Images of a “Good Life” in the Post-Socialist City: The Case of the New Housing Estates in Vilnius

Dalia Čiupailaitė-Višnevska
Institute of Sociology and Social Work at Vilnius University

This presentation examines the marketing messages employed by new residential complexes constructed in the Vilnius city municipality between 2014 and 2022. The research focuses on analyzing the concepts of housing and city life presented to potential buyers, the descriptions used, the themes associated with desirable home life, and the connection established between the home and the city. The aim is to reconstruct a utopian vision that is representative of the specific time period under investigation.
Housing, as the primary component of the urban landscape, plays a significant role in shaping the opportunities, resources, and experiences of individuals and households within an urban context. In addition to personal experiences, the location of housing, the spatial layout of the estate, and the relationships with other urban elements contribute to specific “spatial practices” (Lefebvre, 1991) associated with urban living.
The proliferation of mass housing construction since the year 2000, without a centralized urban development and housing policy, has led to the commodification of production and distribution. These newly developed residential areas have had a significant impact on the spatial structure of the city and contribute to a narrative surrounding the definition of a good life within a post-socialist urban environment, as well as influencing perceptions and experiences of home and the city. The marketing messages employed for these residential areas convey the benefits of living at home and establish a framework for the relationship between residents and the city, offering a system of values and priorities for both home and urban living.
This research builds upon a previous study conducted between 1990 and 2014 that examined the marketing messages of housing projects. This earlier investigation revealed themes that reflected both continuity and discontinuity with the socialist “space” (as conceptualized by Henri Lefebvre) and the privatism (Sonia Hirt 2012) principle that defined these relationships. The analysis of the projects undertaken between 2014 and 2022 aims to identify how these themes have evolved as the housing market has matured and consolidated.