#microdistrict

[easternblocrelics]

Nation-World magazine Goodbye to Old Buda 30th July, 1980

[supermauswithagun]

I know most americans are deathly afraid of communism, but let me introduce you to one of the actually good inventions of the communist era: microdistricts.

You know those ugly grey panel blocks rising high around historical cities of Eastern Europe? They were not built on a whim but with serious urban planning. Microdistricts were designed to house as many people as possible on a still human friendly area (between 30 and 200 acres) with public service buildings of all kinds but no major motoways crossing the district. That meant people could get everywhere walking or by public transport, and the district was actually safer for children and the elderly because no cars were zooming like crazy around. (Try to zoom with a Trabant anyways.)

This is the microdistrict where I live now.

Fucking ugly, right? But hear me out. Here we have, in walking distance:

- schools, from kindergarden to high school - healthcare services: every microdistrict has at least a family doctor’s and a pediatrician’s office, you know, universal healthcare or something - grocery stores, mostly supermarkets althought we have bakeries, butcher’s shops and fruit and vegetables stands as well, and some microdistricts have their own farmer’s markets - culture, no, really, communist microdistrict came with at least a library and a cultural center, they had to spread propaganda somehow, but we still have those (hopefully without the propaganda, but you know how it is) - public trasport, in my case buses and a subruban railway line connecting this district to the city center - nature!!! parks!!! football (soccer for Americans) fields and playgounds between the houses! here we have a whole ass hiking trail along a river! you walk out of your boring panel block and there are ducks and swans and you can go fishing! (- originally microdistricts also had workplaces, since they were built around factories or other industries, but with the fall of communism most of these were closed down)

And now if you believe that I’m living in some communist utopia, I have to tell you that this is the infamous Csepel district, one of the poorest districts of Budapest, where crime is high, property values are under a frog’s ass, but poor ass librarians like me can live, even without a car.

My question now is: why American urban planners don’t make microdistricts? Okay, maybe without public healthcare services, because you don’t really have those, and maybe without public transport, because your country is dependent on the car industry, but still. Why no schools? A supermarket? At least a library or something?

When I’m looking at the American urban housing areas it reminds me of a prison. When I’m looking at my little fucked up microdistrict it reminds me of a prison with the gate accidentally left open. I know it’s not much, but still.

The amount of people getting 0 upvotes for calling this shit ugly is kaczynski inducing

[straightlightyagami]

just remembered with perfect clarity the taste of candies they had in a bowl at the clinic near where i lived in [redacted] where i got shots at as a kid

[unteriors]

Gldani I Microdistrict, Tblisi, Georgia.

[kamogryadeshi]

Remains of Chasiv Yar district, which was recently captured by the Russians

The microdistrict is located behind the canal, towards Bakhmut. Meanwhile, shelling of the settlement does not stop.

[elbiotipo]

Here's a very very short video about Soviet and related urban developments which really opened my eye on those kind of buildings:

I can't help but see some parallels between the USSR and the US in this respect. After WWII both countries had lots of soldiers and people who wanted to live nice, peaceful lives, though the Soviet and Eastern European situation was a completely different level of devastation. In the US this expressed itself in the "American Dream" of Suburbia, a house with picket fence a big yard and a nice car where you could drive to do shopping. In the socialist world, it expressed itself in a way like this: a nice and comfortable apartment with easy access to education, health, and entertainment, which compared to rural villages or completely war-torn rubble, it was a massive improvement.

One could even argue that the two styles kind of encountered themselves in the original concept of the Usamerican shopping mall as a modern city square (did you know that the 'inventor' of the shopping mall was actually a socialist from Austria?), but we all know how that went.

Not that Soviet urbanism didn't have its flaws, the apartments weren't exactly luxurious, there is a notorious lack of privacy, and the open spaces in microdistricts are too open (maybe they could have used urban farming?) But it's still worth looking at with a more kind eye, as lots of families certainly lived and grew happily on them. And according to people who prefer them, they still do.

[kaesaaurelia]

One of my current very minor problems is my physical therapy place is inexplicably smack dab in the middle of the luxury car microdistrict I didn't know we had, so now I'm ravenous, have half an hour to spare, and don't want to go into the Aston Martin dealership where physical therapy is until I've found something to eat, but the only things the stores nearby seem to sell is German cars which my grandmother would disown me for buying if I actually drove.

