Tatiana V. Poidina

Modern art studies tend to question well-established notions concerning architectural styles, highlighting the need to analyse stylistic features of architectural complexes and develop novel methodological t

ools to provide a deeper understanding of their stylistic diversity. This article proposes a new approach to investigating stylistic characteristics of Russian recreational architectural ensembles, considering their historical, cultural, and regional contexts. The offered methodology integrates key theories elaborated by leading scholars in art history and theory of architecture, including A. V. Ikonnikov, V. B. Koshaev, and G. E. Rusanov. As a case study, the article discusses characteristic features of the Central Sanatorium of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army named after K. E. Voroshilov (1930–1934). Considering style as a semantic structure fulfilling formative and informational roles, the authors tend to assess architectural ensembles of recreational complexes as stable and systematic. The central concept of the study is ensemble, defined as a universal architectural complex that stands apart from generic buildings and expresses a distinct identity. The article highlights that issues of architectural ensemble integrity promote the discussion about identifying stylistic trends and their synthesis to a dialectical level. Consequently, the authors bring to the limelight the interaction between all components comprising an architectural ensemble, as well as bring out the necessity to interpret architectonic structures within the dynamics of urban environment.