The topic of public space - public spaces - has been developing for more than a decade, dozens of approaches to the formation of a high-quality public space have been developed in the world: from test time models to the use of design thinking methods. Russia, on the other hand, is again catching up with the world at an accelerated pace.
What research and design methods are most effective when working on public spaces? What original formats of public spaces have been created recently? How is the shape defined for unique features? How are design thinking and cultural programming methods used? Where and how can standards be applied, and where are original solutions needed?
We have invited several representatives of leading Moscow bureaus to discuss these issues. Within the framework of the round table, moderated by the architect and urban planner Yaroslav Kovalchuk, as well as Elena Petukhova, director of special projects at Archi.ru, they presented the most interesting and characteristic examples of new spaces with different functions.
Anastasia Izmakova, the leading architect of the Wowhaus bureau, spoke about the development and implementation of a unique concept of the City Farm at VDNKh: where citizens can get experience of communicating with pets, learn various crafts, and take care of the garden and vegetable garden. KB 23 took part in the work on the concept, which prepared an exhaustive study and developed an economic model for the functioning of the future farm.
Yuliy Borisov, head of the UNK Project bureau, presented three projects at once, demonstrating a new interpretation of the concept of "improvement" with an emphasis on the word "good". On the square next to the reconstructed Luzhniki swimming pool, the promenade along the office complex on Prospekt Vernadsky and in the complex project for the development of the former industrial zone, the architects of the UNK Project bureau create comfortable spaces and services focused on specific social groups.
Sergey Pereslegin and Georgy Trofimov, partners of the Kleinewelt Architekten bureau, spoke about the already sensational project for the reconstruction of the park territory around the Northern River Port. The concept was named "Park of Five Seas" and is a combination of the restored historical structure of a regular park with a new system of objects and paths connecting them, reminiscent of river beds connecting Moscow with the northern and southern seas. The project, as always with Kleinewelt Architekten, is based on a large-scale study of all aspects of the park's existence: historical, cultural, landscape, social and architectural.
Buromoscow architect Ivan Solomin presented a project for the development of the Dynamo park in the city of Khabarovsk, which won first place in the competition of concepts for the development of public spaces in 15 cities of Russia, organized this year by AHML and KB Strelka. The main feature of the park is a pronounced relief with a large difference in elevation and ravines, which the architects were able to use to divide the territory into several functional zones, emphasizing them with an individual structure of the landscape. In the work on the Buromoscow project, they actively used information received from social groups and communities that have developed around the park.
Andrey Asadov, head of the A. Asadov Workshop bureau, showed three examples of creating public spaces of different scale: from a clearly zoned with the help of relief and landscaping of the courtyard of the Archimedes residential complex in Sergiev Posad, to a project for the reconstruction of a small city park in Krasnoznamensk and to a complex the concept of a residential area on the site of the old airport in Saratov. On an area of 220 hectares, the architects have created a development that meets all the latest requirements and uses the most promising approaches to the formation of a living environment.
Within the framework of the round table, various methods of working with public spaces were discussed. But all participants agreed that a successful and viable concept can only be created taking into account the specifics of the place and the needs of the people who will use this space. However, standard solutions are suitable as an answer to typical or local problems - although in any case, architects need to master and apply research approaches and methods, strive to make any project addressable.
The round table was organized and conducted with the support of the Committee for Architecture and Urban Planning of Moscow and the Union of Moscow Architects.
