Dom Sovietov (House of Soviet) is an unfinished building in the center of Kaliningrad (Russia) designed by architect Yulian Lvovich Shvartsbreim, founder of Studio TsNIIEP. Construction start in 1970. The building is located on top of the ruin of the former castle of Königsberg (capital of Prussia). The castle was severely damaged during second world war and Soviet authority decided to destroy it, because was seen as a symbol of fascism. The project was intended to be a 28 floor mixed use building but, given the condition that the terrain was swampy, its foundation proved inadequate so just 21 floors where built.
In 1985, the regional committee ran out of funds to continue with the development of the House of Soviets, leaving only the gross work built. In 2005, Kaliningrad's 60th and Königsberg's 750th anniversary, in occasion of the visit of Russian president, restoration work of the exterior were made; it was painted and windows were installed, although the interior remain abandoned and unusable.
Inhabitants of Kaliningrad often refer to the building as “Buried robot” (because of his elevation).
His future is at the center of Kaliningrad discussion yet remaining uncertain.
Demolish it? Refurbish it? Convert it?
Multiples and conflicting opinions overlap in the debate about how to deal with this imposing example of brutalist Soviet architecture.