“The course and thesis projects of the Vjutemás students, which used to be spreaded in soviet and international architecture publications, had a main role in the creative exploration and in the consolidation of avant-garde soviet architecture. Among these projects, generally, the most interesting ones had the signature of students from Alexandr Vesnín (constructivist) and Nikolái Ladivski (rationalist). After conquering the Vjutemás, Vesnín and Ladovski formed teams of students for applying their teachings. In fact, there already existed a tacit competitiveness between the thesis projects presented by the students from the leaders of both avant-garde trends.
In 1925, Andrei Burov, Vesnín’s student, was rewarded with a studying trip for his brilliant thesis for a train station. In 1926, Mijaíl Korzhev presented a magnificent design for a stadium designed in Ladovski’s studio. Ivan Leonidov, from the studio of Vesnin, signed in 1927 a project [...]. It was 1928 and in the Vjutemás the period for thesis defense had finished. Both students and teachers were ready for starting their summer vacations. However, there was a thesis presentation remaining. The defense of the project, which was rarely delayed, awakened great interest. Contradictory rumours circulated, noone exactly knew what was the topicality of Gueorgui Krútivov’s project. [...]
The examining board of the Faculty of Architecture of the Vjutemás-Vjuteín carried a preliminary evaluation of the drafts for the thesis projects.When the moment arrived for Krútikov to present the drawings [...] he was the only one not to do so as he was not prepared. The tribunal had assigned him the topicality “urbanistic planification of a city”, but nobody had seen any drawing. A deadline was fixed for his sketch presentation.
[...] It took place in the psychotechnical laboratory directed by Ladovski, were floor, ceilings and walls were painted in black. In the center of the room Krútikov disposed six tables in U shape, spreading in them diverse magazines cuttings. He positioned himself in the center while the examining board members turned around the table attending his explanations.
It is worth mentioning that the most interesting thesis projects in the Vjutemás-Vjuteín did not limit themselves to the profesional execution of a design for a particular object but they also worked on a creative solution for a particular problem. For this reason the theoretical corpse of the projects was often considerable and included a graphical analysis [...].
After making the jury members walk around the tables, Krútikov showed them some sketches in which a flying city was drawn. They were inked-drawn remnants. Having used most of his time in the analysis of the problem Krútikov had not achieved the required development stage for the sketch approval.
Ladovski highly marked Krútikov [...] Rilski, who was the Architecture Faculty dean, proposed giving Krútikov a ten-day period of time for presenting a finished project. [...]
After the exit of the examination board, friends and ASNOVA (Association of New Architects) colleagues entered the laboratory willing to know the presentation’s results. One of the active members of this creative association and líder of its more radical wing, Víktor Balijn, declared the deadline performance was a matter that affected [...] all of the association members. In this brief reunion it was decided that Krútikov would address the theoretical part and the main sketches. From these and directed by him his friends would be in charge of completing the design.
The evaluation given to Krútikov’s drawings by the jury was widely spread in the Vjuteín and the final defense caused certain stir. Lots of people attended the examination day. Attendees took the places effusively, sitting even in tables, sills, rails…”
(Gueorgui Krútikov: The flying city, utopia and reality. Selim Omárovich Jan-Magomédov, 2008. Translated from Spanish version: de Miquel Cabal Guaro. Pasaje: Revuelo en los Vjutemás)
