Hidden Urbanism: Architectureand Design of the Moscow Metro

Kuznetsov, Zmeul, and Kagarov offer this illustrated aesthetic analysis of the Moscow Metro. Contributions from the three primary authors as well as other contributors analyze the Metro as a symbol of the Russian capital; as an accumulated record of Soviet, post-Soviet, and New Russian aesthetic; as a fusion of engineering and artistry; as an infrastructure project proving continual devotion; and as an evolving display of branding and Muscovite identity. The greater part of the book is composed of glossy full-color photographs of the stations, railways, blueprints, maps and tickets while essays are thinly interspersed. The spine contains a satin bookmark ribbon. Annotation ©2016 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com) The Moscow metro comprises a route network with a total length of 320 km and is the most fascinating underground transport system in the world. Each year more than 2.4 billion passengers use almost 200 stations which are rich in architectural design. The aim is for a further 80 km – that is a quarter of the current network – to be connected by 2017. The metro of the Russian capital is thus on the threshold of an enlargement which will be the largest in its history. This elaborately designed illustrated book focuses on the architecture and its associated design from the signage, to the logo branding, to the many printed materials. Three text contributions consider the underground world of traffic engineering in terms of construction history, from the point of view of the Chief Architect of Moscow, architectural history and the design bureau which lent the metro its unmistakable character. This book continues the academic studies pursued by DOM publishers with regard to Soviet and Russian history of art and technology, encompassing the widespread fascination with cosmonautics, prefabricated mass housing and underground mass transportation.