COLD WAR LAIRS

Our Man J in Berkeley posted an interesting link today that features 25 Fantastic Soviet Buildings. Constructed during the Cold War, many of the structures are based on bold geometric designs in concrete and stand out against the environment (heavy, but not brutalist). Fans of classic spy lairs and the 007 designs of Ken Adam may find some desirable real estate! My faves in the collection lean toward the Sci-Spy and are reminiscent of the models by Mike Trim for Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds, Stingray, Captain Scarlet, Space 1999). One of the Fantastic Buildings may even be a Futuro House by the Finnish architect Matti Suuronen. The Belexpo coplex in Minsk (see page 5) looks suspiciously like Saarinen's TWA terminal. My top-two picks below.

Here is the Historic and Ethnographic Museum on Sulaiman-Too Mountain in Osh, Kyrgyzstan (Kygyz Republic) built in 1978. Note the Bondian glass/concrete entrance to the cave, which could double visually as a radar station. If you were hoping to move your evil organization in before winter, however, I'm afraid you're five years too late. The surrounding sacred area and additional caves became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009. 

The second building that caught my eye is the Tareika Hotel in Dombai, Russia. Located halfway up a mountain, the Tareika is only accessible by funicular railroad during the day. It sports three rooms and a lobby and is apparently able to disassemble into sixteen sections or be carried by helicopter- ideal lair for the diabolical mastermind on the go! The Tareika also appears to be either an authentic Futuro design by Suuronen, or was constructed based on his plans. Additional info here. 

Spy Vibe Design Posts: Modern Architecture LP, Mid-Century Modern at Schulz, Dieter Rams Braun Design, Tati's Playtime, Bosko interview, Phillip Johnson Glass House, Set For Adventure. Other links of interest: Mies van der Rohe Society,Phillip Johnson Glass House, Eliot Noyes, Eero Saarinen, and the school my family started, the New York School of Interior Design. 

Recent Spy Vibe posts: Steranko S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist Editions, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Modern Architecture LP, Julius Shulman,  The Prisoner & Captain Scarlet, HMV returns to Oxford st w Beatles promo, Diego Fortunato & Verner Panton,  Saturday Morning Cartoons, Assassination Bureau on DVD, new Young Bond series,  Peter Asher, Gerry Marsden tour, Elio Petri on Blu-ray, Sophia Loren, new Beatles BBC album, new Hercule Poirot novel, Beatles fall 2013 releases, A Hard Days Night cinematographer dies, Magic Christian on Blu-ray, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute.

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.