All news

TASS headquarters building marks its 40th anniversary

The architecture of the building reflects the most shining moments of the Russian history as well as the history of TASS

MOSCOW, January 30. /TASS/. On Monday, TASS headquarters building, the "globe house", located on the crossing of Tverskoy Boulevard and Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street in downtown Moscow, marks its 40th anniversary.

Few may know that instead of the actual nine-storey building, it was planned to construct a 26-storey high-rise with underground garages and a huge lighting panel for the news ticker to be seen from the neighboring squares. However, this plan was not accomplished.

In 1976, a new building was erected next to the "old" one upon the project of Viktor Yegerev. On January 30, 1977, the building officially became the agency’s headquarters. The TASS personnel took an active part in the construction of their new home as people from all of the agency’s departments were used to participate in the volunteer clean-up work at the construction site on the weekends.

The architecture of the building reflects the most shining moments of the Russian history as well as the history of TASS. The window screens stand for the "Satirical Rosta Windows" and the "TASS Windows" - placards made in the 1920s and 1940s by prominent artists and authors. A TASS abbreviation and a globe symbolizing the agency’s presence all over the world, installed above the central entrance, became the building’s signature feature.

The building was perfect for its time as far as engineering goes, noble materials were used in its exterior and interior finishes. Its facade, the walls of the first-floor lobby and the stairwells were decorated with sandstone. The stairs and the floor at the entrance were made of black labradorite, at least three kinds of marble were used to decorate the staircase walls. Lobbies on each floor were enhanced with plastic panels looking like wood - a trend popular in those days. The TASS and the globe were made of an alloy of copper and bronze.

The agency’s new building immediately became the center of attention of architecture lovers and the city residents as it turned into one of Moscow’s main sights. In the 1970s, typical buildings dominated the city but the new TASS office was different so it was considered to be the architectonic landmark of Nikitskiye Vorota Square. The building is also popular with foreign citizens who take an interest in the constructivist architecture, as it was innovative for that time period.