Everyone who lived in the Soviet Union and many today would immediately recognize this brutalsky reinforced concrete fence with diamond pattern.

Its official name is PO-2 Fence Slab. It was designed in the 1970s by Boris Lakhman, chief architect of Mosgorstroymaterialy.

He was tasked with creating a functional, durable, and aesthetically pleasing fence that could serve several important purposes at once.

Lakhman proposed three design options, but the cheapest and easiest to manufacture was the diamond pattern that was destined to become classic.

The raised diamond pattern creates the interplay of light and shadow making it pleasing to the eye; rain easily washes off dirt and dust from the surface making it low-maintenance; diamond-shaped panels increase the structure’s strength and reduces noise – the special shape of the panels disperses and reflects sound.

It was originally intended to protect state facilities like military units, factories, railway stations, prisons, etc but it has become ubiquitous and has been used everywhere where a fence is needed.

The first diamond-shaped concrete fence was presented at VDNKh, an exhibition center of national achievements, in 1974. Lakhman received a bronze medal and 50 rubles, roughly equivalent of $400 in today’s money. In 2025, one panel of PO-2 fence costs ~$100.

After the exhibition, the fence began to be installed en masse in major cities: Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, and Tbilisi. It quickly gained popularity due to its practicality and durability, and eventually spread throughout the USSR.

In 1981, Boris Lakhman emigrated to the United States and began working for architectural firms in New York designing shopping centers and restaurants.

Yet the diamond pattern reinforced concrete fence would remain his greatest achievement becoming one of the most recognizable symbols of Soviet architecture.