The Architecture of Corporate Culture: The Construction and Opening of the Dniprospetsstal Palace of Culture (November 1977)

1977 · history · Amateur Film Studio of the Dniprospetsstal Plant · History Museum of PJSC Dniprospetsstal

An archival film chronicle and historical documentary reconstruction dedicated to the construction and grand opening of the "Dniprospetsstal" (DSS) Palace of Culture in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on November 4, 1977. Originally named the "Oktyabrsky" (October) Palace of Culture, this grand institution remains a central architectural and cultural landmark of the city. The visual materials were captured by members of the Amateur Film Studio of the "Dniprospetsstal" plant and digitized by the Center for Urban History in Lviv. EXCERPTS FROM THE MEMOIRS AND HISTORICAL RECORDS ("This Is Your and My Biography"): The construction of the Palace of Culture was a monumental achievement executed through the "people's construction method" (narodnaya stroyka), meaning that nearly the entire collective of the factory's workforce contributed to its realization. The project was driven by the personal initiative and direct oversight of the legendary Director of the plant, Konstantin Sergeyevich Yeltsov. 1. Behind the Scenes of a Global Supply Chain: To create a premium-class cultural center, building materials and interior elements were sourced from across the USSR and international markets. Structural elements arrived from the Sayan-Shushenskaya project and Georgia, plumbing was imported from Italy, and high-quality furniture was procured from Hungary. 2. The "Brezhnev Connection" for Hungarian Furniture: The former Chairman of the Plant's Trade Union Committee, Mikhail Ivanovich Golovanov, recalls utilizing personal networks to bypass rigid Soviet deficits. Having studied at the Dnipropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute alongside Yuri Leonidovich Brezhnev (the son of the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and then-Director of "Promsyryeimport"), Golovanov traveled to Moscow to secure a personal "approved" visa. This bureaucratic bypass allowed the factory to successfully purchase the desired Hungarian furniture line. 3. The Battle for the Austrian Bakalowits Chandeliers: Director Yeltsov envisioned decorating the grand foyer with ultra-modern luxury chandeliers showcased at the "Expo-76" international exhibition in Moscow. These were manufactured by the world-famous Austrian firm Bakalowits (active for over 150 years in premium lighting). However, purchasing capitalist Western goods required hard foreign currency (valuta), which was severely restricted in 1976 due to a national grain harvest failure. While the premium chandelier was initially valued at 58,000 "golden rubles," the Austrian representatives offered a discount price of 31,000 rubles to avoid transporting it back. Securing these funds required exceptional administrative maneuvering at the highest level of the Council of Ministers of the USSR. DIGITAL PRESERVATION CREDITS: The original 16mm/35mm historical film reels were digitized, thermally stabilized, and preserved by the specialists of the Center for Urban History in Lviv (LivArch). The physical archive, transcripts, and master copies are permanently preserved in the corporate funds of the History Museum of PJSC "Dniprospetsstal" in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Original YouTube link: https://youtu.be/cY5jsQLm3rk Official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JuryRylsky Curator Contact: rylskiju62@gmail.com / rylskii.iurii@dss.com.ua