Brave, Bizarre and Brutalist Bus Stops Captured by Christopher Herwig

Such a strange thing to collect, but when you see these unique structures it really makes sense. Canadian photographer Christopher Herwig biked across Europe in the early 2000s setting himself the challenge of taking a compelling photo every hour, and found he was captivated by the crumbling and quirky structures of Soviet bus stops.

Very niche to be sure, but it sparked an interest that would span of 12 years covering more than 18,000 miles across 14 countries of the former Soviet Union. The feat was documented by the film aptly titled Soviet Bus Stops, following Herwig as he even tracked down some of the creators.

None of these structures would I really term ‘beautiful’ but there is a creativity here that feels wonderfully experimental. We have moved past the need to shelter and rest while waiting for the uncertainty of public transport, here it’s as if the architects had a little licence for fun, to stretch the notion of what a bus stop could be.

From Moldova, Uzbekistan, Armenia and Georgia to name just a few, these crumbling structures will soon be no more. Some of the designers saw it as a chance for creative freedom, to break from the collective narrative, a little bit of local expressionism and architectural freedom.

Originally found at Design Boom.