Future Ghetto of St. Petersburg, Russia. (Murino, Worst District of The City)

Murino is a new district north of Saint Petersburg, Russia, which is however repeats many old architectural mistakes for development of the new residential districts. It's just an endless amount of high-rise and flat buildings with no social infrastructure and environment for a comfort living.
Credit to Ilya Varlamov - / ilyavarlamov
#ghetto #stpetersburg #russia
/ sgbaklykov
/ realrussia

[@williamolenchenko5772]

Humans need sunshine, trees, landscaping and parks for well-being. Developers and city planners seem to be interested mainly in short-term profits and bribes.

[@archlinuxrussian]

sometimes it's the *lack* of comprehensive city planning, like in the States :/

[@dasarvy]

You said humans... yes if you look to any individual human then you see one, but if you look at the whole picture what you see is just biomass, human-ants, fry-fish... the only purpose of life is to feed big sharks like real estate developers, banks, car manufacturers, government officials, etc. Work, buy, die, leave your offspring to repeat this cycle again and again... what a wonderful life

[@Hugofreddie]

I agree absolutely and one thing that really impressed me is the amount of beautifully kept parks and green thoroughfares . It does look sterile and I am sure parts are however there will be lovely clean parks for the children to play in predator free . And I can tell you for free that anyone caught in a kids park up to no good will have an unpleasant suprise lol . In fact there will be wide birch lined avenues to walk in . It is a standard part of the design brief . Near me in England there is a large city with one park full of needles used condoms and dog excrement and no trees anywhere

[@tolgasomayuzun9901]

i would write a comment about trees parks before i saw your comment. There is no Green !!!! No trees WHAT THE FUCK ... This city make a person mad , depressing. Very very very bad planinng very bad place to live.

[@f67739]

>interested mainly in short-term profits and bribes welcom to russia

[@paulnwo4256]

As a postman this is my ideal location (unless all the lifts are broke)

[@РусскийРусич]

Well, the thing is, all the post boxes are located on the first floor, so you don't even have to go upstairs or so 😁

[@КонстантинКякк]

Наш почтовый сервис - это дерьмо. Если вам нужно что-то получить на почте, вы приходите на почту и получаете. Почтовые ящики в каждом лобби. Но они ставят только рекламу пиццы и счета за жилье. Счет зарплаты 1/3 - почтальон. I almost forgot. In Soviet buildings, mail works a little better.

[@roby72s]

Lol.

[@DenEz_TV]

Haha

[@paulnwo4256]

@@КонстантинКякк Yes.

[@michaelsemyanovsky9638]

The absence of trees is what really makes these places depressing. I hope they plant some.

[@Легушька-г1б]

Trees take 25+ years to grow up decent size. By that time the district will be uninhabitable

[@maximzhuravlyov9530]

No they won't. More cars, we want more cars! It's not fashionable to use public transport.

[@sumayabarkhad9992]

@@maximzhuravlyov9530 more cars means more Pollution

[@kathylesnewski5442]

@@Легушька-г1б get big tree and plant that

[@Легушька-г1б]

@@kathylesnewski5442 they don't really farm adult trees all that much. It's deemed to be expensive, and this is very inexpensive housing for people with no expectations of anything but very basic things

[@Brubarov]

Those urbanists clearly never heard of SimCity or Cities: Skyline

[@nokow]

they played sim city after several vodkas! :p

[@HowToWatchMovies]

Imagine the quality content so many of us would be missing out on, if he couldn’t speak English...

[@singlesinceforever1964]

I have thought of this exact thought myself. Very glad he does.

[@neilsumanda1538]

imagine learning russia yazek.. 😄😄

[@Pseudonyymi568]

Basically that's the Varlamov channel he mentioned in the beginning. I'm studying Russian and I stumbled upon that channel. Lots of very good content on it and it's such a shame that only a couple of his videos have English subtitles! There's videos about urban life, but also about travelling. He's been to Somalia, Syria and other extreme places as a tourist.

[@for_ma]

It is valid for all languages, I let you imagine the contents that are lost for those who do not know Russian and Chinese

[@kobaltocr6927]

Imaginate la calidad de contenido que muchos de nosotros perderíamos si...

[@michaelangelo8898]

Like IKEA and Amazon made an urban development for modern technological slaves

[@majorkade]

does look like an office park. hope they all have dachas for the weekend. I think they do.

[@guyhamiltonyt]

"Technological slave" that is so apt and poignant, and very evident in this age we live in, mindless zombies seem to be everywhere.

[@kortiz3931]

Whatever you say but Ikea has some great designers and if you go to Sweden youll see one of the best city-development plans and in the world

[@whynotagain3639]

It looks like a never ending 1960's UK council estate, we've pulled over 50% of them down. As this kind of design encourages anti social behaviour, crime and drug use.

[@ligametis]

Wouldn't say it encourages when you from the beginning move such people there.

[@whynotagain3639]

Google the Glasgow red road flats, they've demolished them and the lower rise replacements have decreased crime. It's the same all over the UK. Demolish the 1960's high rises (which are identical externally to Soviet blocks of the same era) and the crime and depression slightly lifts, so it's not just the type of people it's the architecture that actually contributes to it.

[@ligametis]

@@whynotagain3639 doesn't lower buildings mean less density and less density often means less problems congregate into the same small area. It is just that these towers, of course on way way smaller scale that what we see in this video, do work. Everything that is too much is not healthy, but when only 1-3 towers are close and middle class lives it usually doesn't create any more crime than in other types of urban planning. There is a large advantage at least in Soviet planned tower districts, you get way more public and green space than in some 19th century planned city like Paris. Those Paris courtyards are often so small, dark and depressing :/

[@EllidaWangel]

If there were developments like that on the outskirts of London I guarantee you they'd be in demand too. These are cheap, giving young people an opportunity to buy instead of renting. Low prices + access to St. Petersburg job market = success. Edit: I guess what I'm getting at is that the design of this place is market-driven, and considering the fact that these aren't subsidised housing or anything like that it won't necessarily attract more crime. Living in St Petersburg isn't getting any cheaper, so these will continue to be in high demand.

[@ligametis]

@@EllidaWangel these cheap anthills would be very popular and attractive in most big cities that can't satisfy housing demand. If there is good access to metro it could even focus on people who do not use cars and then those parking spots could become pretty large green spaces.

