After the October Revolution of 1917, many of our compatriots found themselves in exile, and one of the countries that accepted them was Finland. Among the Russian emigrants stood out architect Ivan Kudryavtsev. He was born on April 13, 1904, and from childhood was a subject of Finland, although he lived in the former Saint Petersburg. In this city, he received his education, and in 1938 he was expelled to Finland due to his citizenship. Thus began the overseas stage of Ivan Nikolayevich Kudryavtsev's life, who was already a recognized specialist.

In Finland, Kudryavtsev quickly mastered the Swedish language, which had the second official status in the country, and got a job at the company 'Paul Buman'. There he worked on engineering equipment drawings and interior design. Soon, war broke out between Finland and the USSR. Kudryavtsev was drafted into the army, and he spent several months on the front lines. After the war, he continued his career at his firm and reached the position of director. Kudryavtsev's life was successful; he lacked nothing and found a new homeland.

However, architecture remained the main work of his life. On a voluntary basis, he engaged in the design and construction of Orthodox churches. Thanks to his efforts, a new Ilyinskaya church appeared at the Orthodox cemetery in the capital of Finland, and the Transfiguration Cathedral was built at the New Valamo Monastery. His last work was an Orthodox church in Järvenpää. Kudryavtsev planned to build a cathedral in Stockholm, but this project remained unrealized. He also worked on the reconstruction and repair of churches.

Ivan Nikolayevich lived a long life and passed away on August 13, 1995, at the age of 91. He was buried in a family grave at the Orthodox cemetery in Helsinki. During his lifetime, Kudryavtsev particularly valued the Russian architectural style, and after his death, the domes of an Orthodox church were depicted on his gravestone.