the Soviet Union.

Location: Presnensky District

Inception: 1930

Architects: Moisei Ginzburg

Official opening: 1930

Architectural style: constructivist architecture, constructivism

GPS coordinates: 55.75722,37.58111

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:48