- The summer residence of E. K. Hauswald
The stone island (Kamennyj ostrov) in St. Petersburg is just a concentration of the unusual buildings executed in the most different styles from classicism to the modernist style. A model of the first constructions of "a new style" in St. Petersburg, and, perhaps, and in Russia, is the summer residence of E. K. Hauswald constructed in 1898. Such name comes from a surname of its first owners — a couple Hauswald. Evgenia Karlovna Hauswald was a wife of a bun master and, judged by a courageous architectural proposal, the new woman of her day. Bright features of modernist style found reflection in the summer Hauswald residence: zigzags and asymmetry. In form the building reminds the English cottage. Kamennyj ostrov, 2nd Beryozovaya Avenue, 32
- The Countess Kleinmichel mansion
One more unusual on architecture and the perceptible building on the island is the Countess M.E.Kleinmichel mansion, but it is now a monument not of a modernist style, but romanticism. Initially the house was constructed not for the countess, but for E. Zhenyes who directed the French drama group. The architect A.I Shtakenshnejder became an author of the project. He finished construction of the house in 1836, and in 1893 it was bought, more correctly leased for 90 years, by the countess M.E.Kleinmichel, her surname also gave the second name to the house. The mansion was reconstructed several times, almost each owner tried to change it according to his taste. In the face of the house appeared Gothic, neogothic elements and even extensions . Original internal finishing practically didn't remain, but the unusual shod lattice and gate made at the beginning of the last century remained up to nowadays. Monograms of "MK" and salamander were fancifully interlaced into a decor, and on columns of a fence there are sitting shod dragons with lamps in mouths. The mansion reminds fantastic lock where the bewitched princess still sleeping. Nab. reki Krestovka, 12
- Zinger House
Zinger House, alias the Book Emporium, is, probably, the most known St. Petersburg bookstore and also an architecture monument. One more building of the beginning of the last century in modernist style is in our selection. Zinger House served the Zinger companies a short while more than 10 years, and in 1919 a bookstore appeared inside it. It was fated to become the center of a cultural life of St. Petersburg. On the top floors once there were editorial offices of several publishing houses at once therefore literature actually was born in place where it was on sale.
As for the building itself, it was constructed as American-style. It was forbidden to build skyscrapers in the downtown therefore the scale of the Zinger Company had to embody a huge glass globe. Beauty of this house is contained in its details: huge showcase windows, rich stucco molding, and sculptures. If we take a closer look at the building, it is possible to see various symbols of the sewing industry: spindle and sewing machine. They also mentioned the god of trade Hermes, on a building facade there is his staff with two snakes and a winged hat. Interior of the Book Emporium is not less rich: marble staircases, "Venetian plaster", gold plated decorative fixtures. It is not just a shop, this is the real museum. Nevsky, 28
- N.N. Nikonov Apartment House
Walking around the town, it is possible to turn to Kolokolnaya Street unless by chance. This is a small imperceptible street on which in the 19th century there were commercial apartment buildings and an orphanage. However exactly on Kolokolnaya Street there is one of objects of cultural heritage — the architect N.N.Nikonov's Apartment House. The two-storeyed merchant house was in the place of the present house some time earlier, and it was reconstructed in five-floor building already by N.N. Nikonov. The master worked extensively with church architecture therefore the house facade sutin reminds the Old Russian temple. There is a great number of minute particulars. The architect used plaster and encaustic tiles, but at the same time he kept historical brickwork. Ceramic inserts are everywhere: on columns, piazzas, around windows and even on a roof. The house is as if ice-glazed. This style is called neo-Russian, not least because of marked Russian motives. In general, the building can be considered not only a monument of architecture, but also an Applied and Decorative Arts monument. Kolokolnaya St., 11
- A.F. Bubyr' guest house
According to the style decision this building can be referred to the northern modernist style. All the house fitted the space strip of a ground, on closer inspection it seems being "alive" and somehow reminds the Spanish creations of A. Gaudi. The main facade of the house was constructed on N.V. Vasilyev's project. The purity of line is practically not fulfilled: the bay-window is shifted from the center, the windows are improperly-shaped, even the wall covering changes from granite to the plaster and ceramic tiles. There is an interesting sculptural appearance. As if they transferred the characters from Russian folk tales to the facade. It is possible to find fishes, birds, reptiles, plants there. Therefore building is jokingly called the house "with fishes and hedgehogs". There are also the images of fantastic beings; this is one more symbol of the modernist style. A.F. Bubyr bought the house after its construction, nevertheless it inherited his name. In the eighties in the A.F. Bubyr' guest house there was a popular cafe "Elf" that writers, poets and rock musicians liked to visit. Among the visitors there were Victor Tsoi, Oleg Garkusha and other people of art. Stremyannaya St., 11
