Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

S. Dadashov has passed his school years together with his friend Mikayil Usubov and in 1920 after graduating school Realny, both of them entered department of architecture at the faculty of civil engineering under Azerbaijan Polytechnic Institute.

During student years S. Dadashov has recognized himself as a talented and skillful architect, chaired for laboratory of architecture attached to the institute. He and his friends have not satisfied with the subjects that taught at the institute, also got familiar with scientific-theoretic works of Great Russian architects – Kazakov, Starov, Zakharov, Bazhenov, including projects of Chnamotsi, Daniel, Barbaron, Shuazi, Gnedichan, Palladio etc. Spirited by creativities of these prominent scientists, young architects freely carried out measurement issues of Khan Palace in Baku and drawn its features. Even in student years they attended numerous competitions, in 1926 at the competition on prominent Azerbaijan poet Nizami Ganjavi’s monument, their project was positioned on the first place.

In 1929, successfully defended diploma on topic “Library in Baku and culture palace” and by unanimous decision of the pedagogical staff both architects were kept as assistants of the institute.

They were first explorers of the Shirvanshahs Palace in Baku, Momunekhatun Sepulchre in Nakhchivan , Sepulchre of Yusif Kuseyr oglu, Sepulchre of Garabaghlar and nearby triumphal arch minaret, Sepulchre of “Nushaba” in Barda city, buildings in Ordubad and hundreds of architectural monuments.

After graduating from the Polytechnic Institute of Civil Engineering in 1929, he projected 23 buildings during four years - 1929-1933. These are: The Factory Kitchen Building in Bayil settlement of Baku, new building of the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute, houses for Art staff, a number of residential buildings, Teacher's College building in Gazakh.

Further phase of S.Dadashov’s creativity shows that, he wanted to see the level of national architecture at the human development. Just at those times, he has designed a building "Azerbaijan House of USSR Unions" joint with M.Usubov and submitted to the largest and most prestigious competition, where it has positioned on the second place.

Cinema "Nizami" and administrative building that was built face to face have kept their value today as the classic works of architecture.

In 1938, S.Dadashov projected the building of the Baku Music Academy; erecting here a monument to the great Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov he has created a composition harmony of sculpture, and architecture.

S.Dadashov’s architecture was known and gained fame far from the republic. One of the achievements of his great creativity was Azerbaijan pavilion of Moscow Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy. In 1939, project co-authored by S.Dadashov and M.Useynov was highly appreciated by architects of the former Soviet Union, for this project both architects were deserved to the USSR State Prize.

1940 was a successful year for S.Dadashov. This time, there was a need to project literature museum due to illuminate the material and spiritual world of great poet Nizami Ganjavi’s era to the public. Together with his colleague M.Usubov the scientist skillfully coped with this responsible work and created a work of architecture at the highest level. Nizami museum occupies one of the vital places in creativity of S.Dadashov and today is considered one of the brightest pages of the national architecture.

S.Dadashov has designed great 8 architectural works during 1944-1945. Resort in Bilgah, residential building in Shuvelan, resort in Zagulba, country house in Shuvelan and Bilgah, cinema in Bilgah (deserved to the 1st prize), residential building Buzovnaneft etc.

S.Dadashov established the Azerbaijan Architects’ Union, which had great respect and prestige at the scale of USSR. In 1944, he became the first chief of the Department of Architecture attached to The Council of People's Commissars of the Azerbaijan USSR.

S.Dadashov is the first scientific investigator of the architectural heritage of Azerbaijan.

Evaluating his scientific work before the country, Azerbaijan government granted him the Honored Artist of the USSR in 1940, and he became the laureate of the USSR State Prize in 1941. He was awarded the orders of "Lenin", "Red Banner" and medals. Scientist was elected a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Architecture in 1941, and an active member of the newly established Academy of Sciences of the USSR in 1945.

The architect has published several works related to the history and theory of architecture that have not lost their relevance today, and used as a reliable source.

S. Dadashov was known not only as an architect working on perfect projects, but also a scientist, writing valuable monographs and scientific articles in the field of architectural history and theory. "Architectural monuments of Azerbaijan" (1938), "The Soviet architecture" (1950), "Architectural monuments of Baku" (1955), "Baku, The Complex of Shirvanshahs Palace" (1956) etc. are scientific papers on the architecture and conference materials are precious works penned by him.

Azerbaijan-Soviet architect, architectural historian, one of the founders of the Azerbaijan Soviet architecture Alakbar Sadig oglu Dadashov passed away in Moscow on December 24, 1946. Talented architect of Azerbaijan and a great scientist S.Dadashov was buried in Baku.