Soviet Playgrounds

by Zupagrafika

A photographic survey of Soviet-era playgrounds found in former members of the USSR, such as Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Through five chapters containing more than 150 photographs, the book documents the mass-produced, yet diverse play equipment installed in the communal spaces of socialist-era housing estates, such as rocket slides and earth-shaped climbers, spaceships and animal-themed ladders, cosmic roundabouts and bizarre objects that would probably raise safety concerns nowadays.
From Riga to Dushanbe and all the way from Kyiv to Vladivostok, children dreamt of becoming cosmonauts, and enjoyed the many space-themed playscapes which had proliferated since the onset of the Cold War era. While some are still in use, others are slowly disappearing to make way for modern equipment, or, more recently, being destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, becoming only a faint memory of a Soviet childhood.

Genres: Art

208 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2022

Reviews

[Klára · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prenádherné zachytenie toho, čo zostalo po dobe, ktorá už nie je. Ihriská, ktoré vnímali zeitgeist, odpovedali na sny detí ktoré v nich vyrastali, fotené na bielom plátne sovietskej zimy s ešte chladnejšími khrushchevkami, v pozadí.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the most mundanely beautiful photography collections I have ever seen, though I am no connoisseur. A book about 'semi-abandoned' Soviet playgrounds may conjure drab, depressing, even creepy images that inspire pity for any child who had to grow up there (not my personal opinion). These photos destroy that assumption, instead portraying strikingly colourful structures which contrast with the pure white snow and panel housing blocks.

The playgrounds reflect traditional culture, typical equipment found worldwide, and also the events of the time - for example, there are a great deal of space-oriented structures. It is easy to look at this world through the eyes of a Soviet child and see the magic and endless games -or through the eyes of a post-Soviet adult and see the nostalgia. Although few of the pictures feature children playing, and one photographed woman explains her grandchildren do not use the local playground, the equipment is largely well-maintained and freshishly painted, which leads me to believe they are still being well-used off-camera. A lovely book to flick through - I'll definitely be purchasing more from Zupagrafika.

[kvir klub · Rating 5 out of 5]

thanks to my housemate who is an architect for bringing this book home 😍

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite an unexplored topic but very close to my heart as some os these playgrounds remind me of my childhood (and a few can still be found in Bulgaria). I really liked how the pictures are taken mostly in snowy weather which, in my opinion, makes them even more aesthetically pleasing.

[J.souza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eu amo esses livros de arte mega específicos.

Pensar que alguém realmente se dedicou a catalogar playgrounds da União Soviética.