PODYH is a womenswear fashion brand founded back in 2021 by Daria Plaksyuk. Her architectural education background had a strong influence on the aesthetics and meaningfulness of the brand. In her hometown Kyiv, Ukraine, there’s a problem of losing architectural monuments of Soviet modernism. With some being in critical conditions and others ruthlessly destroyed. Add to this Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, landmarks are now facing the threat of destruction. UNESCO has recently also expressed its concern over the damage caused to the cultural heritage in Ukraine and called for its protection. Daria’s way of drawing attention to the architecture of Soviet modernism, currently in an abandoned state and in need of proper restoration, is by showing its beauty, uniqueness, and value with PODYH’s fall-winter 2021 collection. 

As the designer says, an architect is always paying attention to the functionality, climate conditions, landscape, and environment of the future building. With this information in mind, one makes the appropriate decisions regarding composition and structure. Clothes are designed in a similar way. One makes constructive decisions in order to achieve functionality, durability, and comfortability. Thus, the collection FW21 Kyiv modernism, finds itself positioned between the world of architecture and fashion. Drawing inspiration from the architectural aesthetics of buildings, while ensuring functionality. 

Here are six modernist buildings in Kyiv whose aesthetics inspired the FW21 collection of PODYH.

Salut Hotel

Built between 1976 and 1984 by A. Miletsky, N. Slogotskaya, and V. Shevchenko, it is one of the most striking examples of Kyiv modernism. Six floors cantilever from a load-bearing concrete pipe which is located in the center of the building. The original project intended to build an 18-story hotel with a cable-stayed structure. But, during construction, problems began after the architects refused to add their government curator to the list of co-authors of the project. The building we see now is a “chopped” version of the original idea. Nonetheless, it’s one of the symbols of Kyiv.

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information

Also known as the Flying Saucer, this building was built in 1971 by F. Yuriev as part of the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information (UkrINTEI). It was classified among the most outstanding projects of European architects by the Vienna Museum of Architecture. The shape of the so-called “plate” is more than just an aesthetic feature. The architect planned to create a light and music center inside it, but this was not approved by the Soviet political structures. It was lifted into the air to solve the issue of having a too narrow plot size, and at the same time leaving space for the pedestrians on the ground floor. This plate is now included in the registry of cultural heritage buildings.

Mir Hotel

This vivid example of Kyiv modernism was designed by V. Gopkalo, V. Grechina, and M. Kantor, this second building of the Mir Hotel was constructed between 1975 and 1977. Its boldness and complexity of composition solutions, together with its simplicity in forms and designs are characteristics of this Kyiv modernism. The rhythm of the facade of the hotel’s horizontal part is set by its large round windows and protruding ribs. Meanwhile, the vertical part is a honeycomb structure with its cell protruding and creating a play of light and shadow while offering protection from the sun.

Memorial Park

The Memorial Park is a collaboration between architect A. Miletsky and artists A. Rybachuk and V. Melnichenko. It was constructed between 1968 and 1982. Originally, the architect saw the project of the crematorium as a purely functional structure. The artists then proposed their idea of creating a therapeutic space that helps the ones attending the funeral ceremony to cope with psychological trauma and loss. In the Memorial Park, the crematorium is thus hidden from sight. The Farewell Halls resembles a sculpture made of reinforced concrete and avoids any association with the cremation process.

Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine

An example of Soviet modernism, where everything is arranged in simple rectangular and square shapes, this library is a monumental skyscraper constructed between 1976 and 1989, and designed by the architects V.I. Gopkalo, V.M. Grechina, and V.P. Peskovsky. It also borrows elements from other eras. The layout of the tiles in the gallery on the front facade resembles the flutes from the ancient Greek Parthenon. The large, round window above the entrance is a standard element of medieval cathedrals. In the reading rooms, skylights were installed to allow natural light to flow into the rooms. The Vernadsky National Library is one of the few buildings of Soviet modernism that is still used for its intended purpose.

KNU Faculty of Physics

The university campus, in its original form, is associated with the architecture of Japanese metabolism. Blocks with different forms and functions are the integral elements of a single structure. The first block of this campus to be constructed back in 1973, designed by V.E. Ladny, M.P. Budilovsky, and V.E. Kolomiets, was the Faculty of Physics with its plasticity of forms. The southwest corner of the building is highlighted by an overhanging lecture hall. Unlike most Soviet modernist buildings, this building is not clad in stone. Assuming that the campus would continue growing, they planned to replicate large educational buildings onto the plot. Unfortunately, this was never implemented and the remaining plots were sold and developed by private owners.

Architectural aesthetics goes beyond just the world of architecture. If aesthetics have the power to change how we perceive the world around us, could it then be possible to use architectural aesthetics in other areas to help shed light on important/historical buildings and thus protect those in danger of being destroyed? 

To close off the article, I have asked Daria Plaksyuk to give her thoughts on what architecture can learn from fashion. 

DP: “Fashion and architecture are very similar because they have the same purpose – to protect people from the external environment. But there is a significant difference – the affordability and speed of fashion development have now led to problems of overproduction and irresponsible use of resources for short-term gain.

Therefore, answering your question, I would say that architecture should learn from the mistakes that the fashion industry made: be more forward-thinking in all directions – design, urban planning, choice of materials, technologies, satisfaction not only of today’s needs.”