[@augustopetter55]

I used to visit friends at this place, and almost rented an apartment there. The question "why?" they live there is not so difficult to answer. I had a very low scholarship while I was a student, and I was old enough for do not want to share a small bedroom with other three guys that I do not know in the dorms of my university. The options were a cheap room in town - normally a komunalka, living with other families (and cockroaches), or living in such place, but in a decent "western interior" apartment. There were many people in similar financial situations that have chosen the second option. But yes, I do understand and do agree that it is a big architectural mistake, and probably a future urban disaster. People who did it didn't have to care about thinking in a long term perspective. The money is already in their bank accounts anyway. Well done, very good video, Cheers!

[@pyellard3013]

What was the rent? 🤔

[@luckyone8927]

@@pyellard3013 It's about 200-300$ /1 month for one-room flat. 400$ for two-room.

[@pyellard3013]

@@luckyone8927 Thanks..

[@kidaria1333]

@@luckyone8927 Okay that is a nice price for st. peterburg for a new building.

[@robertgorlee2552]

Depressing beton jungle, this asks for problems.

[@gnumani]

robert gorlee Concrete in English. Beton is french

[@heresYoshii]

Genci Numani бетон in russian

[@gnumani]

sabbath ouijas It is not a Russian word. It was borrowed from French. This is a fact. Cannot argue with facts. “ Beton- Etymology Borrowed from French béton (“concrete”), from Latin bitūmen (“asphalt”).”

[@Geo-nw9ug]

@@gnumani stfu

[@GarfieldTheater]

Those people are same culture. That is not case in U.S.

[@wesandy22]

Молодец. Such a great report. Привет с Ямайки. I attended University 1980-1986 in Leningrad. Бонч-Бруевич

[@ТорвальдВеликолепный]

🇷🇺🤝🇯🇲

[@Frogstooge11]

@@johntravolta2334 you studied there in the 80s too?)

[@fabi57iamracer]

''A concrete box for just to exist'' wow! Gross, heavy, sad way of living.

[@atropa6053]

those concrete boxes are now worth 20 years of wage in europe unattainable millenial dream, to have a concrete box of your own

[@fabi57iamracer]

@@atropa6053 Is truth, the point here is there is not any life around these constructions in the biggest country.

[@fabi57iamracer]

@@atropa6053 I am guessing there is more life in a ghetto, routine and monotony kills.

[@fabi57iamracer]

@*ОωО / As you say.

[@fabi57iamracer]

@*ОωО / So stablishmets are far away?

[@pilotgrrl1]

Reminds me of the empty Chinese cities in the middle of nowhere, or the old housing projects in Chicago... Just filing cabinets for people, not places to live a decent life. No parks, no places to shop or gather, no fun. I like the colors, although the whimsy will fade.

[@M.Đ-z4u]

like new york

[@pilotgrrl1]

@John Proctor Having lived in Chicago - a great architecture town, and one of America's most segregated cities - much of my life, I've seen things that have been done badly and things that have done well. Architecture is not just about the buildings, it's about the people who use them and the surroundings they create.

[@leonardobautista1619]

That "development" (if it could be called as such), is a rude slap on the face of the Russian people and beautiful Saint Petersburg.

[@alinaalina3981]

Yes, Russian cities are being destroyed by this kind of "development" and become unsuitable for a living.

[@3ddevelopment979]

Absolutely, almost all old districts have parks and many green zones and now we have concrete jungle

[@DonDon45-i5h]

I hope everybody who simps for ''traditional russia'' and wants to escape the ''woke'' west moves to this hellhole

[@caryn9561]

Greed and overpopulation is taking over everywhere.It's a shame.I would be so depressed if i lived there.

[@alexandraSashY]

Catgirl Russia is underpopulated

[@caryn9561]

@@alexandraSashY How come they are building so much?I have seen the over production of buildings everywhere .America got so overpopulated

[@Jayvan1]

overpopulation? what overpopulation?!?! ever took an airplane? if not go for an adventure and look down to all those "overpopulated" area's,

[@alexandraSashY]

Catgirl it’s 10th in the world in population. US is number 3 after China and India. Considering Russia is the biggest country in the world it’s not dense at all with roughly 140 mil people. However, in recent decades most people are moving into urban areas mainly for superior infrastructure and jobs (agriculture being on the decline). So you see a lot of large complexes like that are relatively inexpensive for people to acquire and still be able to be near a cosmopolitan city. I have to say there are different types of these, some are actually quite nice, like around Moscow area. It just depends on who builds it.

[@e.s.g.5997]

@@caryn9561 Overpopulation in the big cities - more than they can have at once. But they do this intentionally - to have better control over the people.

[@helgeingvarson1943]

I am from Ukraine and I am living in a city which was turned into an important industrial area during rule of Josef Stalin. Lots of industrial plants required lots of workers, so new districts of my city were built in Stalin's time. "Stalin's" districts of the city have parks, trees, empty space between houses. The houses have 2-3-5 levels, no more. New districts, which were built after Stalin are like those in Saint Petersburg.

[@domandoria5362]

Probably because he wiped out some million people by famine and forced collectivism - no need for more than 5 level buildings then - also since those times Europe's population has grown 3 times....

[@heyitstobias]

@@domandoria5362 You are an expert at making nonsensical connections. The majority of Americans live in one or two story houses - must have been the greatest mass murder ever! Also, collectivism itself does not kill anyone, rather it is the problem of outdated agricultural theory, droughts, and a million other complicated factors. Reducing it to just "workers controlling things = mass starvation" just shows you defend tyrannical economics. Don't do that.

[@jaredfauver7074]

@@heyitstobias or because it made it harder to bomb

[@constantinemalkovich9089]

Готов платить за уютные пятиэтажки с подземным паркингом по 3600 евро за метр как в Гамбурге? За Сталиным хер плачет ёпта.🤦

[@temper44]

The 5 story buildings is because that's the max you can build and still expect people to walk the stairs without an elevator.

[@Chillazilla2]

The lack of trees and creative architecture makes the area looks stark and unfortunately a bit depressing. It is unfortunate because I have seen some beautiful places in Russia.

