Pre-WWII USSR did it first, actually: they had a huge apartment building effort since the late 20s all throughout the 30s in the cities due to forced urbanization and industrialization. Most of it was obliterated during the WWII. Then, of course, there was post-war reconstruction of 1945-1953; and only then they got this post-1955 Khrushchevka style of buildings, with no design, no paint, no decorations etc.
Pre-WWII USSR did it first, actually: they had a huge apartment building effort since the late 20s all throughout the 30s in the cities due to forced urbanization and industrialization. Most of it was obliterated during the WWII. Then, of course, there was post-war reconstruction of 1945-1953; and only then they got this post-1955 Khrushchevka style of buildings, with no design, no paint, no decorations etc.