Industrial architecture of XIX-XX in Saint-Petersburg

upd 22 January 2024

Saint-Petersburg is interesting not only because of classic architecture but also because of industrial buildings. They represent a certain story of the enteprise and architectural style development in general. Most of the buildings in this post were constructed in middle/end of the XIX century – beggining of the XX, have been nationalized in the Soviet time and bancrupted in 1990s. Not many of them are lucky to be still used for their designated purpose — or be used at all.

In this post, we will see how different and fascinating the industrial buildings of that time are.

1. “Nevka” factory is built in 1846 in early English industrial style. It is a thread trade and nowadays is used for its purpose.

2. Tanning factory of Brusnitsyn is built in 1852. The factory occupied a large space and was the biggest tanning factory in Saint-Petersburg. It was nationalized in 1918 and have been working as a tanning factory during the Soviet times. Nowadays most of the buildings of the factory are abandoned.

3. Thread factory (1857). One part of the buildings is used for its designated purpose and the other is occupied by different organizations.

4. This water-tower (1890) is an example of constructivism style. It has both avantgarde and industrial forms. Nowadays it is not used.

5. Tobacco factory LaFerme (1899-1913) is an industrial-modernist building.

6. The central electro-station for trams(1906-1907) is located in Atamanskaya st. and now used for its purpose.

7. The other stations are located through the city

8. The grain elevator (1907-1911) is built in constructivism style and was one of the first industrial buildings of not brick style.

9. Electrotechnical factory (1910-1911).

10. Filter ozonic station on Penkovaya st. (1910).

11. Factory “Vulcan” with only a tower left (1911).

12. “Krasnoe znamya” factory is a rare example of expressionism. It was built upon the project of E. Mendelsohn. Now part of the buildings are demolished and the other part is abandoned.

13. Central Heating and Power Plant on Novgoroskaya st. (1930) is the oldest working power plant in Russia. There are also older buildings of the XIX century and are now a part of the enterprise.