[@wethepeople4432]

I said the same thing about Las Vegas years ago - A ugly box sitting in the dessert attracting desperate souls. Today, they're scaling to construct more single-family homes instead of hotels or apartments. Makes that dessert more welcoming to reside. If Russia can at least do the same by building a mass community of single-family homes. You'll have a family-oriented environment, privacy, and the freedom to BBQ on your front porch. After all, Russia is the biggest country in the world. Plenty of real estate to build a single home community. Historically, concrete jungles can turn for the worst (Take Brooklyn and Queens for example). However, the Government like this idea cause it provides more housing on a single lot. It's also easier to keep track of the population when issuing consensus. So of course the regulations will be more lenient for these developers creating an ugly mess.

[@wethepeople4432]

@@БорисИванов-т7о I completely understand and I'm sure many Russians would agree with you. You guys have been living in these type of structures for a very long time under the Soviet Union and it's only been 18 years since the fallout. So I'm not surprised by your remark for which I respect.

[@stanspb763]

It is a new area,trees will be planted but forests exist a short distance away and large modern shopping centers will pop up soon as they have in all such areas here. The city center(these are NOT in St Petersburg but in the countryside of Leningrad Oblast so no city regulations apply. Since the city is 25 minutes away by metro none these apartment owners are deprived of the social and cultural options of St Petersburg. New modern apartments are affordable and after more shopping and restaurants open they will spend more time in their neighborhood. I grew up in th suburbs of the Capital of California and my parents were so happy to buy a new house with school across the street but there was nothing, no trees, lawns or parks and only later did it fill in with shopping centers, cafes and trees were planted by the new home buyers. It took years for the area to look nice but it did by the time I got to high school and we moved further out to new development with no trees and shops and it took my parents 2 decades to fix up the bare dirt to become a nice yard. These apartments in Marino are more developed than how our neighborhoods developed so I do not see how horrible these are. These are starter apartments or working class, and they have secure safe homes and neighborhoods so 90% of the world would be happy to see the positive aspects of their first home there.

[@wethepeople4432]

@@Victorcr1000 I totally agree. What's even mindblowing, is that these complex are NOT Government housing like we have here in the US. Each unit are paid to own rather than renting. Yet, they're built like apartments similar to ours as halfway housings (inmate homes after release) with no green spaces as you explained. Here in the US, these complex would be considered as Condominium than apartments. But our condos here have theme parks, plants, and shops nearby unlike apartments. The developers could've done a better job indeed.

[@ostapbendervan7874]

SHADOWED kiss They dont care What trees..a few years the weather kill that look Be a acidic fromage of pastels Waiting 4 next acid tripdudeeee

[@chetzaiko511]

I couldn't imagine living in a development like that. More than happy with my simple home on two acres in Montana. Your drone pilot is doing an excellent job. Enjoyed the video.

[@m.w.6526]

Montana is beautiful.

[@loki4145]

Living in concrete hives is not natural for humans. In the USSR, people were given apartments and land. Residents of St. Petersburg, in addition to their apartments have 500,000 land plots (average area from 600 to 2000 m²) outside the city, most of the plots with different buildings.

[@marclayne9261]

I live in large, apartment, single level, Billings.....my backyard is a park....I love Montana! retired US Army....

[@mrsquishyboots]

Watch out for Joseph Seeds people

[@Roman-kk1ic]

trust me Chet, ghettos in Montana are waaaaaaaaayyyy worse

[@greenplant]

Nice colors on buildings. Anyway look much better then ghetto in New York and probably 100% safer.

[@johngalt1448]

Yes, it is much safer there, but the city must prohibit building residential houses higher than 10 stories. The lower the better.

[@PerthTowne]

doctornatural gamer+ America has nothing to do with anything in this video.

[@strawberryhaze8836]

@@PerthTowne Why? This place kinda looks like COOP City in NYC

[@ragincajun7625]

Why do Americans have a much higher standard of living than Russians? Ghettos....... silly you. Enjoy your low wages and pitiful standard of living comrade.

[@jewhadiskater406]

Oh wow, new russian neighborhood not for poor people looks even better then American ghetto. What a success!

I bet the architects live in nice, huge penthouses in Moskva's central districts

[@Erix442]

It's so! Look at the Sergey Kuznetsov's home and at the his projects!

[@3c3c3c]

Looks like someone speedrunning Cities:Skylines

[@pauldodds6271]

Cheers from Illinois, USA, I got to visit St Petersburg and Moscow in 2016 when I was 15 years old. Your content is amazing, and I love the straightforwardness and honesty that's consistent in your videos. I'm 18 now, and I'm hoping to one day be able to return to Russia!

[@sido-a91]

You are welcome. We are't like the media show us

[@ToyotaNutjob]

Illinois and russia is the same thing. Crappy depressing weather from both placesn

[@Horsemeat]

And you thought your city was depressing. This is a doomer nest.

[@None-zc5vg]

"What a dump!"

[@None-zc5vg]

"A logical set of cells on the 14th floor" (Vance Packard).

[@---xi7ev]

go look up london ghettos and you will see more depressing

[@annalapina3236]

Every city has a poor side to it even the “great” America

[@annalapina3236]

@Chidori457 oh cool

[@thepreecher8755]

where are the trees? the landscaping? no handicapped entrance?

[@efimkrivov]

This houses stay on former agriculture territories, that's why there r no 🌳 still.

[@ostapbendervan7874]

No building with handicapped entrance vancity All sidewalks must have easy access Stops LIGHTS Guess that's what they called PROGRESSIVE Or door handle must be ergonomic

[@Are1i]

Rent is cheaper, you can afford to go spend time in nature if that is what you want. I would argue that the overall quality of life is better with this type of city planning. Go to reakjavik and pay 1,5k € / month for a studio apartment in a wooden two stories house, because building is banned and nothing will be built.

[@vNYCblade]

@@googleuser2609 Developing country? According to what metric???

[@TheMissmist]

Handicapped people are not taken into account in Russian urbanism... it’s revolting how much the towns are unfit for the latter, Peter included

[@Dweller415]

Sergei, if you want to see ‘ghetto’ then come to California and I’ll show you our tens of thousands of homeless everywhere. Enjoyed your video tour though. My sister and brother in law traveled to Russia two years ago and they said that St. Petersburg is the most beautiful city they’ve ever seen in the many travels.

[@amandagloor]

or montreal even...

[@DonDon45-i5h]

Not sure why you westerners like to romanticise 3rd world dystopian countries. Go move there if you like it so much.

