From Soviet constructivist theory, the social condenser is a spatial idea practiced in architecture. At the opening speech for the first OSA Group conference in 1928 Moisei Ginzburg claimed that 'the principal objective of constructivism... ...is the definition of the Social Condenser of the age.' Constructivist architecture was a form of modern architecture that flourished in the Soviet Union in the 1920s and early 1930s. ... This article is about building architecture. ... Cover of SA, 1927 The OSA Group (Union of Contemporary Architects) was an architectural association in the Soviet Union, which was active from 1925 to 1930 and considered the first group of constructivist architects. ... Competition entry for the Palace of the Soviets, 1934 Moisei Ginzburg (Russian: ) (June 4, 1892 [O.S. May 23],Minsk – January 7, 1946, Moscow) was a Soviet constructivist architect, best known for his 1929 Narkomfin Communal House in Moscow. ...

Central to the idea of the social condenser is the premise that architecture has the ability to influence social behavior. The intention of the social condensor was to influence the design of public spaces, with a goal of breaking down perceived social hierarchies in an effort to create socially equitable spaces. In biology, psychology and sociology social behavior is behavior directed towards, or taking place between, members of the same species. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Gathering place. ... Social hierarchy, a multi-tiered pyramid-like social or functional structure having an apex as the centralization of power. ...

Approaches in creating the built form of a "social condenser" include the intentional overlapping and intersection of programes within a space through circulation. In this example, shared circulation nodes create collision zones of varied constituencies. The premise is that these areas of collision create the environment where there is potential to allow for otherwise disperse social communities to interact. A program or programme (in management) has at least two senses: A collection of projects that is directed toward a common goal. ... The term node can refer to: Node, a spatial locus along a standing wave where the wave has minimal amplitude. ...

From the OMA book Content a social condenser is described as;

"Programatic layering upon vacant terrain to encourage dynamic coexistence of activities and to generate through their interference, unprecedented events."

References

McGetrick, Brendan; Koolhaas, Rem, Ed. (2004). "Content", pp. 73. Taschen, 2004. ISBN 3-8228-3070-4.

Kopp, A. (1970) "Town and Revolution" London. p.112