5 ms·

One thing always strikes me in terms of design when I'm in Latvia (USSR republic in 1940 and 1945-1990). It is how modular, repairable, and in that way "simple"

One thing always strikes me in terms of design when I'm in Latvia (USSR republic in 1940 and 1945-1990). It is how modular, repairable, and in that way "simple" things that have survived from the Soviet era look. Ingeniously built wooden ironing boards for example, the older generations of trams of Riga, the "Minsk" folding bicycles that you still see around very often, the trains (no new ones since 1991!), even many of the "Chrushchovkas" appartment blocks... Contrary to my previous western bias, some things were clearly being built very sturdily. In comparison, a lot of things built in the '90s and 2000's seem to be crumbling already. It all smells of inferior materials, quick and dirty fixes... I don't know if that is survivor bias kicking in though...

paganel 9y ago
> older generations of trams of Riga A quick google search confirmed what I had already suspected, that is that those trams are Tatra trams, built in former Czechoslovakia. I’m a big fan of them, I think they are the main reason why I immediately became a tram-lover as a student almost 20 years ago when I moved to Bucharest in order to study. Of course, the newer trams look and are often times a lot more comfortable, but those Tatra trams have something of a “timeless design” about them that is hard to pin down but which you can still feel. Ever since I’ve become a tram lover I starting seeing cities without electric public transport (trams or trolleys) as belonging to an “inferior” stage of civilization.
- prolepunk 9y ago
  I don't think this is something particular to Warsaw bloc countries. For example I love GM new look buses that were running around refurbished up until early 2000s, and the main reason they were replaced not because last of them broke down but because they weren't accessible. I bet it's the same situation with Tatra streetcars. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=gm+new+look+bus&t=ffab&atb=v112-4&iax=images&ia=images https://duckduckgo.com/?q=gm+new+look+bus&t=ffab&atb=v112-4&...
  - watersb 9y ago
    "accessible" here meaning "able to be used by people in wheelchairs. (I guess almost all HN readers are familiar with this term from software "accessibility" design. USA English is my native (and at present, only) language but I find these terms odd.)
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
flohofwoe 9y ago
Good example of this are the Simson bikes from Eastern Germany, small 50cc motor cycles going up to 70 km/h. Their technical design is extremely simple, and they are being repaired and are in normal daily use all over the country (not just by nostalgia nerds or hipster city dwellers). Many owners are most likely younger than the bike they're riding.
- jammi 9y ago
  Basically all of the 50cc mopeds had to be artificially crippled to keep them under legal speed limits for them (typically 40-50km/h depending on country). Remove the cripple and they'll all go 70-80km/h or more. This isn't even with upgraded parts, which makes them go 100km/h-ish and more, although the suspension, frame and brakes on them will definitely not be up to the job safely without upgrading those too.
profalseidol 9y ago
> Contrary to my previous western bias, some things were clearly being built very sturdily. In comparison, a lot of things built in the '90s and 2000's seem to be crumbling already. It all smells of inferior materials, quick and dirty fixes... I don't know if that is survivor bias kicking in though... If you're a company who wants more profit, you'll want to make your product as cheap as possible. If you don't make profit, you'll be eaten by other capitalists.

paganel 9y ago

> older generations of trams of Riga A quick google search confirmed what I had already suspected, that is that those trams are Tatra trams, built in former Czechoslovakia. I’m a big fan of them, I think they are the main reason why I immediately became a tram-lover as a student almost 20 years ago when I moved to Bucharest in order to study. Of course, the newer trams look and are often times a lot more comfortable, but those Tatra trams have something of a “timeless design” about them that is hard to pin down but which you can still feel. Ever since I’ve become a tram lover I starting seeing cities without electric public transport (trams or trolleys) as belonging to an “inferior” stage of civilization.

prolepunk 9y ago
I don't think this is something particular to Warsaw bloc countries. For example I love GM new look buses that were running around refurbished up until early 2000s, and the main reason they were replaced not because last of them broke down but because they weren't accessible. I bet it's the same situation with Tatra streetcars. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=gm+new+look+bus&t=ffab&atb=v112-4&iax=images&ia=images https://duckduckgo.com/?q=gm+new+look+bus&t=ffab&atb=v112-4&...
- watersb 9y ago
  "accessible" here meaning "able to be used by people in wheelchairs. (I guess almost all HN readers are familiar with this term from software "accessibility" design. USA English is my native (and at present, only) language but I find these terms odd.)
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]

flohofwoe 9y ago

Good example of this are the Simson bikes from Eastern Germany, small 50cc motor cycles going up to 70 km/h. Their technical design is extremely simple, and they are being repaired and are in normal daily use all over the country (not just by nostalgia nerds or hipster city dwellers). Many owners are most likely younger than the bike they're riding.

jammi 9y ago
Basically all of the 50cc mopeds had to be artificially crippled to keep them under legal speed limits for them (typically 40-50km/h depending on country). Remove the cripple and they'll all go 70-80km/h or more. This isn't even with upgraded parts, which makes them go 100km/h-ish and more, although the suspension, frame and brakes on them will definitely not be up to the job safely without upgrading those too.

profalseidol 9y ago

> Contrary to my previous western bias, some things were clearly being built very sturdily. In comparison, a lot of things built in the '90s and 2000's seem to be crumbling already. It all smells of inferior materials, quick and dirty fixes... I don't know if that is survivor bias kicking in though... If you're a company who wants more profit, you'll want to make your product as cheap as possible. If you don't make profit, you'll be eaten by other capitalists.