Art

Soviet Bus Stops

Soviet Bus Stops

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-08-20 09:56:35
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Christopher Herwig
  • ISBN：099319110X
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Summary

Photographer Christopher Herwig first noticed the unusual architecture of Soviet-era bus stops during a 2002 long-distance bike ride from London to St。 Petersburg。 Challenging himself to take one good photograph every hour， Herwig began to notice surprisingly designed bus stops on otherwise deserted stretches of road。 Twelve years later， Herwig had covered more than 18，000 miles in 14 countries of the former Soviet Union， traveling by car， bike， bus and taxi to hunt down and document these bus stops。

The local bus stop proved to be fertile ground for local artistic experimentation in the Soviet period， and was built seemingly without design restrictions or budgetary concerns。 The result is an astonishing variety of styles and types across the region， from the strictest Brutalism to exuberant whimsy。

Soviet Bus Stops is the most comprehensive and diverse collection of Soviet bus stop design ever assembled， including examples from Kazakhstan， Turkmenistan， Uzbekistan， Kyrgyzstan， Tajikistan， Ukraine， Moldova， Armenia， Abkhazia， Georgia， Lithuania， Latvia， Belarus and Estonia。 Originally published in a quickly sold-out limited edition， Soviet Bus Stops， named one of the best photobooks of 2014 by Martin Parr， is now available in a highly anticipated， expanded smaller-format trade edition。

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Reviews

Chris ，

So strangely beautiful

Shoshanna ，

Absolutely breathtaking！！！ So beautiful！ The variety of styles， the regional flavor， the experimentation， the colors， the shapes。。。 I'm definitely buying this。I learned about this book from Isa Segalovich！ Check out her cool IG / TT！ Absolutely breathtaking！！！ So beautiful！ The variety of styles， the regional flavor， the experimentation， the colors， the shapes。。。 I'm definitely buying this。I learned about this book from Isa Segalovich！ Check out her cool IG / TT！ 。。。more

Aaron Ambrose ，

As fascinating as the subjects of these photos are， Herwig does something even more interesting by well representing the landscape they live in。 It makes sense that the bus stops most likely to survive until now are the ones that are the most remote。 Gorgeous， bizarre， poignant。

Miciaus knygos | books & travel ，

Looking to the art book was like back to the childhood and i liked it with some kind of nostalgic feeling

Daniel Morgan ，

This book is magnificent。 Apparently Soviet architects were allowed a lot of individuality in designing bus stops， meaning that this is an eclectic collection reflecting local building materials， regional styles and cultures， and the features of life in the different areas。 This includes bus stops from most of the Soviet Republics （from what I can tell， only Azerbaijan and Russia itself are not included）。 It is really amazing to see just how many designs people came up with。

Josie Deryn ，

4。5！ Only marked down as I would have enjoyed a few sentences here and there about some of the individual pictures rather than just the location。

Sergious Tsiulinberg ，

A collection of artifacts that shows， by looking at just bus stops， the richness and diversity of cultures across soviet union countries

Pontus Alexander ，

。 。 。 for three years I explored the five former republics of Central Asia。 The stereotypes were all there: concrete apartment blocks， generous vodka shots， towering statues of Lenin。 But so were the eccentricities that defied Soviet republics， many were unique， imaginative， and sometimes a bit mad。 Each new bus stop I encountered came with its own personality。 They made me realise that the Soviet Union can be remembered for more than the clichés we grew up with in the West。 Behind the Iron Cur 。 。 。 for three years I explored the five former republics of Central Asia。 The stereotypes were all there: concrete apartment blocks， generous vodka shots， towering statues of Lenin。 But so were the eccentricities that defied Soviet republics， many were unique， imaginative， and sometimes a bit mad。 Each new bus stop I encountered came with its own personality。 They made me realise that the Soviet Union can be remembered for more than the clichés we grew up with in the West。 Behind the Iron Curtain were millions of individuals who liked to daydream， wanted to push the limits of creativity and needed a way to share it。 – Christopher Herwig， intro。 One of the most famous bus stop architects is Zurab Tsereteli from Georgia， an artist who regularly favoured form over function。 ‘I cannot answer why there is no roof， why is this， why is that – it's their problem。 I， as an artist， do everything artistically，’ he said。 。。。more

