Cultural and historical heritage of Kharkiv: the electrotechnical building of NTU «KhPI»

Abstract

The early 20th century urban development of Kharkiv deserves special attention. At that time, Constructivism became a notable direction developing culture and the arts in Ukraine, a style particularly characteristic of Kharkiv. Today, one of the lesser-known projects in the constructivist style by O. M. Beketov is the building for the Electrotechnical Faculty at the Kharkiv Technological Institute (Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute and National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute” at various times). The aim of the article is to study the features of the construction of the Electrotechnical Building of NTU “KhPI” and to analyze its current state as an object of cultural and historical heritage of the Kharkiv region, outlining the contribution of the academician of architecture O. M. Beketov to the development of constructivism in Kharkiv. This study examines the contributions of Professor P. P. Kopniaiev in establishing the Electrotechnical Faculty and in constructing a separate building for it. Drawing from his experiences during academic trips to leading technical schools in Germany, P. P. Kopniaiev incorporated this knowledge into a project titled “Preliminary Design of the Electrotechnical Laboratories Building at KhTI,” enlisting the collaboration of Academician of Architecture O. M. Beketov. The initial proposal featured a three-story trapezoidal building with a large basement area and spaces for lectures, laboratory practice, and scientific research, with multiple entrances in addition to the main one. The first floor housed laboratories for electrical measurements, electric machinery, high voltage, photometry, radio, electrification, and energy studies. Later, the classical style was adapted to reflect Constructivism. The role of Professor P. P. Kopniaiev in creating the highvoltage hall, where unique research focused on atmospheric voltage and the development of new types of equipment was conducted in the latter half of the 20th century, has been established. The Electrotechnical Building of Kharkiv Polytechnic, constructed according to sketches by the architect O. M. Beketov and the technical project by Professor P. P. Kopniaiev, is well-known to multiple generations of polytechnic students. Built in the late 1920s to early 1930s, it was, at the time, the most modern constructivist-style structure equipped with a variety of advanced equipment. During the military conflict of 2022, the central part of the city of Kharkiv suffered massive damage. This also affected the buildings of the Kharkiv Polytechnic. Of course, as an object of cultural heritage, the electrical engineering building needs to be renovated. When carrying out restoration work, it is necessary to take into account the concept laid down by its creators – a special building for training and conducting scientific research, the most convenient in terms of planning and technical equipment.