Housing in the "new city"

The Real-Estate in Baikonur belongs to the Public sector (Russian State, City Council...?). As no privatisation progammes have taken place since the collapse of the Soviet Union, apartments are rent and maintenance is under the responsibility of the local authorities.
No Real-Estate agencies can be see in town. No advertising in the local newspaper supports a private housing market.
Therefore, like in many urban places in Russia, building blocks for habitation look in average, compared to our Western standards, in extremely poor conditions. Particularly for the eldest ones that have been constructed in the early 60 ies, more precisely between 1958 and 1968 at the time the city was still a settlement called "Leninskii settlement".
Here under is an example of a poorly maintained habitation.
Location: on Korolev Avenue, 200m away to Hotel Sputnik.

But of course all habitation blocks are not in these devastated conditions.
Two official companies in Baikonur are in charge of construction and renovation today.
Recently, new habitation blocks have been constructed

Credits: Raphael
while other have been renovated providing to Baikonur inhabitants a better conditions of life.
Location: in the center, on the Abai Avenue, close to the technical school.

It is worth to mention that quiet a few habitation blocks in the center have been ''walled'' to apparently prevent squatting or other kind of illegal habitation. These building left empty may reflect the "relocation" of some inhabitants in more modern constructions combined with a large exodus of people leaving Baikonur in the mid 90 ies?...

Between these extreme, devastated, renovated and walled blocks, the picture below likely represents the average of the habitation in Baikonur.
Location: in the street opposite to the Orthodox Church, East side of the town.

Some higher constructions have been erected in the late 70ies to respond at the time to the growth of the city which was renamed Leninsk in 1968.
Location: "Microrayon" area, in the South/west part of the city.

View on the other side, from the play ground.

This model of construction is fundamentally not very different from what has massively been built in most of the countries of the European Union after 1950. The big difference with the communist countries is likely the maintenance and the renovation process...

But there are also some "cosy" houses in the old center of Baikonur, like on the Arbat for instance

or close to it, near Shubnikov street,

where you may feel that architects also wanted to add a touch of aesthetics to the pure functionality of their construction style. Here a 'glass canopy'' (in wrought iron) over the steps,

and here, some carved or molded ornaments on the facade.

Few other questions may come after the outer appearance, such as:

• Are these apartments nicely configured to accommodate families?
  
• Are there technically better equipped and maintained inside than outside?
  
• how interiors can be decorated to forget these austere facades?
  

May be quiet interesting topics for students in Architecture...