Utopian Landscapes of the Soviet: Features and Fate

Abstract

The article by EHU professor Rasa Čepaitienė analyzes the concept and features of the Soviet symbolic landscape. This landscape includes not only obvious signs of Soviet presence, such as monuments and other ideological dominants, but also the ordinary typical architecture of former Soviet cities, industrial areas, and urban planning structures. Much attention is given to the study of its use after the collapse of the USSR for political purposes. But the political instrumentalization of the remains of the Soviet epoch is by no means the only possibility of its reuse. The article also focuses on the problems of preserving and adapting the Soviet heritage for today’s needs and rethinking its value.