Abstract Architecture: Part 4 - Tatlin's Tower

Had things gone a different way, we would see Saint Petersburg with a different eye. Instead of the huge buildings of the Hermitage Museum, this never-been-built tower might have become the symbol of the city and, why not, Russia. Because of the complex design and its peculiarity, this project could have symbolised the progress of modern Russia and perhaps competed with the magnificence of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Iron, glass and steel were to unite and create a higher building than that which was built in the French capital towards the end of the 19th Century: 100 metres higher than the 300 metres which constitute the Eiffel Tower.
The Monument to the Third International was to feature an external swirl of iron and steel creating twin spirals, covering three building blocks covered with glass windows. There was a modern element to it, as it was planned to rotate at different speeds: a cube, moving once a year, a pyramid moving once a month and a cylinder moving once a day. Each of these geometrical buildings were to have a precise purpose and use. Besides, its tilt would have been the same as the Earth: 23.5 degrees. It is no wonder to think of this building as a very avant-garde project for the 1920s. It would have amazed the people of Saint Petersburg, the city’s visitors and in turn everyone who came to see this modern wonder. It was going to be the upgrade to the Eiffel Tower by all means.

To this day, the building provides a theoretical study for architects and designers who explore the field of architectural constructivism and continuously amazes the minds of those who study the various expressions of Modernism and Avant-garde. Jeremy Dixon, co-founder with Edward Jones of  the architectural practice Dixon Jones since 2003, has presented a smaller scale model of the tower, which could be seen and admired in London more than once.

Despite having never been built, this project is still hanging around. It’s still topic of discussion, matter of public interest and arouses the minds of worldwide intellectuals. One thing is for sure: it would have provided a very interesting relic from the recent past and its existence would have been home to unforgettable past, present and future events.

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