[@РоманРеутов-п1щ]

I live in Murino and I really love this place because it has so many shops and it's near of metro. The way to the citycentre takes only 40 minuts from my home. I think Murino- it's city for yang people. Average age of local people it's 28 year old.

[@д-рЧертополох]

если что-либо не устраивает, то у любого и каждого всегда есть возможность продать и переехать в другой район, или город.

[@amandagloor]

This actually looks nice and is much needed for the housing crisis. This looks nice, and as a young person, I'd love to live close to the train, good fast food and friends. Seeing nice big blocks like this made me almost want to move there, and I live in Canada. This is not ugly or bad at all.

[@asfinland]

I can see why it was attractive for the buyers: Metro connection (don't know the time to city center), warm parking place, elevator (important when people is getting older), I do not know how much one pays per month for the maintenance fee but more people should be cheaper and especially perhaps people wanted to trade up from soviet times apartments instead renovating them. Don't know the prices but in Europe generally, developers do not develop affordable apartments for people, one must indebt oneself to the teeth. I hope now there are more people there the Council of St. Petersburg listens to the demands of the people living there.

[@wackyruss]

I’ve seen such massive high rises in China and Kazakhstan. Crazy.

[@RemoveChink]

Having lived in complexes like this in Mongolia, it wasnt so bad. I had a good time with my neighbours and such.

[@slepk7898]

Cmon man thats just depressing

[@quite1enough]

The reason behind these ugly skyscrapers isn't mentioned by Ilya Varlamov nor by you. And the reason is poverty. I'm from Saint Petersburg, and our family was resettled from communal apartment to similar, but little bit better social housing. The second place you showed in the center of Saint Petersburg has mid-range prices ~10 mil rubles, our apartment is around 4.5 mil rubles, and we have 300k rubles per year for family of three in better case. How we supposed to get 5.5 mil rubles? People buying this mess because it's dirty cheap and they simply can't afford anything else.

[@ИмперияДобра-е9с]

Клоун что ты ноешь. Когда твою семью переселяли из коммуналки новую квартиру тебе дали бесплатно.

[@lpdude2005]

From Norway : I think I can say that this is the ugliest modern development I have ever seen. Modernized edition of 1960. All over Europe, such buildings are being demolished - and life and beauty are being recreated. Russia is the world's largest country - What in the world would suggest building something like this when there is no shortage of space anywhere?

[@aleksandarvujanic7914]

I can show you horrible can architecture can be. Just type Bežanijski blokovi, this our capital Block estate from 1976-1980s. Whats more interesting is that they are expensive, not to mension newer architecture on this part of city. Our city Belgrade is full of this buildings.

[@solid1378]

Sergey, you're one of the best vloggers out there. I especially like your commentaries on society. Not all Muricans are afraid of Russians. This Murican loves your shows! 🌞

[@boddah92108]

Murican = American for those readers who do not have a real mastery of the English languages slang.

[@mrsquishyboots]

@@boddah92108 tooork owhr jhobbs

[@sfepea777]

Never been afraid of Russians. I suppose they’re just like anyone else. Just regular people, who just happen to speak a different language.

[@7hilladelphia]

Mister Methuselah cheers from Australia.....I agree, where's trees and pets, bicycle lanes, park benches.... ugh

[@MaxXFalcon]

Are americans afraid of russians?😁😁😁

[@ArchipLeFrançais]

In France every medium to big town has districts like that. From 20 thousand inhabitants to Parisian suburbs.

[@lukadraganic]

You can thank Corbusier for that.

[@lohmag]

Actually ussr bought French projects for such buildings in 60's and it created those familiar soviet looking buildings

[@bagdadaladin8672]

То е ть строим десять домов на 1000 квартир и получаем 20 тыщ

[@jbjaguar2717]

It doesn't look too bad. There are play areas, green spaces, metro access, shops on ground floor. Just needs trees and some community buildings and it could be like some really nice areas of Vancouver.

[@zochbuppet448]

No it would look nothing like Vancouver. This would be considered a total disaster if they built something like this in Canada or the U.S even if it more green space and trees In North America and the UK, we've mostly learned from the past and would not build like this. They are still using the same planning and building ideas from the 1960s..they didn't even bother to see what ben done in other countries in the past 50 years. The way they treat the space around the building, the parking, and the way they deal with the street is like text book 1960s, when everyone all of a sudden had a car had a car and they didnt know how to deal with the issue. the design of the shops within the building is also bad

[@jbjaguar2717]

@@zochbuppet448 The shops being on the ground floor of the buildings is definitely not bad - it usually didn't happen in the 1960s. It comes from Jane Jacobs' idea of having active street frontage and it's exactly what happens in Vancouver, Hong Kong and various other places which exemplify successful and safe apartment block living. This Russian development is far from perfect, but it really is nowhere close to the horrors of 1960s US/UK housing projects.

[@analuciarivasplatapaz2225]

@@zochbuppet448No en Europa ni en Eu contruyen ya nada de esto porque están en la quiebra. Se mueren de envidia del crecimiento econòmico de Rusia y estas rápidas soluciones de su gobierno para evitar los callejeros que ya hay miles en sus países.

[@chrish4nsen]

14:07 if those private backyards are car free, then why the f is it all just concrete paved ground and no greenery, no trees, bushes, benches, etc. depressing. it looks as sterile as a prison.

[@Ladyunicorne]

Thanks Sergey for speaking so candidly about this! It’s very refreshing to hear a young man talking with so much sense and awareness. You’re very much in touch with your surroundings and have great sense of esthetic and understanding of human nature. These days people just don’t see; they just go about like zombies. The few times I had heard you criticizing something it had always been constructively in order to create awareness and room for improvement. That for me is very patriotic! Keep doing such a good job! I hope people appreciate the effort and time you invest in these videos. Thanks!

[@ajisenramen888]

80% of people in Singapore live in these kind of housing (govt housing) but there have markets schools and transportation within the housing estate. There are green areas etc. Parking is not street parking but in multi-storey carparks. More like the last neighbourhood you showed. The Govt regulates the improvements which have to take place every 3/4 years. People seem quite happy living there as there are community areas. There are belts of undeveloped land that can be flexible use, so that is good. It is not private developments so the property developers can’t squeeze every drop of quality of life out. It has to be balanced between the affordability and the expectations though. You get what you pay for. 18,000 for an apartment instead of 90,000 for one in a development is a huge difference. As the earnings improve, people move from these starter apartments to better districts and better lifestyle. It is not a forever home but at least you get to have a home while you work your way up the property ladder.

