ENG

We live by what we see until we stop and ask. Propaganda is not just about the media. It uses all possible means to keep a person in the "programmatic" field for as long as possible including architecture. It aims to form a person who is easy to break and to control. It is in these places that we record the spatial scenarios in which we live, which powerfully regulate and influence us in daily life. In this simple yet revolutionary interior project our aim is to question what was programmed in soviet era and what needs to be changed.

In Soviet times architecture was one of the ways to demoralize democratic values system and program a certain way of life. Understanding this spatial power is especially important to understanding what values you are guided by and what influences it. Because the formal, separating, controlling Soviet housing interior spaces are in absolute contrast to the natural way of life, which would correspond to the Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, Belarusian or any human spirit.

Key planning principles used in soviet block apartments are:

- Formal, cold spaces which tend to separate people rather than bring them together. Apartments where everyone is doing different activities in separate rooms rather than together while helping and trusting one another.

- Maze of corridors with opaque partitions and solid doors, works the same as a street with a house and no windows. No one knows what is going on, there is no connection between people, thus fear and mistrust is born between people.

- Small separated kitchens do not encourage and naturally inspire cooking, talking, being together.

- Typical monolithic partitions allow for extremely small spatial transformations, which again sends a powerful mental signal: one can’t change the course of life, your life is being decided upon by government, all people are/should be the same.

We considered this project as an example and after carefully and practically rethinking the layout of the apartment, we radically changed the spatial-life scenario of Ginte and Balys without major construction challenges. The small kitchenette became a huge bathroom with natural light. The bathroom now is A ROOM, not just utility or sanitary UNIT. You are relaxing in this space and your mind is more at peace. You feel dignified when entering such a space. A common living room space was born: connecting people and their different hobbies - with bookshelves, a kitchenette for cooking and sharing meals by the table. Now it is a space for relaxation as well as a connecting conversation.

The aim of the project was to eliminate dictatorship regime principles, show the possibilities of renewal and inspire others to take charge of their environment. Loneliness and dehumanization was programmed earlier in these housing spaces, but it is up to each one of us to decided whose rules do we live by now and in future.