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Housing Estates in the Baltic CountriesArchitectural Transcendence in Soviet-Era Housing: Evidence from Socialist Residential Districts in Tallinn, Estonia

Housing Estates in the Baltic Countries: Architectural Transcendence in Soviet-Era Housing:... [In Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet UnionSoviet Union, housing estatesHousing estate are often associated with inhumane architectureArchitecture, unwelcoming public space and unending repetition, outcomes that have been attributed to strict design requirements in a rigid centralised system. Due to the uniformity and standardisation of residential housing produced during socialist times, both the design process and its master—the architect—are believed to have played only minor roles in shaping townscapes. This study, situated in the large housingLarge housing estateestatesLarge housing estate of TallinnTallinn, EstoniaEstonia. See also Tallinn, challenges these assumptions using analyses of archival material. The study also explains—through first-hand interviews with senior architects who were key players in building socialist cities—the relations between strict Soviet regulations and vital elements of the city building process, including creativity, power and artistry. Analysis of primary source materials highlights an oversimplification of socialist modernismModernism, which suggests more nuanced explanations for town planning outcomesOutcomes that differ from what strict adherence to Soviet guidelines would have produced. Findings also suggest that regulations issued in MoscowMoscow. See also Russiafor USSRUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)-wide site planning played a less important role than previously assumed in town planning outcomesOutcomes in Estonia. International modernist city planningCity planning ideals, combined with local expertise (and a willingness to push boundaries yet remain within the political system), strongly influenced town planning practice in the Soviet ‘West’.] http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

Housing Estates in the Baltic CountriesArchitectural Transcendence in Soviet-Era Housing: Evidence from Socialist Residential Districts in Tallinn, Estonia

Part of the The Urban Book Series Book Series
Editors: Hess, Daniel Baldwin; Tammaru, Tiit
Hess, Daniel Baldwin; Metspalu, Pille
Housing Estates in the Baltic Countries — Aug 28, 2019
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21 pages

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Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Copyright
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2019. This book is an open access publication.
ISBN
978-3-030-23391-4
Pages
139 –160
DOI
10.1007/978-3-030-23392-1_7
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

[In Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet UnionSoviet Union, housing estatesHousing estate are often associated with inhumane architectureArchitecture, unwelcoming public space and unending repetition, outcomes that have been attributed to strict design requirements in a rigid centralised system. Due to the uniformity and standardisation of residential housing produced during socialist times, both the design process and its master—the architect—are believed to have played only minor roles in shaping townscapes. This study, situated in the large housingLarge housing estateestatesLarge housing estate of TallinnTallinn, EstoniaEstonia. See also Tallinn, challenges these assumptions using analyses of archival material. The study also explains—through first-hand interviews with senior architects who were key players in building socialist cities—the relations between strict Soviet regulations and vital elements of the city building process, including creativity, power and artistry. Analysis of primary source materials highlights an oversimplification of socialist modernismModernism, which suggests more nuanced explanations for town planning outcomesOutcomes that differ from what strict adherence to Soviet guidelines would have produced. Findings also suggest that regulations issued in MoscowMoscow. See also Russiafor USSRUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)-wide site planning played a less important role than previously assumed in town planning outcomesOutcomes in Estonia. International modernist city planningCity planning ideals, combined with local expertise (and a willingness to push boundaries yet remain within the political system), strongly influenced town planning practice in the Soviet ‘West’.]

Published: Aug 28, 2019

Keywords: Architecture; City planning; Housing estate; Mikrorayon; Modernism; Socialism; Soviet Union; Tallinn, Estonia; USSR

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