Simbirtsev, Vasilii

Simbirtsev, Vasilii Nikolaevich

 

Born Jan. 1 (14), 1901, in St. Petersburg. Soviet architect. People’s Architect of the USSR (1975). Member of the CPSU since 1961.

Simbirtsev graduated from Moscow State Higher Arts and Technical Institute in 1928. From 1929 to 1932 he was a member of the All-Russian Society of Proletarian Architects (VOPRA). He taught at the Volgograd Institute of Municipal Engineers during the years 1955-59. His most important contribution was his collaboration on the rebuilding of Volgograd and on the design and construction of individual districts and buildings, including Heroes’ Memorial Avenue, Fallen Warriors Square, the Oblast Party School (now a medical institute, 1950; State Prize of the USSR, 1951), and the esplanade (1952–53). Simbirtsev served as chief architect of the reconstruction work from 1944 to 1959. He also collaborated on the design of the Central Theater of the Soviet Army in Moscow (built 1934–40) and on the construction of the residential district of Vtoraia Rechka in Vladivostok (1960’s). Simbirtsev has been awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and various medals.