I'm a graduate architecture and urban planning student at Columbia University GSAPP and in three weeks I will be traveling around Eastern Europe conducting a school-sponsored research project about the effects of the Soviet housing plan on Eastern European cities. The project mainly focuses on the Khrushchevki (Socialist housing block) typology and how the implementation of this typology reflects the range of influence that the USSR had on both its members states and other Socialist governments in the region. As research for the project, I hope to study specific government housing policies, as well as document the remaining traces of these houses in the cities. Finally, I would like to research how current policies toward this aging housing stock might reflect the attitudes of these cities to their Soviet past.

Are there any architects or urban planners currently studying or working in these cities that would be willing to meet up with me during my time there to discuss your city, it's history, and anything you might know about this issue? Drinks and food will be my treat, and I will of course give you the proper credit in my report.

I will be flying into Moscow July 20th, after which I will travel by train through the cities listed above in order, spending an average of four days in each city. I will end up in Budapest for my flight back to NYC on August 18th. If you cannot meet in person, I would appreciate any help you can give remotely, so feel free to e-mail me with any suggestions or questions. These could include people you may know in the city, or even areas in the city that have these housing blocks.

For more information about the project, you can see the full proposal on the web at: http://khrushchevki.wordpress.com/

Thanks in advance for any help or tips you can give!

Danil Nagy
M.Arch / M.S. Urban Planning
Columbia University
Graduate School of Architecture,
Planning, and Preservation