We all have seen or at least heard about the Soviet
architecture, which is mainly based on brutalism and which gave us at the end
some crazy and unreliable examples of socialism. Those are often characterized
by its bizarre, often monotonous and rigid forms.
Most of the time Soviet architecture is perceived in a
negative manner, and that is why rare architectural richness is not appreciated.
One of its expressions for me is the form of Soviet bus stops, which sometimes
might be mind blowing.
They differ so strongly from one another that
sometimes it is hard to believe it is just a bus stop. Their expression in
forms, mosaics and paintings depend on which country, region or city they are
located in.
Mostly each country has its own style of
the bus stop architecture. Bus stops in Central Asia are
characterized mostly by mosaics, in Caucasus countries – by huge concrete and
metal constructions, in Russia all the styles are mixed.
Why did the bus stops have this creative style? Nobody
can answer this question, but there are two main theories. As we all know, the
freedom of art and expression was repressed in the Soviet Union, so according
to the first theory the bus stops were the only space for realizing personal
ideas, fantasies of artists and escape from standard forms of socialism.
According to the second theory, most of the brutal bus
stops were built in the remote villages, inhabited by the people who rarely or
never visited the cities. Those constructions were psychologically affecting
the people in a way to create the allusion of prosperity of the country, with
its military and scientific power.
Nowadays those bus stops are under great danger. The
general opinion is divided into two main directions. Some people demand to take
down the constructions; others consider that they should be granted the status
of historical monuments. Unfortunately, many bus stops are already destroyed in
various countries and others are under the same risk.
All the photos used in the article were taken by a Canadian
photographer, Christopher Herwig, who has travelled
around the post Soviet countries for last 12 years and has gathered the memory
of the bus stops from each country.
- Why were those kinds of bus stops built in the Soviet Union?
- Do you think this kind of architecture should be granted the status of historical monuments? Please justify your opinion.
- Would you like to continue building similar style of bus stops in modern times?
Sources:
Comments
2. Some of those bus stops are unique pieces of modernist architecture and worth preserving not necessarily as monuments. I don’t see why they can’t fulfill their functional purpose anymore. Some especially the ones that were made from poor quality materials and in brutalist style could be destroyed if that’s deemed necessary. Actually amongst your pictures I can see only one buss stop that was done in brutalist architecture.
3. No I like the idea on uniform bus stops. This way they are easier to found and identify with their type of transportation. It’s also aligned with general common themes of public transport. Like same color scheme for busses, trams and even ticket machines.
I think that these stops should be granted status of cultural heritage. There is probably no other place that has such beautiful and creative bus stops. They are unique creation of its culture and therefore should be protected.
Unfortunately, I haven't seen any bus stops like that in Poland, but I would really like to see something like that in my city.
I don't really think that such bus stops should be considered as historical monuments because they do not picture any important historical moments behind them apart from the constant reminder about the era in which they were built in.
I don't admire this type of architecture at all. Maybe this style was considered "modern" during soviet times, but today it is perceived as old-fashioned and even ugly.
I think some of them should be granted this status. It seems like "monument" is more accurate description to these creations than calling them "bus stops." After all, all of them have some backstory which should not be forgotten.
I wouldn't want to see any similar bus stops in the future. It's an interesting fact that something like that still exists, but there is no point in doing that. We should make the bus stops simple, usable, easy to replace and develop. We should care about the resources and costs instead of showing off, like we used to.
Most probably they were build as a part of exterior decoration, that would be more practical than the fountain or simple monument. Or it was just scream for beauty in the raw and ugly soviet cities.
Do you think this kind of architecture should be granted the status of historical monuments? Please justify your opinion.
Well, some of them could become historical monuments, but there will be a problem in the Russia - its so big, that it's nearly impossible to maintain every single bus stop in reasonable time and effort.
Would you like to continue building similar style of bus stops in modern times?
Similar in kind of being an "artistic bus stop" or being bus stop, that completes surroundings? I would prefer the second option, because it's closer to my practical and aesthetic view.
I guess this depends on type of bus stop and city. Of course, it would be nice if some cities would have such nice bus stops, but not every bus stop should be like this because it simply would irritate and kind destroy the general view of city
2. Yes, I think that such stops as in the photo should either be demolished or restored and made available to the USSR, because using such a stop for its intended purpose is very dangerous, if such an eagle as on the photo falls on top of a person, then there is a possibility that a person will not survive.
3. I would not like to build, and of course I think that building in this style is silly in our time, since it is necessary to save resources for the construction of such objects and this style is already archaic to object to it.
Why were those kinds of bus stops built in the Soviet Union?
I think this due to someone in soviet governmant like that.
Do you think this kind of architecture should be granted the status of historical monuments? Please justify your opinion.
Deffenetly yes! It have it's unique look and presurve feeling of that time. In my opinion that what make them valuable.
Would you like to continue building similar style of bus stops in modern times?
Yeah, that would be really great. It would attruct tourists and create futuristic view as well as making people leaving near by a bit happier. And I bet its quite cheap
Unfortunately, I do not know about architecture and it is difficult for me to say whether it deserves to be called monuments, because we also cannot call every work monuments, because it would not matter anymore.
I think it is a good idea to wait for the bus in a colourful place instead of in a grey, dirty box.
I think that some of them could get an historical status, some of them can be protected on being art basis. But i dont think that keeping too many of those would bee beneficial to the community. We need to have in mind the people if/when we want to monument symbols of communism, war etc.
Personally no for 2 reasons:
I like minimalism, while having identical bus stops might be boring its useful and purposeful, u can see them from afar, easily recognize them etc.
Secondly it costs less to take care of simple public use places than if would be to maintenance an state of art/ historical bus stop.
When I'm comparing this photos with bus stops in Poland I'm a bit sad. For me architecture like this should be preserved and granting them status of the historical monument is the best way to do it.
I wish that in my country will be more open-minded officials, who let artist project something like this instead ugly "modern" bus stops.
No, I think world move forward and we have better style of architecture now, like i said I do like the second from the top but the rest of them are horrible!
Those stops were built, because it was absolutely best design of the best soviet bus-stops-designer of these times.
Do you think this kind of architecture should be granted the status of historical monuments? Please justify your opinion.
I absolutely sure that they have to granted, because we don't have to forget the history, only by analysing our past we can avoid it in the future.
Would you like to continue building similar style of bus stops in modern times?
Yes, sure! In some places they may look really great.
I like when people are creative and admire even more towns which support the local community with initiatives like this. I would be glad if we would see such majestic bus stops in Warsaw. Of course, the design should be different; these should be connected to our history and nationality.
I think they were built to show the russian wealth.
I think they they should definitely grant the status of historical monuments because if they survived for so many years they should be still maintained.
I am more convinced to the first theory, because it seems very likeable to happen. It happens in many countries even now, maybe not in such artistic way, but artists often find their place to create on bus stops, under the bridges and basically rarely crowded places.
2. Do you think this kind of architecture should be granted the status of historical monuments? Please justify your opinion.
Well I am not a fan of these stops, I just don't like it, so it is a no from me. I think Russia has much more things to show-off with and granting the status of historical monuments to the bus stops is just too much.
3. Would you like to continue building similar style of bus stops in modern times?
As you can deduct from the previous answer, as an anti-fan of these ideas I would not like to continue building similar things in modern times. It seems pretty rustic to me..
I think they should modernize this stops if it possible, and replace if not. But today I think better to invest in the infrastructure than in bus station design.