[@ashleycollett9036]

I live in this district. I am American, and I moved here because I wanted to pay a reasonable price for my apartment and wanted an modern, clean apartment, not an old Soviet apartment that is falling apart. People in Saint Petersburg can live in places like this without being depressed because it’s a 30 minute metro ride, for less than a dollar to the beautiful European style city center. This video is a little bit dramatic.

[@amandagloor]

I agree, Canadian and this seems really nice. We have literal food deserts surrounding housing projects on this side of the world. There were so many food shops, and its close to the train to the city, and probably lots of young people around to be friends with.

[@cybair9341]

It is better to have an oversupply of living spaces than not enough like, for example, in California's cities.

[@rich3821]

I live outside of Atlanta. Close to the North Georgia Mountains. With Tree's all around us. This is so alien to me. I could never imagine living in a place like this. it's soul crushing!

[@ozzy2637]

6:46 he mentions about the entrance not being ground level, I would assume having the entrance a meter or two above would be very beneficial in areas prone to snowfalls and or heavy rain. I could be wrong but perhaps that was one consideration when they decided on that. Could also just be the grade of the landscape one end of the building could be below while the other end above?!

[@michaschanny]

Ooooh, I live there. Hello from Murino!)

[@archlich4489]

How's living there?

[@huseyinthegermanturk7920]

Как твой город?

[@MrZarenko]

Привет, сосед!

[@michaschanny]

@Max Schmidt и тебе добра, сосед

[@michaschanny]

@@archlich4489 Not so bad, but the main problem of the city is that there is no transport(

[@ReasonNotFightFlight]

"No children's centers." Honestly, the children's programming and centers is so essential. I lived in Russia as a single worker and as a mother. Upon return to the US, I realized that our culture lacks these sites for children. In Russia, I could take my child to all types of theatre--children's drama, puppets, etc.

[@leonardoflores4362]

Sergei my friend, im from argentina and we have the same problems!! Incredible!! We are so far but so close at the same time; i cant invest on buying a new apartament, so i understand you!! Good video and thank you💪❤👍

[@issecret1]

I don't see the issue. There's a lot of space between buildings and the stores are ok. Add some trees, some schools/children's places and it would be ok. The entrances do seem a mistake, they're bad for accessibility. But if the buildings are built to last, this is quite nice

[@franchi]

The neighborhood is clearly computer designed to disperse an expansion wave of a nuclear bomb

[@wston-v7y]

Seriously?

[@Ballskinicus]

No, he was being facetious. Although they might help.... What you see here is simply residential planning focused around profit and not aesthetics.

[@neilsumanda1538]

these what u get when u play too much minecraft..

[@RoskinGreenrake]

Excellent idea actually, we bomb each other's cities but why spoil the surrounding nature more than we have to? There are already powerful more eco friendly bomb alternatives to nukes but no one would be persuaded to give up the edge just for the eco benefits :(

[@Hugofreddie]

I have spent time in a similar area near Moscow . I can promise you that I have been in many housing estates in the west that are much worse . The flats are secure and comfortable . I would prefer warm comfortable and safe to the hell holes the west provides

[@gerardoconnor8462]

If you like living in a pigeon box good for you

[@stanspb763]

@@coolkingakram. No, these are starter apartments for young couples or elderly moving from older apartments, they start at about $18000. Not many middle class would be there, they would have traded up by now to better locations. In a year or two, there will be large shopping malls and mega grocery stores however so the value of the apartments will increase. The middle class is sticking to the city center, or Petrogradskaya and other diverse areas.

[@xtxt9135]

It could only be better than a few places i seen.

[@Hugofreddie]

@@xtxt9135 indeed . If you go out of Moscow even a small way and move off the main roads the Houses are often way way worse .

[@xtxt9135]

@@Hugofreddie i meant in the west and asia. I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting russia, so i cannot say.

[@Velocifred]

Why in such big country are piled up humans in such buildings ? There is space enough to offer them sunshine and comfort, no ?

[@ghostrun640]

Government & "developers" don't care. In here nobody cares how people live.

[@milaro222]

@@ghostrun640 If the settlements are dispersed, this leads to large expenditures on infrastructure, water supply, sewerage, heating and electrical networks, roads, and no one will be able to buy . If a person wants a separate house, he can build it for himself, many do so.

[@bboucharde]

Sergey, I really appreciate your great videos! One thought: This development is indeed high-density, but it is much better & more modern housing than most people in the world have. I expect that every unit has central heating, hot H2O, kitchen, bathroom with shower, and modern fire safety sensors & sprinklers. Guess what? We could use housing like this in coastal California, where we have an affordability crisis. Finally, these high-rise buildings make very efficient use of land. Holiday Greetings, BBoucharde USA

[@anassyria5176]

Agreed

[@ivansychevainen7076]

It will be hilarious if you will actually start building those modern commieblocks in Cali. Then the ironical name of that state, Commiefornia, would fit it even better

[@bboucharde]

@@ivansychevainen7076, Mid-rise & high-rise apartment buildings (5 stories+) are already common in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Long Beach, & San Diego. But, we need more of them in areas where hypocritical Green Neo-Marxists are concentrated: San Diego's northern suburbs, San Fernando Valley, Ventura-Oxnard, Santa Barbara, Goleta, San Luis Obispo, Monterey area, suburbs of San Jose, SF Peninsula, Berkeley, Contra Costa County, Marin County, Wine Country, and Santa Rosa area.

[@dimmiheev2542]

there are no sprinklers, but there is a fire hydrant on every floor.

[@guitarman1477]

Shut up

[@Zardoz4441]

It looks like a big LEGO-set from above!

[@DarkSlayer010]

This just shows that no nation on earth is exempt from dumb ideas. They happen everywhere.

[@josephaziz4971]

Why would you think Russia would be exempt

[@_o..o_1871]

Joseph Aziz Exactly lol

[@DarkSlayer010]

Joseph Aziz At no point did I imply that Russia is exempt. Maybe you should read my comment again.

[@Lexman00]

LOL the Russian construction company didn't make any mistakes here. They PURPOSELY did it this way because they know they can make more profit, and save more on materials cost using this method. They knew exactly what they were doing.

