motor yacht le grand bleu

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LE GRAND BLEU

Le Grand Bleu was built for US telecommunications baron John McCaw and was subsequently sold to the Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, who had it refitted to his own preferences, including the addition of a 16ft swim platform at the stern. According to Internet sources, Abramovich passed Le Grand Bleu to his friend and business associate Eugene Shvidler in June 2006. The yacht has a crew of 65 and carries a veritable arsenal of tenders and watertoys, both on her aft decks and in her extensive below-deck garage, where there is a large aquarium. Her watercraft include a 22 metre Dubois-designed sailing yacht, Bellatrix; a 21 metre Sunseeker motor yacht; two 11 metre, 60-knot Buzzi sports boats; and a landing craft to carry a 4x4 Land Rover used for excursions ashore.

About LE GRAND BLEU , brought to you by BOAT Pro

LE GRAND BLEU is a 112.8 m Motor Yacht, built in Germany by Bremer Vulkan and delivered in 2000.

Her top speed is 17.0 kn and her cruising speed is 15.0 kn and her power comes from two Deutz-MWM diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 20 guests in 10 staterooms, with 35 crew members. She has a gross tonnage of 5496.0 GT and a 17.68 m beam.

She was designed by Kono-Design and Kusch Yachts .

The naval architecture was developed by Kusch Yachts , and the interior of the yacht was designed by Di Pilla , Tnt and Bannenberg Design (3 other superyacht interiors designed) - she is built with a Teak deck, a Steel hull, and Steel superstructure.

LE GRAND BLEU is in the top 5% by LOA in the world. She is one of 70 motor yachts longer than 100m.

LE GRAND BLEU is currently sailing under the Palau flag (along with a total of other 9 yachts). She is known to be an active superyacht and has most recently been spotted cruising near Puerto Rico. For more information regarding LE GRAND BLEU's movements, find out more about BOAT Pro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: LE GRAND BLEU
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Displacement , Expedition Yacht
• Builder: Bremer Vulkan
• Naval Architect: Kusch Yachts
• Exterior Designer: Kono-Design , Kusch Yachts
• Interior Designer: Di Pilla , Tnt , Bannenberg Design

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LE GRAND BLEU Yacht – Elegant $150M Superyacht

LE GRAND BLEU Yacht was first built in 2000 by Bremer Bulkan Shipyard and has had a few updates since then.

Despite her age, she continues to be a trailblazer in the superyacht industry. To this day, LE GRAND BLEU is still one of only 58 motor yachts that measure longer than 100 meters.

LE GRAND BLEU yacht

This vessel has seen a few different owners over the years.

Specifications

Measuring a grand 112 meters long, there is no wonder the LE GRAND BLEU yacht is known for its massive size. Her large size can house up to 20 guests and 35 crew members. Two Deutz engines power the superyacht, giving a max speed of 17 knots.

LE GRAND BLEU has an aluminum superstructure and a steel hull. One of the most notable changes in LE GRAND BLEU over the years was her refit in 2008.

While docked in Florida, they added a wastewater treatment system to LE GRAND BLEU to reuse wastewater and not dump it into the ocean.

Wastewater from ships is a huge source of water pollution, so it is great to see these changes.

Despite its large size, LE GRAND BLEU yacht does not sacrifice elegance and class. Designed by the famous Italian architect, Stefano Pastrovich, LE GRAND BLEU yacht has a sleek design that gives off a sense of sophistication.

Pastrovich is known in the superyacht industry as one of the best designers for both the interior and exterior of yachts. He definitely proved that with this ship.

LE GRAND BLEU interior

Some of the water toys include a 22-meter Dubois sailing yacht, a Sunseeker motor yacht, two Buzzi sports boats, and a landing craft that carries a 4×4 Land Rover. The garage does not only hold all of these tenders, though.

It also houses the superyacht’s own aquarium, so visitors can see the marine life of the ocean without having to go diving.

If that is not enough excitement, a new beach club was installed on LE GRAND BLEU for guests to enjoy the ocean view from the best spot on the ship. 

This superyacht has withstood the test of time and continues to defeat records. Over the years, the LE GRAND BLEU yacht has only become better with age and grown to become what it is today.

It has been fascinating to see the many changes and additions to this vessel, and it will be exciting to see how it can top itself in the future.

Do you have anything to add to this listing?

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A Summary of Motor Yacht LE GRAND BLEU

Originating from the Bremer Vulkan Ag ship building company in Germany the LE GRAND BLEU is 113 metre 370 (foot) in length. Launched for 2000 the modern interior design reflects the realisations from Tnt/Di Pilla and their approach to interior yacht design. Superyacht LE GRAND BLEU can accommodate up to 20 guests with 35 crew. She could be described as a modern converted private yacht. This large motor yacht has a helicopter pad capability. She is able to attain a maximum speed of 17 knots.

