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(September 2006) posted on Sun Sep 17, 2006

A Russian hydro-electric power-station design dips into the powers of nature.

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By Susan Conner

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"Electricity. It is a great power. Electricity is all around us, silently performing tasks we take for granted."

—Alexander Prokofief, designer and architect

Few people get the chance to work on a colossal project that melds architecture, signage, engineering, national symbolism and elemental forces. But designer and architect Alexander Prokofief (see ST , October 1999, page 116) immediately accepted the invitation of Vyacheslav "Slava" Obukhov, principal of Neon Graphics, a Togliatti, Russia-based sign company, to design and help coordinate fabrication of a symbol and new signage for the Zhigulevskaya hydro-electric power station on the fabled Volga River.

Prokofief said, "Slava had worked with me on many projects in Russia and the United States. When his company took part in the prestigious limited competition on this project in December 2004, Slava immediately invited me to participate as a lead architect. Even though I was very busy with other projects, I immediately accepted the offer. Thanks to the Internet, the distance separating us wasn't really a great obstacle."

Prokofief served as the project's lead architect and main design and fabrication coordinator. He graduated from the St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering as an architect and joined the Russian Union of Architects ("the Russian equivalent of the American Institute of Architects") in 1985, and the Russian Union of Artists in 1991. He came to the United States in 1992, and, since 1994, has worked as a lead architect and designer for American Sign-crafters (Bayshore, NY), a major player in the sign industry.

The longest (2,300 miles) European river, "Mother Volga," serves as Russia's chief thoroughfare. It carries half the country's river freight and irrigates the steppes (the grasslands in the lower Volga region). Originating in the extensive marshes of the Valdai Hills, 740 ft. above sea level northwest of Moscow, the Volga heads east towards Kazan, turns south and flows past Togliatti, Samara and Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), and discharges into the Caspian Sea below Astrakan at 92.4 ft. below sea level.

Numerous dams and hydroelectric power stations have been constructed along the river. Also, the country has restructured the power-utility sector to replace the regulated, state-owned monopoly enterprises with deregulated, privately owned enterprises, such as this power company.