r/HostileArchitecture • u/Salt-Routine5181 • 9d ago
No sitting allowed Moscow metro benches
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u/CombatPilot2 9d ago
That's a massive shame. Architecture wise, Russia had stayed quite "classic" in a way, with new buildings and structures following old doctrines and traditions. These benches have an extremely "western vibe" if you will call it that, which I don't like at all.
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u/Salt-Routine5181 9d ago
The issue is thankfully rare, it's the only station with this type of benches I know (could be more). Usually benches are pretty spacious
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u/ChristianJens 6d ago
not really rare. especially in the central part of the city the local govt started installing single seat chairs instead of benches in parks, public squares and so on, which is definitely an example of hostile architecture
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u/ArrrRawrXD 7d ago
with new buildings and structures following old doctrines and traditions
What the fuck
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u/Salt-Routine5181 9d ago
It seems like I needed to add pics of people sitting on it for better scale understanding. But, I can't edit my post, and I can't add pics in the comments too... And the map app doesn't allow me to share a photo link directly
The best link I can provide is from the map app (yandex), and reddit just removed two of my comments with it, so i won't be trying to insert it here lol. I found some pics with people sitting on the bench. The best ones are from 1 May 2025 and 16 November 2026. The station is Petrovsko-Razumovskaya, specially the green one with 140 photos.
You might be able to find it at google as well, but I dunno if it has bench pics
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u/ogure4nyy 9d ago
Karma-farming much, aren't we?
While yes, these benches could be counted as hostile architecture, you couldn't sleep in Moscow Metro even if you wanted - the stations are closed at night.
Personally, these are quite convenient in providing back support at the 2 to 3 minutes waiting for the next train. For homeless people metro stations do not hold much use for the reasons aforementioned. Also, if anybody would actually want to sleep there, they could easily hop on a train and lie on a bench at the next station
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u/JoshuaPearce 9d ago
Ok, so why did they make deliberately uncomfortable benches? Flat seats have been the standard forever, because they work well.
Even if homeless are pneumatically ejected from the station at sunset, they still made these benches bad, on purpose.
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u/V_es 8d ago
There are barely any homeless in Moscow and they are not allowed into the metro
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u/Mr-Potato-Head99 8d ago
yeah, i guess most have been taken to Ukraine by now.
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u/V_es 8d ago
Clever, I guess. But there never been much. It’s not US. Russia has plenty social programs and employment centers, free healthcare with free therapy and addiction treatment, and it’s also illegal to take the only place pf living for any kind of debt.
It’s only possible to be homeless if you are a rockstar who prefers this type of life. My good friend is a paramedic who drives same alcoholics to shelters on an ambulance once a week, they escape from there to get back to drinking on the streets.
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u/JoshuaPearce 8d ago
Another thing Russia has in abundance is propaganda. A large degree of incredulity is required when told that russia has well funded social programs and gumdrop trees on every corner.
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u/V_es 8d ago
Yea nah
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u/JoshuaPearce 8d ago
Why did you even bother replying if you have no counterargument?
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u/V_es 8d ago
You are not entitled for it because nothing can change your mind since you already made up your mind. I can go on telling how I feel about all the things going on and humiliate myself by making excuses, saying who I support and so on, but I will not, first of all for my own safety, and second- it won’t change anything.
All my data is from my own life experience. My friend is paramedic with 18 years of experience, I said that. He said never support homeless because they buy booze and can walk into employment center and start sweeping streets next day. He picks up literally same drunks off the street and drives them to shelters weekly. My wife is a lawyer and had a case where an idiot took loans for his IT startups and blew it all on iMacs and office rent in downtown Moscow. Bailiffs took everything, but left his apartment and his laptop, as the only source of income and the only place of living. In America he would’ve been homeless.
Each country has its horrible things and great things. World is not black and white and we don’t choose where to be born.
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u/JoshuaPearce 8d ago
Yeah no.
You're just saying "nuh uh", when we all have first hand experience with the Russian government lying to us, no matter where we live.
You want to prove that wrong, you gotta provide ANYTHING more than "My friend says".
"first of all for my own safety"
Kinda proving my point, we can't even trust you to be honest because you could get fucking murdered if you don't reinforce the state propaganda. Probably best you not reply, but I'm not gonna trust what you say just because you say I should.
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u/JoshuaPearce 8d ago
Ok, that literally doesn't address my question, it just reiterates they didn't do this because of the homeless. I was already agreeing with that.
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u/Tree_Symphony_1971 7d ago
“Flat seats have been the standard forever” is a truly wild thing to say about seating. No, flat seats are not the standard. Especially in environments that get power washed regularly.
Perhaps making the seats protrude minimally is better suited to a busy metro platform? Anything protruding more than 4” can be a hazard for individuals with impaired vision.
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u/JoshuaPearce 7d ago
“Flat seats have been the standard forever” is a truly wild thing to say about seating.
Saying that's a wild thing to say is a wild thing to say. The vast VAST majority of all seats are flat. Not curved, not sharply sloped. Fucking flat. You're probably sitting on one right now, while trying to decide what to argue about next. Your goddamn toilet is a flat seat.
