this post was submitted on 17 May 2026
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And before anyone says it: "But at least parking lots are more aesthetically pleasing than Soviet khrushchevkas and panelkas." And: "But China has ghost cities!"
Quick explainer: Khrushchevkas were the low-rise mass housing blocks from the Khrushchev era: thin walls, tiny kitchens, built fast and cheap. Panelkas came later under Brezhnev, taller and made of prefab concrete panels, equally grim. Both defined Soviet urban landscapes for decades. Both were cramped, often poorly insulated, and not visually inspiring. But sure, tell me a parking lot is an upgrade.
Say what you want about the aesthetics for Soviet era housing, most of them were surrounded by green space and playgrounds/trees when they were built. Which is more than we can say about modern 4-over apartments. The fact that they weren't kept up is more a sign of the times after they were built.
Also Khrushchevkas were built because a lot of existing housing was destroyed during the war, and USSR needed to house millions of people quickly.
Weird that they didn’t just give them access to parking lots, that would have been way faster.