Xavier ，

Una interesante vista de lo que era la antigua Unión Soviética desde un ángulo inusual: las paradas de autobuses。 Si bien el arte de Herwig nos remite a una época que va desapareciendo， quedq como testimonio que alguna vez tuvo peso。

Alec ，

One of my flatmates got it as a Christmas present and brought it back to uni with him。 I stumbled across it on our kitchen table and started having a flick through。 My initial confusion at the unexpected title and topic of the book soon turned to wonder and amazement at the images inside。 I really enjoyed it and I hope he leaves it there for a while longer so I can have another look some time！

Gareth Evans ，

The title tells you what you are going to see。 It’s a fascinating book; a varied collection of bus stops from peripheral soviet states。 Strangely wonderful。

Martina_H ，

Monumetálnost té obrovské země （zemí）， krajiny a kuriozní a velmi dobře odůvodněná monumentálnost těch nejmenších staveb。

Andrew ，

Not normally into this sort of book but this is brilliant : takes a subject about which I knew nothing and makes it both informative and beautiful。

Amanda ，

Herwig explores the architecture of bus stops in the countries of the former Soviet Socialist Republics in Central Asia （from Kazakhstan， Kyrgyzstan westward to Latvia and Estonia）。 Bus stops were eccentricities that the creators could defy Soviet conventions and express their creativity。 In the republic where bars/pubs and establishments were highly scrutinized， bus stops served as neutral meeting places and community gathering places for the people。 This book will broaden your mind through the Herwig explores the architecture of bus stops in the countries of the former Soviet Socialist Republics in Central Asia （from Kazakhstan， Kyrgyzstan westward to Latvia and Estonia）。 Bus stops were eccentricities that the creators could defy Soviet conventions and express their creativity。 In the republic where bars/pubs and establishments were highly scrutinized， bus stops served as neutral meeting places and community gathering places for the people。 This book will broaden your mind through the bus stops that revealed the desire and hope of the people who wanted to push the limits of creativity in an era of restrictions。 。。。more

