Buildings in the First Quarter, Soviet housing estate in Magnitogorsk, Russia
Buildings in the First Quarter form a large residential complex on the eastern side of the Ural River, featuring functionalist and postconstructivist architecture. The development consists of multi-story residential blocks with shops on the ground floors, arranged in a geometric layout.
Construction of these residential buildings started in 1930 as part of Stalin's first Five-Year Plan to house workers at the nearby Magnitogorsk steel plant. The project was central to rapid industrialization and urban growth in the region during that period.
The buildings reflect early Soviet ideas about communal living, with shared kitchens and dining halls shaping daily life for steel workers. These facilities show how architecture was meant to encourage people to live and work together as one community.
The area is easiest to reach on foot by following the Ural riverbank from the city center or by using public transport that serves the residential blocks directly. Visitors should plan several hours to explore the layout and observe the architectural details throughout the complex.
The neighborhood follows a linear city plan with separate zones for housing, industry, and leisure, connected by a network of pathways and streets. This deliberate design emerged from Soviet theories about the city as a functioning machine with distinct parts.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
