Soviet elevators

As a strong supporter of unpretentious functionality, I am of course also a strong supporter of the old soviet elevators. They either perform the task they were supposed to do, or give clear indication that they are unable to do so. And they do it in a simple and uncomplicated manner. After all, are there any reason why we need so much space in an elevator? Do the doors really have to close gently in a reassuring way? Most of the time you are alone in the elevator anyway, and your primary concern is to be transported either up or down. The soviet elevator takes care of this problem and wastes little time on all the fuzzy details.




Your standard soviet elevator. If you do not fit through the door,
your should probably take the stairs. For several reasons.

Using these elevators in many ways also resembles a small visit to the amusement park, with the ride itself giving associations to a rollercoaster and the shock of the doors slamming open being somewhat similar to experiences one might have on the haunted house ride. But if these things frighten you, some comfort can be drawn from resting your eyes on the easy to clean imitated wooden panels. It is also perfectly acceptable to relive oneself of internal gas in such elevators, since many of them smell like sewage anyway. A phenomenon most probably related to the frequent sewage leaks in Lithuania, in combination with a soviet weakness for placing such drains near the elevator shafts.

 

Ever wondered wheter you pressed the button or not?
This is not an issue in soviet elevators.

In any case, these elevators offer an insight into a time when things were less complicated. When society did not have to cater to every little need, and claustrophobic people could be redirected to the staircase. I hope they never run out of spare parts for these elevators. They truly moved me.