Helen ，

This is an interesting book of photographs of Soviet-era bus stop shelters （called "pavilions" by the Soviet authorities） in many of the former Soviet republics。 Some of these structures are decades old and haven't been kept up - but they were quite important years ago， as there wasn't much private car ownership （of course - in a communist society） and the population had to rely on bus transportation in areas outside the big cities to get around。 These sometimes quite elaborate pavilions， almost This is an interesting book of photographs of Soviet-era bus stop shelters （called "pavilions" by the Soviet authorities） in many of the former Soviet republics。 Some of these structures are decades old and haven't been kept up - but they were quite important years ago， as there wasn't much private car ownership （of course - in a communist society） and the population had to rely on bus transportation in areas outside the big cities to get around。 These sometimes quite elaborate pavilions， almost mini-buildings， must have served as spots to socialize as the customers waited the bus - they could include picnic-style tables， benches， and may be enclosed on three sides， with windows， sometimes with doors。 Some are quite sculptural - architecturally quite interesting and inventive。 All sorts of ideas were tried out - some quite inventive。 Colorful decor including murals or mosaics on many of them contrast with the often very monotonous surroundings of remote areas of the the country: Scrub-land/desert， forests， remote mountainous rural areas。 That they are mostly crumbling and the nearby roadways often look not too well kept up gives the book a sense of melancholy， how the implosion of the Soviet Union may have led to the physical collapse of infrastructure everywhere within its borders。 Since these shelters were built in an otherwise rigidly conformist era of architecture， they show that architectural creativity in official building hadn't completely died out in the otherwise conformist later decades of the USSR under communism。 The photographs themselves are straightforward but also collectively convey a sense of utter desolation， isolation， and ruin， as if looking into an alternate reality where money/investment is largely absent， as infrastructure decays。 The book includes a forward by British writer/intellectual Jonathan Meades as well as an introduction by the author/photographer。 Here are some quotes from the forward and introduction:From the Forward:"The past decade has witnessed a burgeoning fascination with the largely unknown architecture of the Leonid Brezhnev Plays Vegas school。" "。。。a more general reassessment of late modernism and of brutalism in particular。" "Christopher Herwig's obsessional project also posthumously illumines the Soviet empire's taste for the utterly fantastical。" "When did these shelters turn into drop-in centers？ Does it matter？ It gives them a use。 And it gives people who live in remote， pub-less， village-hall-less isolation a place to hang out。 The shelters provide an ad hoc social service。" From the author's Introduction "The Journey and the Obsession:"In Canada， where I come from， bus stops are all the same。 But in the former Soviet republics， many were unique， imaginative， and sometime a bit mad。" "Bus stop designs had certain guidelines， but they were not tightly enforced。 Design was limited only by common sense， and even that was sometimes completely abandoned。 One of the most famous bus stop architects is Zurab Tsereteli from Georgia， an artist who regularly favored form over function。" "In the Soviet Union， cars were a luxury， but the public transport system was well developed and celebrated。 Bus routes reached even the most remote corners of the republics。" "'It was a government stipulation that they be beautiful， that they improve the environment and that they focus on a local aesthetic，' said [architecture student Lubov] Marchuk。" "'We had a committee， an architectural and construction council， and I suggested that thees bus stops shouldn't be about just a frame， glass， and seating，' [Tsereteli] 。。。 said。 'People should get pleasure out of it。 We decided it should be monumental art in space。'" "The incredible variety of bus stops emphasizes the vast cultural and geographical diversity across the fifteen republics that made up the Soviet Union。" "The design process was often collaborative - anyone could contribute their own ideas， and while there was usually a chief architect， the process involved local sculptors， craftspeople and students。" "Nowhere was the bus stop more important than in the remotest of villages。" "Budget expenditures varied widely in the different republics。 Tsereteli， whose designs were for sites where the political elite spent their holidays， had virtually unlimited budgets for his creations， but in most cases there was a strict limit。" All in all， a very interesting alternative view into the former USSR's territory。 A vast thinly populated country with very few cars on the road。 。。。more

Kit ，

This obsession all started for me with my coworker。We were on the desk one day when we were discussing a mosaic program my library hosted。 My coworker， who was raised in Ukraine， made mention of the beautiful works of art that were found on the side of the road where she grew up。 "Doing these reminded me of the bus stops back home。""B-bus stops？ Did I hear you right？""Yes！ Bus stops！ They are all decorated in their own way。""The bus stops are art？！"And then， we were off to Google。 The two of us This obsession all started for me with my coworker。We were on the desk one day when we were discussing a mosaic program my library hosted。 My coworker， who was raised in Ukraine， made mention of the beautiful works of art that were found on the side of the road where she grew up。 "Doing these reminded me of the bus stops back home。""B-bus stops？ Did I hear you right？""Yes！ Bus stops！ They are all decorated in their own way。""The bus stops are art？！"And then， we were off to Google。 The two of us spent the rest of the hour between patrons looking at Soviet Bus Stops online， her identifying them to me based on art style and landscape。 I'd never heard of it， but thinking back， it seems the most logical and lovely use of local skills and spirit in hindsight。 We found out about these books through our seeking out of photos and both promptly placed interlibrary loans for both volumes， resolving to swap them once we finished our own。 What a great chance to grow closer to someone you work with。 Whenever I think of her， I'm always going to think of her as a little girl waiting at a beautiful mosaic bus stop。 :） 。。。more