The superb motor yacht Le Grand Bleu used to be owned by Paul Allen before being purchased by Roman Abramovich then reportedly gifted to Eugene Shvidler

Shipyard Work & Yacht Design with respect to Luxury Yacht LE GRAND BLEU

Kusch Yachts was the naval architecture company involved in the technical nautical composition for LE GRAND BLEU. Also the company Kusch Yachts expertly collaborated on this venture. Interior designer Tnt/Di Pilla was commissioned for the overall internal styling. Created by Bremer Vulkan Ag the vessel was built in the yacht producing country of Germany. She was officially launched in Vegesack in 2000 before being delivered to the owner. A mighty feeling is brought about with a widest beam (width) of 17.68 metres / 58 feet. With a 4.6m (15.1ft) draught (maximum depth) she is deep. The material steel was used in the building of the hull of the motor yacht. Her superstructure over the hull is fashioned with the use of steel. In 2003 extra refit work and updating was additionally performed.

The Main Engines And The Speed/Range The M/Y LE GRAND BLEU is Capable Of:

The SBV 16M 628 engine powering the yacht is made by DEUTZ-MWM. For propulsion LE GRAND BLEU has twin screw propellers. The engine of the ship produces 4570 horse power (or LE GRAND BLEU kilowatts). She is fitted with 2 engines. The combined power for the boat is therefore 9140 HP / 6816 KW.

Aboard Superyacht LE GRAND BLEU She has Main Accommodation Format:

Having bedding for a limit of 20 welcome guests sleeping aboard, the LE GRAND BLEU accommodates everyone in luxury. This ship carries approximately 35 able qualified crew to operate.

A List of the Specifications of the LE GRAND BLEU:

Miscellaneous yacht details.

Around Sept 2009 LE GRAND BLEU cruised to Freshwater, in United Kingdom. LE GRAND BLEU has traveled the cruising ground around England during the month of October 2009. As she enjoys the facility of a helicopter landing pad yacht LE GRAND BLEU boasts excellent far away speedy transfer facility. This motor yacht has a teak deck.

LE GRAND BLEU Disclaimer:

The luxury yacht LE GRAND BLEU displayed on this page is merely informational and she is not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she represented or marketed in anyway by CharterWorld. This web page and the superyacht information contained herein is not contractual. All yacht specifications and informations are displayed in good faith but CharterWorld does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the current accuracy, completeness, validity, or usefulness of any superyacht information and/or images displayed. All boat information is subject to change without prior notice and may not be current.

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Le Grand Bleu Yacht

Motor Yacht Le Grand Bleu

Le grand bleu is a 112.80m motor yacht, custom built in 2000 by bremer vulkan in vegesack ( germany ). this luxury vessel's sophisticated exterior design and engineering are the work of kusch yachts. she was last refitted in 2010 by kusch yachts..

Le Grand Bleu yacht has a steel hull with a steel / aluminium superstructure with a beam of 17.68m  (58'0"ft) and a 4.60m  (15'1"ft) draft .Le Grand Bleu is built to comply to MCA and LR standards.

Performance + Capabilities

Le Grand Bleu is capable of 17.00 knots flat out, with a cruising speed of 15.00 15.00 knots.

Le Grand Bleu Accommodation

Le Grand Bleu offers accommodation for up to 20 guests . She is also capable of carrying up to 35 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Le Grand Bleu is currently not available for Charter on Superyachts.com. Click here to view similar Yachts Available for Charter.

• More Details:
• Specifications

Builder: Bremer Vulkan

Exterior Designer: Kusch Yachts

Naval Architect: Kusch Yachts

Interior Designer: Bannenberg & Rowell Design

M/Y Le Grand Bleu

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Le Grand Bleu News

Stefano Pastrovich is a young Genoese designer who has built a portfolio..

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Le Grand Bleu Specifications

• Name Le Grand Bleu
• Model Custom
• Flag Bermuda
• Hull Colour -
• Naval Architect Kusch Yachts
• Exterior Designer Kusch Yachts
• Interior Designer Bannenberg & Rowell Design
• Length Overall 112.8m
• Length at Waterline -
• Draft (min) -
• Draft (max) 4.6m
• Gross Tonnage 5556
• Cabins Total -
• Hull Configuration -
• Hull Material Steel
• Superstructure -
• Deck Material Teak
• Fuel Type Diesel
• Manufacturer DEUTZ-MWM
• Model SBV 16M 628
• Power 4570 hp / 3408 kW
• Total Power 4570 hp / 3408 kW
• Propulsion Twin Screw
• Max Speed 17 Kn
• Cruising Speed 15 Kn
• Fuel Capacity -
• Water Capacity -
• Generator -
• Stabilizers -
• Thrusters -
• Amenities -
• Yacht Builder Bremer Vulkan No profile available
• Naval Architect Kusch Yachts View profile
• Exterior Designer Kusch Yachts View profile
• Interior Designer Bannenberg & Rowell Design View profile

Yacht Specs

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LE GRAND BLEU Interior & Exterior Photos

112.8m  /  370'1 | bremer vulkan | kusch yachts | 2000 / 2008.

