«Birth of a Citizen»: Avant-garde Architecture and Transformation of Social Experience

Abstract

The authors describe the transformation of the perception practices of the avant-garde architectural object in the urban space. In the article, the avant-garde object is represented not only as an architectural or artistic phenomenon, but also as a social phenomenon forming a city identity. The purpose of the article is to identify and describe the specific character of the transformation of the avant-garde architecture object symbolic content understood as an element of urban identity. The object of analysis in the article is the Scientific Research Institute (SRI) of Maternity and Infancy, which is viewed both as a monument of the constructivist architecture and as an institution whose functioning cannot be adequately understood without the regard to a unique architectural project designed specifically for it. The historical analysis shows that the SRI of Maternity and Infancy is transformed from an avant-garde object associated with the industrialization of public life, into a significant monument of the past, which is due to the internal logic of the development of a modern city. In addition to the analysis of scientific literature and secondary sources, the methodology of the study includes data collection through interviews with the staff of the Scientific Research Institute of Maternity and Infancy.