Merzhanov’s reputation in the Soviet Union, however, had been secured long before this date. In 1931, Merzhanov was appointed the principal architect of the Department for the Economy of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, at that time the most powerful institution in the country. In this period, Merzhanov was assigned to two further projects in Sochi: the Bocharov Ruchey residence, commissioned by People’s Commisar for Military and Naval Affairs K. E. Voroshilov, and a summer house for Stalin in the mountains on the banks of the Matsesta River. In both these projects Merzhanov combined a rational and convenient layout with simple and elegant decorative choices.

The project for Stalin’s summer house in Sochi was approved in 1934. As with his other summer house projects, Merzhanov was given full freedom to make not only stylistic but also functional choices as to the size and form of the buildings. Merzhanov settled on an updated neoclassical style for the project, successfully combining the functionality and parsimony of avant-grade forms with classical principles for the layout of the rooms and the design of the facades. The summer house is made up of a number of buildings connected by wings and enclosing an inner courtyard. Exotic wood predominates in the decorative elements of the interiors. The architecture is rich with symbolism and includes numerous references to the personality of its owner. As for what he thought of it, Merzhanov can hardly have needed more recognition than the invitation he received personally from Stalin to attend the housewarming party.