Born in the village Donskoe (Kaluga province) near Maloyaroslavets 1 (12) March 1738, in the family of Sexton. Most of his life spent in Moscow, where he started as a painter on the construction of the Golovinsky Palace (1753-1754), working in the architectural team of D. V. Ukhtomsky. He studied in the gymnasium at Moscow University (1755) and from 1756 in St Petersburg, first at the Academy of Sciences S. I. Chevakinsky, and then at the Academy of arts A. F. Kokorin and J.-B. Vallen de La Mothe. One of the first graduates of the latter, besides receiving a gold medal, was sent to Paris, where he studied at the Academy of arts (1760-1762); 1762-1764 also visited Italy. Having absorbed a variety of historical experience, experienced and motivated interest in classicism, Baroque, Gothic.
Early and at the same time, the most ambitious in his plan was the project of the Kremlin Palace (1767-1775), designed for the simultaneous reconstruction of the Kremlin and red square. The project includes the creation of the Grand ensemble, which, in the words of the author, could serve as "a Forum of a great Empire". Work was halted by Catherine II in the early stage due to lack of funds (big project model is stored in the Moscow Museum of architecture); the concept, however, has had a great influence on the Russian architectural thought, orienting it in the spirit of classicism. Same — it really is an unfortunate and historically-perspective — was the project of the Palace of the Imperial residence near Moscow Tsaritsyno (1775-1785); its complex Bazhenov (for the first time on Russian soil) introduced the techniques of neo-Gothic, combining them with motifs of the national ("naryshkinskaya") Baroque. Catherine II interrupted construction, dissatisfied with the abundance of Masonic symbols in the decor, and the proximity of the Bazhenov to the disgraced educator N. And.Novikov (the building is remained in the form of picturesque ruins).
After these failures Bazhenov moved to work on private orders: his name is usually associated neo-Gothic-Baroque Church of Vladimir in Bykovo estate (1789) and a number of other suburban buildings. Among his works are the classic Dolgov house on Prospekt Mira (1770) and the Yushkov house on Myasnitskaya street (late 1780s); the Pashkov house (1784-1786) on the Vagankovsky hill facing the Borovitsky gates of the Kremlin organically combined the principles of Baroque and classicism. Again close to the court in the last years of his life, when Paul I, Bazhenov in 1797 created for him the project of the Mikhailovsky castle (engineers castle), clearly opposed to the city in the form of a severe castle, surrounded by canals with drawbridges (later covered); architecture adorned with lush, thought-out plastic decoration that are included in theatrical-complex ensemble.
Leaving a number of artistic and theoretical texts (a Word at the inception of the Kremlin Palace, etc.; under his editorship published translation of Vitruvius with a commentary), he has worked as a teacher; in 1799 was appointed Vice-President of the Academy of arts.
Bazhenov died in Saint-Petersburg 2 (13) Aug 1799.
