Why on the Soviet windows hung concrete visors

concrete visor A multi-storey house in Soviet times was a common thing. But why would you need it? Modern young people, who see such miracles of architectural thought, only surprisingly open their hands. And curious tourists would be glad to get an explanation, but often no one can explain.

And today's edition. "Site" He suggests talking about the concrete visors that “decorated” the windows of old Soviet apartment buildings. What is the extremely necessary function performed by these strange at first glance things?



In the USSR there were enough talented builders and architects who did everything dependent on themselves to make Soviet citizens live more comfortable. It worked with varying success. But if necessary, the citizens themselves showed wonders of ingenuity and at the expense of cunning life hacks solved almost any problem.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Glebov Poultry Farm (@glebovkanostalgie)



But why did you need a visor over the window? One legend claims that such designs made the housing of Soviet citizens stronger. And in the case of military operations (shelling, etc.), concrete visors could serve as a kind of protection.

It is curious that many people are satisfied with such an explanation. But although concrete partitions are clearly stronger than glass, they will not be able to protect the window from bullets and shells. Therefore, such an explanation is nothing more than fiction. And you shouldn't take him seriously.



But if you look at it well, concrete visorsIt is easy to see that each consists of two parallel partitions, which form a rectangular hole between them. And the version that such a design helped ventilate the house, willingly believe.

And indeed, to cope with the heat residents of high-rise buildings (especially in the southern regions of the huge country) was not easy. After all, air conditioners were not very affordable, and fans were useless. So we had to solve the issue of ventilation at the construction stage.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Marina Silver (@marina._.serebro)



This visor worked like an airplane wing, accelerating air exchange with the street. For example, if you open a window, light warm air is the first to leave the room, making room for cold outdoor air. A kind of thrust is formed, thanks to which ventilation occurs.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by the USSR around us! (@sovet_echo)



But when such warm indoor air on its way meets such a well-thought-out architects obstacle in the form of a visor, it begins to move even faster. As a result, the housing is ventilated perfectly and in a short time. This allowed residents to feel comfortable at home even in the hot summer.



It is true that they were effective. concrete visors Only for wooden windows with windows. But together with plastic windows, they were useless. However, the dismantling of such structures was extremely difficult. So it was easier to leave them. So they hang, surprising everyone who has not understood their true purpose.