October 15, 2026

The End of Shukhov Tower?


The End of Shukhov Tower?
Shukhov Tower User Ivtorov, Wikimedia Commons

Independent outlet Meduza reports on the impending demolition of the famous Shukhov Radio Tower. According to experts, under the guise of restoration, the tower is set to be replaced with a replica. The state report says that any part of the structure damaged by more than 5% will be removed.

“It’s always possible, hypothetically, to find 5% of damage and, under that pretext, replace absolutely every element,” comments architectural historian Airat Bagautdinov. “That way, we’ll completely lose the monument, and a fake tower will take its place.”

Hyperboloid structures were first developed by engineer Vladimir Shukhov in the late 19th century. These structures are self-supporting because they consist of diagonally arranged metal rods that rest on rings and distribute the load evenly. Such a tower requires less metal than a conventional one, does not need a deep foundation, and is more resistant to wind. The exterior of this wonder is particularly striking, as it's an openwork symmetrical lattice that arises not from any special decoration, but from the engineering design itself.

After the revolution, during the heyday of Constructivism, Shukhov’s ideas were perfectly timed. The 144-meter tower was built in 1922 to transmit radio – and later television – signals, and it remained Moscow’s tallest structure into the 1950s.

In 2010, such a name as architect Norman Foster addressed an open letter to Russian authorities, urging them to save the Shukhov Tower from demolition. After all, the structure had long been in need of major repairs and restoration, a cause for which Moscow activists had fought at the time vigorously, though unsuccessfully. The only thing they managed to achieve was the cancellation of dubious plans to relocate the tower to other sites – proposals ranged from neighboring districts of Moscow to, for example, the annexed Crimea.

Currently, several organizations are speaking out against the demolition, but in today’s wartime reality, their voices are being drowned out. Meanwhile, the authorities plan to turn the “Shukhov Hyperboloid” into a tourist attraction: not only will the tower be rebuilt using new materials, but according to the plans, it will also feature observation decks and an elevator.

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