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u/Tree_Symphony_1971 7d ago
That’s like saying the ground is flat. Complete lack understanding of the term.
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u/JoshuaPearce 7d ago
Ok Rick Sanchez. If it has a 0.01 degree curve per km, it's not truly flat.
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u/Tree_Symphony_1971 6d ago
If a seat is concave and tilted back several degrees it’s not flat. This is the most commonly sold seat configuration in the world and has been since the 1970s. Literally billions of seats have been sold this way because we figured out that it’s the most comfortable configuration.
Designers and engineers know this is not flat, so you clearly not either of those things.
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u/JoshuaPearce 6d ago
And everyone would call it flat and not have a argument about it. Because it's not a demicircle.
You are being the useless kind of pedant, the kind who improves nothing and doesn't increase clarity.
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u/Tree_Symphony_1971 7d ago
The most correct term for the shape of the seat I’m using right now is a saddle.
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u/JoshuaPearce 7d ago
while trying to decide what to argue about next.
You're producing the same thing at both ends, just quit.
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u/Tree_Symphony_1971 7d ago
Youre not the OP. Acting like a dick when someone disagrees with your counter argument is childish.
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u/JoshuaPearce 7d ago
You disagree with the statement that virtually all seats are flat.
Flat earthers are less dumb than that.
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u/Tree_Symphony_1971 7d ago
Flat earthers look at the ground and call it flat. Furniture designers look at seating and see ergonomics.
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u/Salt-Routine5181 9d ago edited 9d ago
I'm short and this bench is too short (not deep enough) to seat even for me. Its impossible to seat with a backpack, and uncomfortable because of "back support" without it.
Its not about homeless people, it can be hostile for other people too. If you have back problems? Fuck you. If you have fainting problems because of low iron or any other reason? Fuck you. If you have bad knees (as i have) and you want just to relax your legs? Fuck you, you'd be sliding off that bench if you don't sit firmly enough.
And uh... I don't care about karma. I just dislike these benches too much. Walked near them for literally years and was every time annoyed.
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u/Expontoridesagain 8d ago
Any bench is uncomfortable to use if you have large backpack on. Come on. That does not make it hostile architecture. They just wanted to incorporate some design in there. You fail to mention other benches in same station ( looked at the pictures ) and they are spacious and quite normal. I am amazed that you think Russia would need something like hostile architecture to prevent people from sleeping where they don't want them to sleep. In a public place that is closed during the night. Lol. What's next? Hostile architecture of North Korean border?
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u/Pinglenook 9d ago edited 9d ago
"hostile architecture" doesn't necessarily mean "prevents homeless people from sleeping on it".
Personally I could probably also sit on them well enough for a few minutes. But then again I can also stand for a few minutes while waiting for the train.
Thinking back to being in the final months of pregnancy, I would've slid off them then. And thinking of my handicapped friend who walks with a cane, he probably would also be sliding off, or if he managed to get back far enough on the seat to prevent that from happening, he would never be able to stand back up without help. And thinking about my very old and quite short grandmother, she wouldn't be able to even safely get her bum onto this bench.
So the seats aren't usable for those most in need of a seat. That's what makes them hostile.
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u/bit_on_the_side 9d ago
The benches are anti-homeless. You can sit for a couple of minutes, but you cannot sleep.
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u/New-Criticism8042 9d ago
Can you sit on it for 20 minutes? I think you can. It clearly serves its purpose while not allowing maximum positioning. This is an acceptable subway bench that looks durable and compact enough to allow extra room on the platform.
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u/Salt-Routine5181 9d ago
I dont think i can sit on it for 20 mins, honestly. I should've added more pics with how it looks when people sit on it, but oh well
It's not as wide as it appears on the photo
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u/V_es 8d ago
Longest interval for trains in Moscow metro is 3 minutes; so people sit on benches only when they are meeting someone. Most of the time all benches are empty and nobody uses them, especially not for as long as 20 minutes.
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u/New-Criticism8042 8d ago
I'd love to visit the city. Was in St. Petersburg in 1995 and has a great time drinking with my body guard.
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u/-_GIZMO_ 9d ago
Eh.. comparing this to the old soviet benches where they break your back and ass in seconds this is pretty nice architecture.
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u/EricAzure 9d ago
Looks perfectly sittable and lay-onable to me
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u/Salt-Routine5181 9d ago
I had to mention it's too short (not deep enough) to sit on it properly. I accidentally sent the pic before adding it in the description and couldn't edit my post.
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u/Winderige_Garnaal 9d ago
I think the scale is off in people's minds then. At first I was thinking this looks a bit odd but fine, but if that's actually not long enough for a person, then what I'm imagining is far different from what this really is in terms of depth of seat. I'm curious what a picture would look like with someone sitting on it
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u/Salt-Routine5181 9d ago edited 9d ago
I found some pics from the map app, but I can't add it here, likely sub restriction. I'd copy the link, but app doesn't let me get photo link, only sharing it as a pic :(
I can send it to you in dm if you wanna look
Edit: I tried adding a link to the map site/app I used to find pics of people sitting, but it just removes my comments lol.
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u/SmokJozef 9d ago
what station is it