This project tackles the issues induced in the post-Soviet countries by the policies of the Communist government. The 56 pages research document covers themes such as living an illusion, trauma, victimisation, conformity, memory manipulation, nostalgia, children education and architecture as tools for propaganda. More images of this document here.

The rapid change from communism to capitalism created a broken system in post-Soviet regions. I designed a fictional character – the strategist of ideology. As a strategist, I wrote a master-plan of actions that were supposed to happen in order to create a fictional better past.

This publication filters London though the lens of a Soviet mindset: it presents English modern architecture accompanied by a propagandistic text. The book was used as a prop for conversations with Lithuanians. They were surprised that “Soviet architecture” existed in London as well. The participants realised that modernism was an international trend and, therefore, the associations they make on their surroundings with the soviet ideology depend on their experience. More of this book can be found here.

This speculative poster and this model question how the appearance of modern style council buildings could be changed in order to make it more attractive to the locals.

The fictional poster on the left questions class inequality in relation to their housing rights. A ‘new equality’ can be promoted by demolishing walls, connect floors and sharing services.

 

Following this idea, the Lithuanian respondents were asked to create different wall arrangements in one floor which represents a typical blocks of flats. During this exercise they not only expressed their aspirations, but started proposing realistic ideas to change their current environment.