Singer House - An Innovative Architectural Masterpiece

Walking through the center of St. Petersburg along the famous Nevsky Prospect, an unusual building caught my attention. Located next to the Griboyedov water channel, this house will stand out among the neighboring ancient architecture. On the facade of the building is the inscription "Singer's House". Seeing these words, I realized that in front of me was not just a house, but a historical value worthy of attention. Singer Corporation is a world famous American corporation. It turns out that the eminent company had a private building in the northern capital of the Russian Empire. The Singer House in St. Petersburg was built in 1904 on the site of previous buildings. By this time, the corporation had 3,000 stores throughout Russia. Initially, it was planned to build a skyscraper similar to the one that was being built in New York, but Peter's architectural regulations forbade the construction of tall buildings.

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First of all, an elegant corner tower with a glass globe with a diameter of about three meters catches the eye. One gets the impression that the tower seems to be floating in the air on an attic and six floors - this decision gives the building a majestic look. A large glass globe symbolizes the intention of the Singer Corporation to cover the entire planet with a trading network. "Keep the planet" are two stone sculptures of sailors, and during the First World War, on the dome of the Singer's house, there was an image of the American coat of arms - a bald eagle. At night, the name of the company, located along the equator of the globe, was illuminated by electric lamps.

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The main architect of the project was Pavel Suzorov, who undertook a number of innovative and atypical solutions for the beginning of the 20th century. Singer's house was the first in Russia to have walls with a metal frame. Thanks to this, huge stained-glass windows are built into the building, and inside the atrium is a courtyard with a glass roof. But this is not all the ingenious solution of the architect Suzorov. Hidden drainpipes and ventilation shafts for steam heating are built into the walls of the building. This was done in order not to spoil the decor of the house and not to overload the facade. The second steam system, designed by the architect, automatically cleared the roof of clothing and snow. To emphasize the innovativeness and high cost of construction in the Singer building, German Otis elevators were used. Another significant part of the exterior decoration are numerous sculptures and stucco. This building is a prime example of St. Petersburg's Art Nouveau architecture.

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The lower floors housed a Singer store, the American consulate, ethnographic exhibitions, and a bank. Above them were large premises of sewing workshops. Singer Corporation supplied all of Russia with sewing machines and was also the first to sell its products on credit. Surprisingly, this company also sewed clothes for the Russian army. However, after the October Revolution, when the power in the country passed into the hands of the Bolsheviks, the Singer company closed production in Russia. In 1919, the "Petrogosizdat" publishing house was located in this building and the largest bookstore in the country was opened. The work of the bookstore did not stop even during the Second World War. However, the building was damaged. Only in 1965 the Singer House was restored.dsc_0079.jpg

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In 2004, the building underwent a massive and expensive restoration. The Singer House has regained its historical appearance: interior and exterior details and elements have been restored. Without violating the harmony of the interiors, the architects managed to install modern fire extinguishing and life support systems into the walls. At present, the Singer House, or to be more precise, the Book House, is the largest bookstore in Russia and one of the largest in Europe. Curious tourists are unlikely to be able to pass by this architectural masterpiece.

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Did you like the Singer House?
All photos taken by me during my trip. Thank you for your attention!



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23 comments
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Oh, you do not even have to ask 😊 I absolutely like this Art Nouveau masterpiece, in the same way I like all the buildings built at that time.
My grandmother had a Singer sewing machine in the past, and I saw this as a symbol of prestige (you know, in communist times). Now, reading your post, it becomes clear to me how she was able to get it.😌
But looking at the photos of this magnificent facade, I wonder - what do the interior decorations look like? I hope you'll show them to us too.

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My relatives also had a Singer sewing machine, perhaps it has survived to our time. I think that this building, as one of the "faces" of a huge corporation, reflects prestige and quality. There were really a lot of beautiful buildings built at that time and I like that they are not unique and do not look like each other. On this day, I was in a hurry and did not have time to get inside. But as soon as I have such an opportunity, I will gladly share with you the interior decoration of the Singer's house. Thanks for your time, all the best! 😊

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High-quality architecture and historical value contained in one building add extraordinary value

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An excellent combination of historical architecture and a long history in one bottle. I like it too...

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It is undoubtedly a jewel of architecture, as you can appreciate the robustness of its structures and its harmonious design. Greetings !

!discovery 25

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Oh yes, the design is really beautiful. I also liked the fact that an iron frame and innovative solutions were used in the construction of this building. Thank you for your support!

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Hello, @frank1in. Glad to see you again. It's truly fascinating to witness a globally-recognized American company setting foot on Russian soil. Because Singer is well-known to be a prestigious product, it's definitely fitting to also characterize their iconic building in St. Petersburg with the equally sophisticated Art Nouveau style of architecture. Thank you for treating us to this remarkable masterpiece! 😊

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I was very happy to share this architectural gem with you. 😊 It was interesting for me to see the building of the American Singer in the very center of St. Petersburg. It seems to me that the Singer house represents the prestige of a huge corporation. I would say that this is a visiting architectural calling card. I wish you prosperity @storiesoferne and thank you for your invaluable support!

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It is a fascinating build. At first, it was a building where all singers studied, but you told us that it was a company. I remember what that company is. Thanks for sharing. I am really curious about the interior of that building.

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This building has a rich history, I was happy to share it with you. I hope that in the near future I will get inside and be able to show the interior of the Singer House. Thanks

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beautiful house. They say the bookstore moved out of there

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Unfortunately, I did not have time to get inside to check it out, but there were a lot of people inside.

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I wonder when I will visit such environment.

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Nothing is impossible, I'm sure you will see many architectural marvels.

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Thanks for your invaluable support!

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Absolutely stunning piece of art! I like the art nouveau in Riga, but I think this building wins with the massive windows and the glass globe. Almost like an icing on the cake. The details are a touch finer and gentler. And I like that they kept the old Russian writing. It adds to the majestic feel.

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Yes, I liked it a lot. Thanks for sharing this stunning building @frank1in 😊
The statues and details are just stunning. What a masterpiece.

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