[@stephennicholas1590]

Harry Martens Some are much worse than others. Some are far better for humans to live.

[@anastasiahey2327]

Market will never regulate this. This can only be changed by government imposed norms and regulations like in the US

[@redpillmale6518]

Another bright idea.... Sherlock.

[@benjames7955]

Wow, that is completely different from where I am from in Ireland. I think small is better!

[@guitarman1477]

You idiot , it’s fucking Russia you nob

[@holoholopainen1627]

You just need Peter The Great - to build You a City at Ireland ! Have You been to Russia ?

[@bagdadaladin8672]

Yeah

[@pinklady7184]

I too am from Ireland. I hate high-rise buildings. I think small is better.

[@linamurakami]

Такой довольный, когда на Восстания из метро выпал😄

[@edschultheis9537]

These area could be improved dramatically if they would just add a few hundred trees and bushes around each building. Planters could even be added on the concrete sidewalks. It also appears that no one is in charge of caring for the small amount of grass that exists.

[@sundok1]

Thank you somuch for showing this Sergey. It really made me see that this kind of city development has gone obsolete. I think this will be an eye opener for a lot of people.

[@darrell3O87OO]

I always enjoy these video's on real estate and ordinary citizens living environment. Just real news from real people. Keep up the good work Sergey.

[@MrInNight]

Reminds me of Perkunkiemis district in Vilnius, just in a bigger scale. My fellows Lithuanians should know what I'm talking about.

[@ligametis]

That district is bad, but I often think that it protected our city centre. If we build such low quality, high capacity districts far away, we avoid overcrowding city centre and building them in place of green spaces, historical structures. What I mean is that lately we started to rapidly increase density in the city centre. Nowadays we build just barely better projects than "Perkunkiemis" right next to the old town, in a lot more sensitive areas. Due to those real estate developments decrease our green spaces, trees are cut, historical buildings demolished. This is clearly happening in Šnipiškės with all those new densely packed 8-10 story apartment buildings. Or even inside old town, like Paupys, where historically nothing similar to those new dense 6 story buildings has ever existed and that area was unique due to nature, lack of urbanization. It is ironical that when Soviet factory stood more nature and historical pre war structures were preserved than after district's "revival" with modern buildings which take even more land area and are built right next to the Vilnelė river.

[@simakautas]

😃😃😃😃

[@dg7438]

Great editing and information. Thanks for sharing your honest opinions

[@irisenamorado]

That is better than the years of the 90s.

[@melofacertainage]

Thieve style of buildings are cold and so dangerous in many, many ways, too many people, crime and GOD forbid, imagine a fire??? It’s scary. Thank you Sergei, another good and informative video!

[@retrojimmyx]

It looks like a mega-city from Judge Dredd.

[@simakautas]

Distopian city😃

[@flyer7799]

Did the developers also build prisons 🤔. It sure reminds me of prisons...

[@RichieRouge206]

Great video my friend. It’s been proven so many times how you cannot keep people in huge numbers together like that.

[@Dizzz127]

I remember being 7 visiting my grandma in a new development. They didn’t have any recreational areas either but at least they had a forest nearby you could go exploring.

[@VladFTA.]

I am from NYC and stayed in Tsarskaya Stolitsa (The neighborhood at the end of the video). Those are great buildings. Quiet, nice, convenient. A few little shops down stairs. Internal court yards. My building had a day care downstairs. Lots of bars and shops on the way from the metro. A beautiful church right outside your window. Parks near by and it's a few blocks from the river. I would absolutely live there permanently in a heartbeat.

[@learndesignwithdev]

What was the rent like and the year/duration of your stay? And nos. of rooms?

[@VladFTA.]

@@learndesignwithdev Well the apartment I stayed at was actually two adjacent apartments combined into one so it was pretty big. Two full bedrooms, two full baths. It was an Airbnb during the world cup so I don't know the real price.

[@majorkade]

yes, people who say it's bad, ought to try it out. when I lived in Bangkok, I enjoyed my apartment, and the ease to get around the city.

[@learndesignwithdev]

@@VladFTA. Ohh, I thought you were there for studies or work assignment. Thanks for the info.

[@ostapbendervan7874]

Look like government BUILDINGs of bronze Damn I cant spell bronze Holy christ

[@xwsftassell]

They'll pull that shit heap down within 20 years.

[@strawberryhaze8836]

To each his own, I'd like to live there. The only problem is parking. Remember, guys, this place is not some stand-alone city in the middle of oklahoma! Who needs parks and entertainment when you have huge and beautiful downtown 30 minutes away?

[@majorkade]

true. many pluses!

[@jazzman5115]

Parks and "green areas" are a must around residential areas in my opinion. I don't want to go to the city center or to the countryside for that, I want to pass by and through them on a daily basis just to lighten up every day life.

[@marcosorduno9203]

I saw a soccer park

[@shonenblade5877]

Unpopular Opinion it’s hard go away from Murino, Devyatkino etc by the car, because of traffic, especially morning/evening

[@shonenblade5877]

Unpopular Opinion buses stop in the same traffic with the cars, because there is only 1 narrow road from Murino to Petersburg

[@Globalurb]

That development would get a couple awards for innovative urbanism and design (especially that pedestrian mall) if it was built recently in the US.

[@TheGladas]

New on this channel after 1 minute I subscribed and gave a like. I love open minded people. Greetings from Poland 🇵🇱

[@realrussiablog]

Welcome!

[@TheGladas]

Baklykov. Live have a good day my friend ! Hope one day russian and polish ppl will be closer together. Unfortunately it’s not happening with these disgraceful politicians from both countries. Keep up the good work ! 👏🏻

[@RovexHD]

Insightful. This is a problem globally. Psychologists have written on the effect of architecture on people’s minds and being a trigger for anti social behaviour and crime.

[@stanspb763]

Crime is very low in St Petersburg possibly because there are so many emotional and intellectual outlets just over the border into the city limits.

[@tequincito1]

Ok, its not Owen's utopia, but is doesn't look like a "ghetto".

[@doubles6508]

Agreed, doesn't look pretty, but doesn't strike me as one of those hoods that you wouldn't walk through without fearing for your safety

[@WildBill-kf2pc]

Double S Give it time it will turn into a ghetto. You will not want to walk the halls. It looks like it now.

