Central Tracking Substation T-3 Moscow Metro (Moscow)

 interesting place, Art Deco (architecture), 1935_construction, traction substation of public transport

On this site was the Nikitsky Convent established in 1582 by Nikita Romanov near the existing Nikita Church. A third class convent, which in 1917 had three stone churches and chapels. All the church buildings were demolished in 1933.

The tracking substation was constructed in 1934-1935 by the architect D. Friedman. The substation serves the central parts of Sokolniki, Zamoskvoretskaya, Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya lines and a small portion of the Filyovskaya line.

By size the Central electro tracking substation is three times larger than the one at Krasnovorotsky (Red Gate). Its volume about 30 thousand cubic meters.

The building is a 4 story structure of unusual design. It has a reinforced concrete skeleton with brick filling and a large number of intricate reinforced concrete partitions. Brick walls of the ground floor rest on a foundation of rubble, while the walls of the upper floors — on supportive beams. The roof is insulated by fiberboard and covered by two layers of roofing material. Over the main body of the building is a graceful 12-meter reinforced concrete arch. The large windows allow plenty of light in work and office spaces. The floors everywhere are covered with simple or acid resistance ceramic tiles. In office spaces the floors are parquet. Staircases and landing have mosaic work. The panels of walls are painted with an oil paint or special acid resistance paints on plaster walls."

The main façade, which does not face the street, is divided by eight columns, as if it were a framed entrance. Columns end at the top with unique funnel-shaped, stepped capitals, and between them are windows with unusual intricately connected sections. The dual corbel between the trunk of each column above the funnel shaped capital recalls the form of the buffer connecting the metro cars. Above the corbels, directly in line with the columns are empty semi circular niches.

At first floor level, on either end, the architect placed fairly typical bas-reliefs with the theme of subway construction workers.