[sclutartist]

some headcanons

I think Mount Rageous is a huge region with a lot of cities, and the place where the teenagers hang out is a microdistrict of one of the cities (the teenage microdistrict is high above the clouds, you can only get there via the subway)

they have an interesting gravity that prevents cars or other vehicles from falling down

if the car falls, it is immediately “attracted” to the roads. Mount Rageons also wear suits with particles, which also allow them to be attracted to surfaces

LOOK AT VELVET'S FACE, SHE KNOWS FOR EXACTLY WILL NOT KI#LL THEMSELF 💥

[captain-price-unofficially]

A Ukrainian operator from the 8th Special Purpose Regiment in the Kanal microdistrict of Chasiv Yar, April 2024

[paolo-streito-1264]

Anatoly Fomin. Microdistrict no. 1, Zhigulyovsk, USSR, 1970s.

[easternblocrelics]

Update

Sorry for the lack of posting in the last 10 days. I was moving into my first own (our?) flat in a 1970s built Plattenbau. With all its faults and struggle to get it in shape, it really is a neat little place with a great view from the 10th floor. I will be back to normal scheduling starting from today! (Photo source: https://fortepan.hu/hu/photos/?id=207332 Photo is not mine but it is showing the actual building I moved into)

[workersolidarity]

🇺🇦⚔️🇷🇺 🚀💥☠️🚑 🚨

💥AS RUSSIAN FORCES STORM THE SOUTH OF AVDIIKVA, UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES LAUNCH STRIKES ON DONETSK MARKET💥

As Russian Forces advance in the south of Avdiivka, making considerable gains in recent days, and as various Ukrainian defensive belts continue to collapse under heavy pressure and a lack of manpower and equipment, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched an artillery strike targeting the central Market in the Tekstilshchik microdistrict of Donetsk City, Donetsk People's Republic, in the east of Ukraine.

A recent count put the civilian death toll at 25, with another 20 wounded, including two children after Ukrainian forces fired several 152mm and 155mm artillery shells into the central square market area in the Kirovsky district of Donetsk City.

The head of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Denis Pushilin, writing on his telegram channel said that "Currently, information about 25 deaths has been confirmed. At least 20 more people were injured, of which two children are in moderate condition. All victims are receiving the necessary medical care. Among them are seriously wounded, many have penetrating wounds in areas of vital organs, traumatic amputation of limbs."

The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, saying in a statement that the "the neo-Nazi Kiev regime, with the support of the United States and its satellites, once again committed a barbaric terrorist act against the civilian population of Russia."

"The Russian side categorically condemns this treacherous attack on the civilian population,” the ministry added.

Calling on the International community to condemn the terrorist attacks, the Russian Foreign Ministry scolded Western countries, stating “their silence will mean tacit approval of the murders of civilians and encourage Ukrainian neo-Nazis to commit even more bloody atrocities."

#LinkToMoreVideos

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#videosource1

#videosource2

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[straightlightyagami]

tbh microdistricts are just like, good urban planning

[elecalice]

Researching Soviet apartments for my fanfic since it takes place in a "Criminal Microdistrict", where the main fanfic takes place.

I thought the Khrushchyovka apartments fit better since they're small and so outdated for my idea of the Criminal Microdistrict, since the next Soviet apartments, the Brezhnevka and so on, are still being used and have better parts (except the trash parts and some aspects, in the Brezhnevka ones) while they're demolishing Khrushchyovka apartments since they're so outdated. The main lore of the Criminal Microdistrict is that it was originally a normal Microdistrict but it was abandoned and then repurposed by the Government as a Criminal Microdistrict as an experiment if that works like a traditional prison.

I also need to research some aspects like history and try to incorporate that the country it takes place, in a way that makes sense. Maybe I'm doing too much but considering that one of the original characters which is a criminal from that exact country it takes place and there's a soldier who's also from that country, I need to take reference to make it right.

Plot twist: This is for a Mega Man fanfic. A Mega Man Battle Network fanfiction! I'm still developing Jailed in Sharo Chapter 1!

[kamogryadeshi]

Residents of the flooded Korabel microdistrict in Kherson are trying to save their and their neighbors' animals.

[elecaliceworks]

[Jailed in Sharo] Ito in the prison uniform

I still have pending to do the fanfic "Jailed in Sharo". But I did have this sketch of Ito wearing my idea for the prison uniform for the Criminal Microdistrict where he has to reside for a time.

Yes. Those are inspired by actual uniforms. I did searched for references.

I'll make the actual fanfic eventually, I swear...

Hope you like it!

_Elec

= Ko-Fi =