[@wethepeople4432]

If you lived in a concrete jungle. You would not make that statement. Just cause it "looks" pretty does not mean the living conditions are. But you are a perfect example when tourist visit Brooklyn ghetto's and see these tall so-called "amazing" structures. They say the same thing, "It doesn't look like a ghetto". And I didn't mention China...

[@stanspb763]

It is not, it is an area that young couples can afford their first home. These people are buying or own them outright so that sort of factor makes them more stable communities. You could walk through any neighborhood in St Petersburg including this one(remember this is not the city, they have no regulation or say because it is in outside the federal city limits of St Petersburg) at 3am alone and not fear unlike similar areas in every western city. Gangs are hanging out, or drug dealers on the street corners. The depressing aspect is lack of green space development and parking. But they are only 25 minutes to the city center with 500 parks and vast arrays of activities using cheap public transportation. Russians tend to live outside the home, there is so much to do out and about and only sleep at home. I moved from a 14 room home in California to a small studio in the city center of St Petersburg in 2000 and did not miss the smaller home at all, I instantly found real freedom in not cluttering up my space and live outside the home with unlimited social and cultural activities. I lived 6 miles from San Francisco over the Gold Gate Bridge in one of the most desirable and expensive areas of the country and moving to that tiny 35sq meter apartment in the heart of St Petersburg was a dramatic step up in quality of life and very very low cost of living. Compared to SPb, SF is a village with limited safe areas and a lack of access to culture and a less friendly atmosphere. And that is about the best in the US.

[@realrussiablog]

Being in Russia and telling about Russian district, I sure never appealed to American-like ghettos. It will be our own Russian version of ghetto.

[@502Chevy]

Love the drone shots Sergey! I agree they have really overdone it in the Murino district. Not one bit surprised to hear that once the apartment is bought you won’t hear from the developer again. Damn shame to put this in such an elegant city.

[@ВладимирПутин-е7м]

What do they look like inside? Are the apprtments spacious? Is each apartment 'unique' or is it identical to the apartments either side? What is the ceiling height? (Ceiling heights ads to the concept of luxury rather than have the ceiling crowding you down). Are the services 'in built into the walls or are they all exposed and hard to hide by 'decore'..?

[@davidbowers912]

How far away to find Podolsk?🇨🇦☮️

[@1956truman]

I agree with you in this is just sad treating the people like cattle. Not a fun video but still a good video my friend.

[@danielt.3152]

You are correct very poor civil planning hard to believe considering the vast alternatives

[@crayopopp7171]

It's just an endless amount of high-rise and flat buildings with no social infrastructure and environment for a comfort living. ...Basically everywhere in VietNam!

[@jimh8340]

very wise coverage of this situation, its a thing the people have to go through. This reminds me of coney island in NYC or certain parts of manhattan where things got overdeveloped and the people had to demand zoning law changes, it takes decades to fix these mistakes as the cost of these buildings has to be spread over many many years to support the government subsidies and mortgages that were used to create them, unfortunately.

[@MashZ]

I have nothing against big buildings themselves. But they all look the SAME! Also, there's nothing else to look at other than tall buildings that all look like each other. Where are the malls, the parks, the schools, and playgrounds? Water body?

[@rd4660]

Crazy. How depressing.

[@BridgesDontFly]

Stop having kids then. Your over populating the world.

[@mrknowmyself]

Bridges Dont Fly you have no logic

[@BridgesDontFly]

@@mrknowmyself No you have no logic. Stop having so many kids and your life will be good. I'll bet your a single mother.

[@BridgesDontFly]

@@mrknowmyself Your complete garbage

[@mrknowmyself]

@@BridgesDontFly haha its about competence do u even realize Paris is the most densly populated city in the world? And wth is about single mom

[@fh-lk3fp]

Well, this kind of architecture remembers me what we called New Cities in France in the 80's. Long and high buildings to put maximum people in it. Nothing for people to have fun and specially for teenagers. The original renters gone away to houses and migrants took place because infrasturture became old and useless. Drug came in with gangs and safety went away. So I hope these places in St Petersbourg will not turn in that way.

[@jross9919]

Future home for rapists and drug dealers

[@alexroeval]

I think this goes for the entire Eastern Europe! The same real-estate boom in Romania also, similar future ghettos!

[@Zuchu4501]

Visited a friend who lives there in early 2020. The place felt strange to me. Now seeing this video explains a lot.

[@stewartrogerson1369]

Excellent report Sergey!

[@americanedokko2782]

Wow, you speak EXCELLENT English! Very interesting vid!👍

[@kotboyarkin5032]

I think that many homeless people in the USA / Europe would be happy with such affordable housing. If not Murino, then people would not have affordable housing. Since people buy apartments there, then they agree to the living conditions there. This means that even more such houses will be built. Many foreign people do not know, and Sergey does not says about this, but in Russia, it is much cheaper to buy a piece of land and build your own house on it. And you can buy land (600 - 1000 m²) with an old house - prices start at $ 3,000. At the same time, you will have your own garden, trees nearby, you can grow fruits and vegetables. But people prefer apartments in Murino, the price of which starts at $ 47,000 for 1 bedroom apartment. Why then do people not buy their houses and land? Because they are lazy and don’t want to keep track of their house and land themselves, they don’t want to clean it, cut grass, they don't want to heat their houses. In the city, others do it for you - you just pay 70-100 dollars per month for everything included (heating, electricity, water, garbage, cleaning). For $47000 you can buy your land in Russia, 30-100 km away from the city and you can build 450+ m² house. But people prefer 36 - 44 m² apartments in Murino for $47 000.

[@realrussiablog]

What you write here is not exactly what I was saying about. Low price is not an excuse for a loosy planning and antihuman anthills with no infrastructure. And no, don't be naive, people are not agreeing on conditions. Go to their VK group and see what they discuss. They all demand for more parking lots, schools, kindergartens, police dept, polyclinics, more road connections with Saint Petersburg, and more.

[@kotboyarkin5032]

@@realrussiablog they got what they paid for.

[@realrussiablog]

And yes, and no. The thing is Russia already have enough of examples of how they develop way better neighborhoods in the same price range.

[@Igr_music_producer]

@@realrussiablog Sergei, unfortunately, near a metro station in St. Petersburg there are no new areas in the same price range. More or less good areas with an average number of storeys are two times more expensive per square meter.

