From a Rooftop Polar Bear to “Arktika”: The Story Behind VDNH Ice Cream Pavilion
The Ice Cream Pavilion at VDNH is far more than a place where visitors once enjoyed a frozen treat. It is a living piece of the exhibition’s history embodied in its architecture. From the sculpture of a polar bear to the figure of a seal, the design of its distinctive dome evolved over time becoming, like the pavilion itself, an integral part of VDNH’s cultural identity.
The team at the Arctic and Far East Development website explored the pavilion’s rich history and discovered what the future may hold for it, and how that future is connected with the Russian Arctic.
The team at the Arctic and Far East Development website explored the pavilion’s rich history and discovered what the future may hold for it, and how that future is connected with the Russian Arctic.
In 1939, a pavilion crowned with a sculpture of a polar bear appeared at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition in Moscow, now known as VDNH.
The sculpture of the “master of the Arctic” was created by renowned animal sculptor Vasily Vatagin, while the building itself — designed to resemble an iceberg sparkling in the sunlight — was the work of architect Anatoly Belsky. Its entrance took the form of an icy grotto, and visitors approached the pavilion along a colonnaded avenue.
Inside were a retail area and a café where visitors could enjoy ice cream.
The sculpture of the “master of the Arctic” was created by renowned animal sculptor Vasily Vatagin, while the building itself — designed to resemble an iceberg sparkling in the sunlight — was the work of architect Anatoly Belsky. Its entrance took the form of an icy grotto, and visitors approached the pavilion along a colonnaded avenue.
Inside were a retail area and a café where visitors could enjoy ice cream.
The Glavkhladprom Pavilion. Moscow, 1939
Photo: Main Archive of Moscow / B. Ignatovich
Photo: Main Archive of Moscow / B. Ignatovich
In 1951, under the exhibition’s new master plan, the pavilion was relocated to the Uzbek Square, replacing the pre-war teahouse near the Bolshoi Cinema. The redesigned building retained its circular layout and its striking central iceberg-shaped dome.
According to the VDNH archives, “The ground floor housed utility rooms, a cold-storage chamber, a packing room, and a service window where ice cream was sold to passers-by. The café occupied the second floor. The entrances to the main retail hall were located on the upper level and opened onto the terrace. The central space of the retail hall was enclosed by a reinforced-concrete dome.”
According to the archives drawings, the now-familiar polar bear was also meant to remain atop the dome. In the end, however, it was replaced by a seal balancing an ice cream dish on the tip of its nose. The building retained this appearance until the 1980s.
According to the archives drawings, the now-familiar polar bear was also meant to remain atop the dome. In the end, however, it was replaced by a seal balancing an ice cream dish on the tip of its nose. The building retained this appearance until the 1980s.
The Ice Cream Pavilion with a seal on the dome, 1983
Photo: RIA Novosti / Igor Mikhalyov
Photo: RIA Novosti / Igor Mikhalyov
A new chapter in the pavilion’s history began with the Golden Ear architectural competition in 2025, when the VDNH administration invited architects, designers, and construction specialists to compete for three prizes by preparing restoration proposals for one of several historic pavilions: Hunting and Fur Farming, Glavpivo (Beer Authority), Ural, the Bolshoi Cinema, or the Ice Cream Pavilion.
“The proposals were required to be consistent with VDNH’s established architecture and planning design while combining historically accurate restoration solutions with modern standards for accessibility, visitor navigation, and integration into the existing exhibition complex,” the competition rules stated.
Architectural bureau Rokot Studio presented its vision for a renewed Ice Cream Pavilion. Rather than simply recreating its historic appearance, the firm completely re-designed the interior and even proposed renaming the pavilion Arktika (“The Arctic”). The project was awarded third place in the competition.
“The proposals were required to be consistent with VDNH’s established architecture and planning design while combining historically accurate restoration solutions with modern standards for accessibility, visitor navigation, and integration into the existing exhibition complex,” the competition rules stated.
Architectural bureau Rokot Studio presented its vision for a renewed Ice Cream Pavilion. Rather than simply recreating its historic appearance, the firm completely re-designed the interior and even proposed renaming the pavilion Arktika (“The Arctic”). The project was awarded third place in the competition.
The architects suggested that the seal should return to the top of the dome, while the interior would be entirely redesigned. According to the plans, the first floor would house a museum dedicated to the Arctic, an entrance hall with a cloakroom and ticket office, a gift shop, administrative offices, and kitchen facilities.
“As before, we propose retaining the second-floor space beneath the dome as a café,” Rokot Studio said.
The architects devoted particular attention to the interior design. Their model reveals that the dome shell has a linear, faceted geometry.
“It is covered with colored metal panels in three bluish shades. The colors alternate rhythmically to create a pattern that rises towards the top of the dome. The motif echoes the silhouette of a snowflake and the frosty patterns left on a frozen blue window,” the architects noted.
For now, the project to recreate the Ice Cream Pavilion which may be renamed to Arktikaremains a conceptual architectural vision.
“It is covered with colored metal panels in three bluish shades. The colors alternate rhythmically to create a pattern that rises towards the top of the dome. The motif echoes the silhouette of a snowflake and the frosty patterns left on a frozen blue window,” the architects noted.
For now, the project to recreate the Ice Cream Pavilion which may be renamed to Arktikaremains a conceptual architectural vision.
For more stories about the Arctic and the Russian Far East, visit the Arctic.ru website