• Amenities & Toys

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

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Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

• Patriarch’s Pond
• Old Arbat Street
• Maroseyka Street
• Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography. 

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita. 

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

• Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
• Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
• Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
• Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
• After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
• To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

• Novoslobodskaya
• Mayakovskaya
• Elektrozavodskaya
• Komsomolskaya
• Ploschad Revolyutsii
• Dostoyevskaya
• Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem. 

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions. 

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev  and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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Le Corbusier’s triumphant return to Moscow

The exhibition of French prominent architect Le Corbusier, held in The Pushkin Museum, brings together the different facets of his talent. Source: ITAR-TASS / Stanislav Krasilnikov

The largest Le Corbusier exhibition in a quarter of a century celebrates the modernist architect’s life and his connection with the city.

Given his affinity with Moscow, it is perhaps surprising that the city had never hosted a major examination of Le Corbusier’s work until now. However, the Pushkin Museum and the Le Corbusier Fund have redressed that discrepancy with the comprehensive exhibition “Secrets of Creation: Between Art and Architecture,” which runs until November 18.

Presenting over 400 exhibits, the exhibition charts Le Corbusier’s development from the young man eagerly sketching buildings on a trip around Europe, to his later years as a prolific and influential architect.

The exhibition brings together the different facets of his talent, showing his publications, artwork and furniture design alongside photographs, models and blueprints of his buildings.

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Irina Antonova, director of the Pushkin Museum, said, “It was important for us to also exhibit his art. People know Le Corbusier the architect, but what is less well know is that he was also an artist. Seeing his art and architecture together gives us an insight into his mind and his thought-processes.”

What becomes obvious to visitors of the exhibition is that Le Corbusier was a man driven by a single-minded vision of how form and lines should interact, a vision he was able to express across multiple genres.

The upper wings of the Pushkin Museum are separated by the central stairs and two long balconies. The organizers have exploited this space, allowing comparison of Le Corbusier’s different art forms. On one side there are large paintings in the Purist style he adapted from Cubism, while on the other wall there are panoramic photographs of his famous buildings.

Le Corbusier was a theorist, producing many pamphlets and manifestos which outlined his view that rigorous urban planning could make society more productive and raise the average standard of living.

It was his affinity with constructivism, and its accompanying vision of the way architecture could shape society, which drew him to visit the Soviet Union, where, as he saw it, there existed a “nation that is being organized in accordance with its new spirit.”

The exhibition’s curator Jean-Louis Cohen explains that Le Corbusier saw Moscow as “somewhere he could experiment.” Indeed, when the architect was commissioned to construct the famous Tsentrosoyuz Building, he responded by producing a plan for the entire city, based on his concept of geometric symmetry.

Falling foul of the political climate

He had misread the Soviet appetite for experimentation, and as Cohen relates in his book Le Corbusier, 1887-1965, drew stinging attacks from the likes of El Lissitsky, who called his design “a city on paper, extraneous to living nature, located in a desert through which not even a river must be allowed to pass (since a curve would contradict the style).”

Not to be deterred, Le Corbusier returned to Moscow in 1932 and entered the famous Palace of the Soviets competition, a skyscraper that was planned to be the tallest building in the world.

This time he fell foul of the changing political climate, as Stalin’s growing suspicion of the avant-garde led to the endorsement of neo-classical designs for the construction, which was ultimately never built due to the Second World War.

Situated opposite the proposed site for the Palace of the Soviets, the exhibition offers a tantalizing vision of what might have been, presenting scale models alongside Le Corbusier’s plans, and generating the feeling of an un-built masterpiece.

Despite Le Corbusier’s fluctuating fortunes in Soviet society, there was one architect who never wavered in his support . Constructivist luminary Alexander Vesnin declared that the Tsentrosoyuz building was the "the best building to arise in Moscow for over a century.”

The exhibition sheds light on their professional and personal relationship, showing sketches and letters they exchanged. In a radical break from the abstract nature of most of Le Corbusier’s art, this corner of the exhibition highlights the sometimes volatile architect’s softer side, as shown through nude sketches and classical still-life paintings he sent to Vesnin.

“He was a complex person” says Cohen. “It’s important to show his difficult elements; his connections with the USSR, with Mussolini. Now that relations between Russia and the West have improved, we can examine this. At the moment there is a new season in Le Corbusier interpretation.” To this end, the exhibition includes articles that have never previously been published in Russia, as well as Le Corbusier’s own literature.

Completing Le Corbusier’s triumphant return to Russia is a preview of a forthcoming statue, to be erected outside the Tsentrosoyuz building. Even if she couldn’t quite accept his vision of a planned city, Moscow is certainly welcoming him back.

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

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