[@mikhailmamontov318]

It is not so bad! I remember 30 years ago when it was a village with collective farm. But it is located on an underground metro line or big train line to go to downtown in about 30 minutes, and it is about 20 minutes from lakes and forests on the train line.

[@novaprime5976]

If it is affordable, then it is better than being homeless.

[@claushellsing]

What do you guys think about the Band Leningrad? It is famous ver there?

[@Matt_from_Florida]

As someone who has owned 4 different houses in the USA I can't imagine living so close together like that. My yard is a pain in the ass to maintain sometimes but I would never give it up. It is good to OWN LAND. In every case for me it has gone up in value. That is not always the case with a condo.

[@learndesignwithdev]

Matt but utilities will be a pain for Russians if they decide to live like US in big plots. It's a cold place and lines for gas, heating will incur extra cost burden on families. Russia is not rich like US. Sad but true.

[@stanspb763]

@@learndesignwithdev Russian cities are much better to live in than US cities but suburbs like this one are not so good due to lack of services. Suburbs in the US are very inefficient so few people do anything but work to support their home and seldom have savings or take vacations. I would estimate there is a 1 in 500 that US suburban residents have ever been to a major museum or seen a real ballet, or seen a real art gallery but they have seen and use fast-food drive-through "restaurants" and have big shopping malls and absolute need for car for each person over 18 in the family. Suburbs are far more soulless than cities or very rural life in the US. The main entertainment is TV watching until falling asleep and starting the commute into work the next morning, traffic jams in the evening and tv again and repeat until the weekend when one is busy taking care of the yard. At least the people in the video have easy access to culture and social activities by cheap public transportation. Russians have a benefit of a lot of public services and a higher PPP rate than US families. It is much cheaper to live in Russia and it is possible to live well with no debt. It is safer, families more secure, have easier access to a great education, and is a friendlier society than the current-day USA. The last time the middle class was healthy and dominate in the US was in the early 1970s but for anyone less than wealthy it is a struggle to live.

[@PerthTowne]

Wow, so many generalizations, and many of them incorrect.

[@Matt_from_Florida]

@@stanspb763 Well those were very sweeping generalizations, the kind only someone who's never traveled around the USA would make. I'll admit I'm not at all the typical American bcuz I decided early on not to go into debt. In fact I even paid off my house last December so I don't owe anyone a cent. My house prior to this one was all alone out in the country with wild-life everywhere and no human noise-pollution. For my current house Google "Baypoint Market 33040." That's the island I live on, about 150Km from the mainland. It's a stilt-house because of the potential for flooding and I have my boat on a dock right behind my house. I don't like living in 'cookie-cutter' suburbs, so I don't.

[@majorkade]

@@stanspb763 some good points

[@SigmaWolf-in2mr]

*I have always wanted to see St. Petersburg. I am grateful to see it with your narration. Great videos. Beautiful City.*

[@SlaMarWa]

You got gray hair Sergey - too much stress.

[@bottomratmom7329]

my grandmother always said "With gray hair comes wisdom and maturity." LOL

[@jonatansteven4905]

too much vodka :)

[@jonatansteven4905]

​@Wiliam Llamas wish u to cure

[@loysdoy9499]

Great point of wiev Sergey, and great video. an important message to authorities. love your accent by the way

[@georgebryandiaz7061]

Very informative video. Thank you for sharing. Best wishes to you this New Year.

[@AtheusMaximus]

Um where are the trees?

[@ChristianDLindsey]

This is the future of humanity everywhere, for those who can afford the increasing cost of real estate. Most of the gutted middle class and working class will live in flavelas and the poorest will live in homeless Camps a few dozen miles outside of cities.

[@ItaloDiscoFreak77]

So right and sad!

[@nikto7-b1b]

Move to the countryside. Idk how it is in your country, but in Russia it would be much cheapier then living in a city. Idk why people actually still tend to move to the cities, seems like some kind of masochism to me.

[@kredit787]

Ugly and soulless concrete boxes, apartments shouldn't be higher than single level.

[@MustObeyTheRules]

Yep, all the people saying “oh it’s not that bad” are full of shit. That place looks soul killing. Couldn’t imagine being able to smile living there.

[@archlinuxrussian]

California would like to have a word with you (I say that in jest, but seriously...density is not inherently bad, neither is height, but design and planning can outweigh any problems facing those :) )

[@MustObeyTheRules]

Oleg Bauer no I definitely wouldn’t. I’m not you

[@stanspb763]

@@MustObeyTheRules Western-style single-family home Suburbs are far worse for the soul. Having to have a car for any need since low-density housing has to be larger and very inefficient, every system of a home has to be repeated in thousands of houses that cover many sq km per thousand people. High rise with central heating, power and water systems means lower cost and less expensive maintenance.. Anyone has to drive many km of groceries or work and fighting traffic to get back into the city center for entertainment or fine dining from the suburbs leads to being isolated in the US. Here in St Petersburg, it cost $0.70 ( 45rubbles) to get into the heart of the city in 25 minutes by metro(fast deep underground subway that is spotlessly clean beautiful and reliable) I was never a city person, growing up in suburbs in California I headed for the mountains for my first purchased home a small house on 20 hectares of land with the nearest neighbor being 1 km away was great. But I did enjoy visiting cities and never would live in the soulless suburbs again, I moved to St Petersburg Russia 20 years ago and love this city life, right in the heart of things and never bothered with a car. The access to culture, art, social activities, museums concerts drama, all within walking distance or like tonight heading out to dance in a club until they close at 6am. LOVE IT. None of that is available in western suburbs or even western cities with very few exceptions.

[@jiritichy6855]

How big are the apartments and how much they cost???

[@gxcreator]

"1-room" flat with kitchen, balcony, toilets and bathroom, all ~40 square meters costs ~80k usd. Maintenance cost for electricity, heating, water, etc is ~70 dollars per month.

[@lemming9984]

What are these apartments like inside? Spacious? Well equipped?

[@command_unit7792]

I actually love this its cheaper to live just outside saint petersburg and the metro system ending there it is very attractive to me! I might buy an apartment there if the price is good!

[@stanspb763]

They start at about $18,000 and go up depending on view and size. The biggest complaint is from car owners having to search for one of the few parking spaces. In the city proper one does not need a car at all and if fact life is easier without one.