Chinese-Soviet cooperation in the field of architecture (on the example of Harbin Polytechnic University)

The study considers a unique example of the Chinese-Soviet cooperation in the field of architecture - the main academic building of Harbin polytechnic institute built in the 1950s. The prerequisites for the construction and design conception as well as the description of the brief fate of the architect Pyotr Sergeevich Sviridov (1889-1971), who built that building, are given. The architectural details and artistic features of the buildings of Moscow and Harbin universities are compared. The artistic characteristics emphasize solemnity, simplicity, and functionality. The author analyzes a striking example of the Stalinist classicist style in the People’s Republic of China, emphasizes its important role in the development of the university buildings’ construction and contribution to urban culture. The relevance and novelty of the undertaken research approach are in comparing the architecture of the buildings of the leading universities of Moscow and Harbin, as well as in the suggestions in the conclusion which are connected with preservation of the Stalinist classicism heritage in Harbin aimed at ensuring effective protection of the historical buildings. Through the comprehensive presentation and analysis the unique value and significance of the main academic building of Harbin polytechnic university as a symbol of the Chinese-Soviet cooperation are demonstrated.