O.V. Kobelev (1860, Tsarskoye Selo - 30.09.1942, Kyiv, buried in the cemetery Lukianivka) - famous Kyiv architect, teacher, member of the St. Petersburg Union of Architects.
Kobelev Oleksandr was born in a family of serviceman. He got the primary education in the 3rd military school in St. Petersburg. In 1887 he graduated from the St. Petersburg Institute of Civil Engineers, and then worked in Kiev in the Office of the South-Western Railways (since 1896 headed the architectural department of technical service department for railways).
In 1899, the foundation of the building of the South Western Railway was strengthened according his project.
Throughout the 1890's he constructed numerous objects of Railroad colony, several buildings Agricultural Exhibition 1897 (not preserved). In 1898 he won second place in a closed competition of projects Polytechnic Institute (KPI), and in 1900 successfully replaced contest winner Jerome Kitner to manage the construction of this important facility.
Kobelev well interpreted in his buildings various historical styles. In particular, the office building of the State Bank (1902-1905) was projected (together with Alexander Verbitsky) in the style of the Italian Renaissance; building of Noble and Farmers Bank (1911) was decorated in the new Russian style. Building Higher Women's Courses and Kiev Branch of the Russian Technical Society (both 1914) was constructed in neoclassical style (Kobelev was the head of architectural department of Technical Society). In the 1913-1915 Kobelev reconstructed buildings of Commercial Institute. He constructed also several private houses, chapel in the hospital Cyril (1902).
Kobelev was also the outstanding teacher, author of numerous scientific articles and reports. From 1899 he taught in the KPI, where in 1912 he became a professor. In 1901 he headed the school in constructing foremen and road case was its honorary trustee. Since 1912 - the dean of engineering and constructing department of Kyiv Polytechnic courses.
Buildings in Kiev: Land Bank, now - the Central Telegraph (1903, Vladimirskaya St, 10), State Bank (1902-1905, reconstructed in 1934, Institutskaya str., 9; co-author), Commercial Institute (1906; now - Building of the National Pedagogical University of M. Dragomanov; Shevchenko Boulevard, 22-24; co-author), Higher Courses for Women (1913; now - administrative building; O.Honchar St, 55).
Source: Department of Culture, Arts and Cultural Heritage KSCA