The building was built in 1936-39 by the design of the Russian architect Serhiy Grigoriev for the headquarters of the Kyiv Special Military District. The author of the design was able organically unite elements of a classical style and
Ukrainian Baroque. First that may strike visitors it is the unbelievable thickness of building's walls. Specialists explain that it was due to restrictions to build administrative buildings in the
Soviet Union of the 1930s, which forced to dodge it by building a new structure on the already existing foundation. The new design made a great use of the symmetric campuses of the previous Shile's design of the 1870s. The new building was considered a reconstruction with some new elements. Its wings were extended, while in the center was formed a special composition — massive
risalit with an inserted colonnade of the great
Corinthian order. The governing monumentality of the building is underlined by a heavy
entablature along with a glazed
stylobate of a polished grey
tint labradorite ("under coat"). The front entrance of the building is flanked by four rock spheres. The architect planned the design to such extent considering all the details that the big building regardless of being located on a narrow street not only did not squashed its surroundings, but also is well observed from all points: from the Instytutska and
Lutheranska vulytsi, from the neighboring Franko Square and the remotely located Mykhailiv Square. In its courtyard are located a dining hall, a laundry room, cleaners, a printing house etc. ==References==