Item #558 [PARKS OF CAUCASUS AND CRIMEA] Arkhitektura parkov Kavkaza i Kryma [i.e. Architecture of Caucasus and Crimea Parks]. A. I. Kolesnikov.
[PARKS OF CAUCASUS AND CRIMEA] Arkhitektura parkov Kavkaza i Kryma [i.e. Architecture of Caucasus and Crimea Parks].
[PARKS OF CAUCASUS AND CRIMEA] Arkhitektura parkov Kavkaza i Kryma [i.e. Architecture of Caucasus and Crimea Parks].
[PARKS OF CAUCASUS AND CRIMEA] Arkhitektura parkov Kavkaza i Kryma [i.e. Architecture of Caucasus and Crimea Parks].
[PARKS OF CAUCASUS AND CRIMEA] Arkhitektura parkov Kavkaza i Kryma [i.e. Architecture of Caucasus and Crimea Parks].
[PARKS OF CAUCASUS AND CRIMEA] Arkhitektura parkov Kavkaza i Kryma [i.e. Architecture of Caucasus and Crimea Parks].
[PARKS OF CAUCASUS AND CRIMEA] Arkhitektura parkov Kavkaza i Kryma [i.e. Architecture of Caucasus and Crimea Parks].

[PARKS OF CAUCASUS AND CRIMEA] Arkhitektura parkov Kavkaza i Kryma [i.e. Architecture of Caucasus and Crimea Parks].

Item #558

[Moscow]: Izd-vo i tip. Gos. arkhitekturnogo izd-va, 1949. 175 pp., 16 pl.: ill. 30x21 cm. In publisher’s illustrated cardboard bindings. Cloth spine with title stamped in blue paint and ornament in blind. Illustrated endpapers. Binding is rubbed on extremities, damp stains on the binding and throughout the book, some scratches on the front board. Otherwise a very good, clean copy.

First and only edition. One of 5000 copies. Scarce.
This capital work is dedicated to landscape designs and architecture of parks in Soviet south and very popular destination among tourists - Caucasus and Crimea. Already in 1940s Soviet south and the Black Sea coast was full of spa resorts and was being developed in this direction. Construction of parks and was a priority. This edition is the author’s research of south parks made in 1938-1940. Here are “the most valuable parks in historical and architectural aspects”, both old and new with detailed analysis. Author also states that plan materials were not preserved so a few plans given in the book were made from the author’s measurements. The author also was not focusing on description of large building like manor houses, they are partially described and shown on photographs. Some of these buildings and many of park landscape were destroyed during the World War II.
In the first part the author provided a short account of history and features of landscape design and construction in South Crimea, detailed descriptions for 6 parks of Crimea and more general descriptions of parks in 5 regions of Crimea. In the second half dedicated to Black Sea Coast of Caucasus there are 4 parks described as well as parks of such regions like Batumi, Sukhumi, Adler, Sochi, Gagry, etc. The author also gave a conclusion with suggestions for future engineers and designers and bibliography list of 29 titles. Numerous photographs throughout the book of parks, trees, plants, buildings, architectural details, people, etc.
Aleksandr Kolesnikov (1888-1965) was professor and rector of Institute of Agriculture and Forestry in Kharkiv. He took an active part in organization of forestry and forest selection which was reflected in numerous articles published in specialized Ukrainian magazines and over 60 published works. Kolesnikov was irreconcilable to the lack of professionalism in landscape design and construction. In his book “Problems of Park Architecture” (1936) he stated: “In projects of parks, in most cases, one does not see the desire to create a single architectural image, one cannot see the search for style. In design solutions, naked functionalism and simplification or formalism prevail, sometimes turning into graphic “trickness” (for example, the system of tracks and grounds of the park tend to take the form of industrial elements - gears, transmissions, etc. - or an intricate geometric figure of a complex pattern, etc. .). There are many examples when, when striving for a particular graphic solution of the plan, the natural environment is not sufficiently taken into account. ” Same criticism one can find in this edition.
Overall, a very valuable collection of pre-WWII photographs, plans and illustrations of parks in Caucasus and Crimea.

WorldCat locates copies in NYPL, Columbia University, Cornell University, Getty Research Institute, Library of Congress, Stanford, University of California.

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