Becca ，

This is a beautiful picture book full of photos of old Soviet bus stops - bits of cold war architecture that stand out because of the architects' and designers' abilities to infuse some personality in the design， while surrounded by cold， brutalist architecture。 The journey covers most of the old Soviet bloc countries but not Russia。 I found out after finishing the book that there is a part 2， there must be photos from Russia in that one。 Great little picture book if you like design， architectur This is a beautiful picture book full of photos of old Soviet bus stops - bits of cold war architecture that stand out because of the architects' and designers' abilities to infuse some personality in the design， while surrounded by cold， brutalist architecture。 The journey covers most of the old Soviet bloc countries but not Russia。 I found out after finishing the book that there is a part 2， there must be photos from Russia in that one。 Great little picture book if you like design， architecture， history， or different cultures。 。。。more

Stefan Videnov ，

It's fascinating that a book on a topic as weird as this one woke such an interest in me。 I found it extraordinarily thrilling to imagine the design process behind the showcased art pieces。 My only gripe is that in addition to the very interesting foreword， I would've liked to see some form of analysis。 It's fascinating that a book on a topic as weird as this one woke such an interest in me。 I found it extraordinarily thrilling to imagine the design process behind the showcased art pieces。 My only gripe is that in addition to the very interesting foreword， I would've liked to see some form of analysis。 。。。more

Meagan ，

Who knew Soviet bus-stop architecture could be so fascinating？ :） A quick “read” （99% is pictures， so you can defo make it through the book quickly） but a great coffee-table addition and conversation starter， for sure。 Very interesting pictures that will make you want to learn more about these less-known countries。

Johanna ，

Quenches your travel bug， offers picture porn and presses the nostalgia button all at once。

Lee Osborne ，

I often eat my lunch in a bookshop café， and while I was doing so today， I happened to sit at a table next to the photography section。 This is a passion of mine， so my eyes wandered over the books as I ate。 This one immediately caught my eye， with its minimalist design and stark concrete structure on the cover。I picked it up and had a look， but it was shrink-wrapped so I couldn't see what was in it。 However， I had a feeling I'd love it， so I bought it - and Soviet Bus Stops Volume 2 - on impulse I often eat my lunch in a bookshop café， and while I was doing so today， I happened to sit at a table next to the photography section。 This is a passion of mine， so my eyes wandered over the books as I ate。 This one immediately caught my eye， with its minimalist design and stark concrete structure on the cover。I picked it up and had a look， but it was shrink-wrapped so I couldn't see what was in it。 However， I had a feeling I'd love it， so I bought it - and Soviet Bus Stops Volume 2 - on impulse。I unwrapped and read the book on my journey home from work， and I'm pleased to say I made the right decision - the book is a little gem。 Like many photography books， you can leaf through it in little more than a few minutes， but you'll go back and enjoy it again and again。 The author spent no less than twelve years photographing bus stops across the whole of the former Soviet Union， and the structures he found are incredibly varied and eccentric。 More often than not， they're in remote and bleak surroundings and in a state of disrepair， but somehow that just adds to the charm。 Interestingly enough there's not a single photo of a bus in the whole book， apart from a couple of images of toy buses at the front and back， but there's a few human interest pictures showing people doing various things， but generally looking quite serious。There's actually some real beauty in some of these pictures， and it's immediately made me think that my own urban landscape is incredibly bland and dreary。 Murals and mosaics abound， and make you realise that the former USSR wasn't just about brutal uniformity - there was some variety and creativity in there as well。Really looking forward to Volume 2！ 。。。more

Cody ，

A joyful journey， full of color， texture， and a sense of place， Soviet Bus Stops is at once a travelog as well as a thoughtful discussion about form vs。 function and the legacy of public art。

