House of Projects, Constructivist building at Freedom Square, Kharkiv, Ukraine
The House of Projects is a Constructivist and Stalinist-style building on Freedom Square featuring a 14-story central tower connected to side wings through narrow glass corridors. These transparent passages flood the interior with daylight and create visual connections across the structure.
The building was completed in 1933 based on designs by architect Sergei Serafimov and suffered substantial damage during World War II. After the war it was transferred to Kharkiv University and restored for educational use.
The building represents a shift in how Soviet architects balanced functional modernism with grand state aesthetics during the 1930s. You can see this balance reflected in how the structure combines straight lines and practical spaces with imposing proportions.
The building now functions as part of Kharkiv University, housing administrative and educational spaces accessible from Freedom Square. Public access may be limited to certain areas, so it is worth checking in advance what parts are open to visitors.
The design caught the attention of top Soviet leadership who reviewed the plans and were impressed by the transparent layout connecting all sections. This openness in the floor plan became a notable feature copied in other Soviet administrative buildings of that era.
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