What was Soviet housing like: the pros and cons of Stalinka, Khrushchev and Brezhnevka

  • Jun 10, 2022
What was Soviet housing like: the pros and cons of Stalinka, Khrushchev and Brezhnevka

Despite the fact that having your own apartment is one of the key signs of material well-being of the family, yet many consider "Khrushchev" and "Stalin" far from the best option for residence. Why was there such a negative impression of Soviet housing? By what criteria are modern new buildings better than those built in the USSR?

1. From the history of Soviet construction

Stalin's skyscrapers, intended for the nomenklatura, had a spacious layout, high flows and all communications Photo: shnyagi.net
Stalin's skyscrapers, intended for the nomenklatura, had a spacious layout, high flows and all communications / Photo: shnyagi.net
Stalin's skyscrapers, intended for the nomenklatura, had a spacious layout, high flows and all communications / Photo: shnyagi.net

By the very names of the Soviet apartments, which they were called by the people, one can easily understand the era of the reign of which leader of the country of the Soviets they belonged to. Khrushchevs were built under Khrushchev, Stalins under Stalin, and Brezhnevs under Brezhnev.

For the construction of stalinok, individual design was carried out. These houses were quite beautifully designed. However, not so many stalinoks were built in the country. Their limited number was due to the fact that these new buildings were intended for the nomenklatura. And the common people lived in dormitories and in communal apartments, which sometimes were not even equipped with bathrooms.

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Whether it's an apartment for Soviet officials! This home was built using the highest quality raw materials. And the rooms in such houses were much more comfortable for living. High flows, large living space, all communal amenities - a Soviet person with an average salary could only dream of such an apartment.

During the construction of Khrushchev, construction costs were minimized / Photo: ya66.ru
During the construction of Khrushchev, construction costs were minimized / Photo: ya66.ru

With the coming to power of Khrushchev, the approach to construction has changed. No individual projects - only the mass construction of budget high-rise buildings. Material costs have been reduced to the minimum possible. First of all, the savings in the allocated funds affected the decoration of buildings. Khrushchevs were built according to the principle of "no frills". The reductions also affected the norms of allocated meters. So, if under Stalin 9 square meters were allocated per person, then under Khrushchev this norm was reduced to 7 square meters. It is worth noting that such very compact residential "boxes" were built even after Khrushchev's death. The Brezhnevkas were practically the same as their predecessors. The difference was in the number of floors (there were more of them).

And yet it is worth noting that all these Soviet new buildings had their pros and cons.

2. Advantages and disadvantages of stalinok

Under Stalin, very strong and reliable residential buildings were built / Photo: maxpark.com
Under Stalin, very strong and reliable residential buildings were built / Photo: maxpark.com

Housing built under Stalin. It was undeniably reliable and durable. And those buildings that were intended for the nomenklatura, and residential buildings for ordinary citizens, are still suitable for living today. The operational life of Stalinist housing is 125 years. And the apartments built in the post-war period are even stronger. Their shelf life is one and a half centuries. It is worth noting that this data does not take into account possible major repairs that can increase the suitability of housing for another century.

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However, reliability is far from the only plus of houses built under Stalin. Among the advantages of these residential buildings are: high noise and heat insulation, a large number of rooms in the apartment (3 or 4), high ceilings, convenient location, spacious courtyards with abundant landscaping and impressive architectural view.

The disadvantages of this housing include communication systems that have become unusable or worn out today, often causing failures in the supply of heating, electricity and water supply. The absence or malfunction of elevators in stalinkas also reduces comfort.

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3. Khrushchev and Brezhnevka: pros and cons

Unfortunately, there were and still are enough inconveniences in Khrushchev / Photo: citygu.ru
Unfortunately, there were and still are enough inconveniences in Khrushchev / Photo: citygu.ru

Among the advantages of apartments built under the rule of Khrushchev and Brezhnev, one can note the availability and convenient location. Thanks to the most reduced costs for the construction of multi-apartment housing, it has become affordable for ordinary citizens. Even today, these apartments are at least 30% cheaper than modern new buildings with the same area.

However, there are no less disadvantages in such “boxes”. Very uncomfortable layout, small living rooms. The area of ​​kitchens is reduced to a minimum and is 4-5 square meters. Poor sound and heat insulation also created and still create discomfort for the residents of these buildings.

Source:
https://novate.ru/blogs/220322/62458/