Luke ，

A great example of a book that does exactly what you'd expect， Soviet Bus Stops is the outcome of years spent travelling through the former Soviet Union by Canadian Christopher Herwig。 30，000km later， we have this: a testament to the way design will break through strictures at every opportunity。 There's a wide range of design approaches on display here， and most of them are， I guarantee， more interesting than the last bus stop you spent time at。 There's elements of national dress， cleanly aesthe A great example of a book that does exactly what you'd expect， Soviet Bus Stops is the outcome of years spent travelling through the former Soviet Union by Canadian Christopher Herwig。 30，000km later， we have this: a testament to the way design will break through strictures at every opportunity。 There's a wide range of design approaches on display here， and most of them are， I guarantee， more interesting than the last bus stop you spent time at。 There's elements of national dress， cleanly aesthetic curves， and tableaux。 There's simplicity and complexity， with utility the only clear link between them: these are places designed to be used by the public。 （This gallery gives you some idea。）It would be easy to make claims about the increasing ruin of these largely concrete structures mirroring the system that birthed them， but the book doesn't make them。 Instead， it provides a travelogue only， showing the reader the differences found in now-nations by dint of the design something so ubiquitous we rarely pay attention to them。 Get on board。 。。。more

gabrielle ，

This is just a delightful book。 （It made me a bit restless。）

Sarah ，

This was great！ And yep， exactly what it says on the tin （/cover）。 A hundred or so pages of Soviet bus stops， with a couple of pages at the beginning covering a little historical background。 If you're into architecture and/or photography you'll probably like this！ This was great！ And yep， exactly what it says on the tin （/cover）。 A hundred or so pages of Soviet bus stops， with a couple of pages at the beginning covering a little historical background。 If you're into architecture and/or photography you'll probably like this！ 。。。more

Dave Schukin ，

This is a coffee table book。 It's mostly pictures。 I'm not sure this belongs on goodreads， but whatever。 This is a coffee table book。 It's mostly pictures。 I'm not sure this belongs on goodreads， but whatever。 。。。more

Julene ，

What a fun picture book！ Can we have like。。。 10 follow-ups？ I know the material is out there！！

Tsartomat Placeholder ，

I've found out about it way back during the Kickstarter craze， and i was too late to get one。 I even wrote the author back in the beginning of 2015， before this edition was published， and of course before the book became known in limited circles in CIS territories during the last couple of years。 In the September of the 2015 Fuel announced a new edition and i've imported it once the second volume was released in 2017。It's not so much a real book as an album of cool photos of things you wont see I've found out about it way back during the Kickstarter craze， and i was too late to get one。 I even wrote the author back in the beginning of 2015， before this edition was published， and of course before the book became known in limited circles in CIS territories during the last couple of years。 In the September of the 2015 Fuel announced a new edition and i've imported it once the second volume was released in 2017。It's not so much a real book as an album of cool photos of things you wont see anywhere else。 It starts with a short foreword explaining the whole thing， the rest is just pictures。It's cool， but uniformity would only make it better。 Most of the photos are in plain white frames with an inscription below。 But sometimes they take the whole page or two。 That's not as bad in itself， but two-pagers are followed by a whole blank page wasted for nothing。But as a whole it's an album with the unique content， so it's a good release。 。。。more

Adam Fisher ，

A very unique pictorial about the creativity and random artistry of bus stops in Soviet countries。 Interesting to see such expression on dirt roads， sparsely populated areas and what appears to be the middle of a wasteland sometimes。 Our bus stops are utilitarian and usually sterile of art， but Soviet Bus Stops shows a side of the world that I never knew existed。

Eric ，

REALLY fantastic photo essay of Soviet bus stops and how crazy and amazing many were。 Great from a design perspective， but also just so interesting。 Cool essay， too。 Informative。 Good history。 I LOVED this。 Check it out if you can。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Soviet Bus Stops

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Soviet Bus Stops&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Soviet Bus Stops&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0