Series of city objects

For the New Year issue of the Afisha magazine we devised several city objects. They are all ideal in our eyes, because they combine hi-tech with reality. The keyword is reality.

Public transport stop

The stop is built as a flat pole with an information display. On top of the pole sits a letter to signify the kind of transport—an autobus, a trolley bus or a tram. At the eye level the pole has a monitor with a timetable and the map of the district. Buses, trolley buses and trams are equipped with GPS receivers that send information to the central control unit. The information is also registered on the display of the stop, right on the map. So it’s always clear whether you have enough time to have a smoke. Passengers are supposed to have an umbrella to shelter themselves from rain, and a coat with a cap to protect themselves from snow. There is no place to sit, and no place to shit.

Public toilet

There’s no point in making believe we are Europeans and install meaningless and costly street toilets that are automatically cleaned up. Porta potties don’t have lights inside, they are always filthy, make an impression of plastic coffins and utterly absurd things. The best john is the one fast-food restaurants already have—a warm, clean and free one. And, in accordance with law, they should let you use it.

Drink vendors

As many drink vendors as necessary are lined up. Available are coffee, cocoa, black and green tea, milk, lemonades, juices, nectars, carbonated and still water, cider, low-alcohol drinks, cocktails etc. The vending machines have coin, bill and card slots. After the money is deposited, the machine gives the buyer a paper (not plastic) cup and fills it with a drink.

City trash can

No matter how many trash cans there are in the city, it still feels better to throw litter on the ground. To bring fun and use together, we developed an underground litter receptacle, i.e. a bucket installed flush with the asphalt surface and covered with a grate. City folks get rid of their litter in a customary way, the janitor empties the receptacle from time to time. One of the positive features of this construction is its protection against terror attacks. After an explosion the shock wave will travel upwards and won’t damage any people around. After all, terrorists will figure out that planting trotyl or hexogen bombs in such a trash can is a financially unsound strategy.

Lamp post

The original construction we are proposing is a circular illuminated post. The post is covered with matrices of ultra-bright light-emitting diodes, which make it a nearly ever-burning lamp, because light-emitting diodes live longer than gas-discharge lamps or light bulbs, and even if 50% of diodes burn out, the lamp post will still illuminate the city. The problem of illuminating the road and the sidewalk is solved here, too.