Archi.ru: The development of public spaces has become a very popular topic in Russia. Modern approaches and formats are being introduced into practice more and more actively. What do you think is the reason for such an increase in interest?
Edouard Moreau: I think that for a long time public spaces in Russia were ignored and were in a rather deplorable state. Therefore, when at first Gorky Park changed dramatically, and then the Crimean Embankment appeared, the design of public spaces became a real trend. And now every city wants its own park or waterfront. But the problem is that it happens methodically incorrectly, and as a result it is not effective. The decision on where to invest the money available to the city administration, what space to transform, is taken in many cases by chance, without taking into account all the features of the selected territory and a set of factors. The main concern of decision-makers is the "red lines" that outline the border of the territory, embankment, park or square. The space is considered within the boundaries of these lines, without connection with the surrounding buildings. Public space creates values - social, cultural, economic, broadcast and work together with the surrounding area, but the city is unable to see and use this value. Money is invested, a wonderful park or square is built on them, and then the city begins to wait for some changes - activities, an increase in attendance, the rise of small business, and so on, and does not receive it, due to an error in the approach to planning and programming the entire territory … If you bring the best designer in the world to the project, but you don't build the process well, the project will still fail.
The correct method of working on public space is just as important as design. In my public speeches and at meetings with customers, I urge people not to limit themselves to the “red lines”, but to look at the area as a whole. Half of the success depends on setting the project boundaries correctly. By including in them not only the public space itself, but also the public and private land around, you create a coherent environment - what I call "complex territory." You are rebuilding and renovating the city on a different level. You have a mechanism of coordination between private and public interests, which guarantees the effectiveness of the constructed scheme for the development of the territory.
What other challenges do you face when developing public space projects?
EM.: In modern Russia, the legacy of the Soviet Union is still strong, where all urban development followed the letter of the general plan, with its rigid system and dogmatic standards, which in no way took into account the needs and specifics of a particular project. But each territory is unique and for complex large-scale tasks it is necessary to develop an original methodology for their solution, as well as create a special team capable of interacting with each other and solving interdisciplinary and intersectoral problems.
Discoordination is a worldwide problem. In any country in the world, participants in a single process, customers, designers, experts representing various departments (transport, municipal services, heritage protection, tourism and ecology) cannot build a dialogue. Unfortunately, in Russia, local authorities are predominantly busy with their own affairs, so in most cases they cannot ensure such coordination. There are exceptions, though. For example, in Kaliningrad this coordinating function was taken over (and quite successfully) by the NP “Urban Development Bureau“Heart of the City”.
In our projects, we ourselves try to create a mixed team, consisting at the initial stages of at least 2-3 people, which will be responsible for the development of the territory project and ensure communication with all interested parties. Only in this way, by combining efforts, it is possible to enter a new round of development of Russian urbanism.
What does it take to make a difference?
EM.: I think the main thing is to raise awareness on this issue and the level of qualifications of local managers. Often, departments do not even try to interact. The Ministry of Urban Planning receives the papers from the Ministry of Transport - and there is no dialogue between them. They take everything for granted and continue to work in the style of zoning and master plan. But in reality, these processes must be integrated. Whether it is a local official, mayor, chief architect, or the head of a relevant department, at all levels of the system, people need to understand what exactly shapes the urban environment. This is done by all the elements in the complex: transport, economics, planning, ecology. Therefore, it is so important to improve the qualifications of all participants in the process at the regional level.
Have powerto her it is possible to start and control the process from above. What is the role of local communities? Can they be involved in the process and how can they be useful?
EM.: Communities should definitely be involved in the work on the project. Their participation and the collaboration of designers with them makes the process open. Often in Russia, the world of development exists in the format of disparate isolated groups. The reason lies both in the general lack of trust between people, and in the cardinal differences in the goals of activity. By making the process more open and transparent for all participants, you create a spirit of cooperation that multiplies the quality and vitality of the decisions you make. An example of such cooperation is the reconstruction project of the existing Oktava plant in Tula, in which the consolidation of interests, often contradictory, of several stakeholders was of decisive importance.
Ekaterina Goldberg: For me, the most interesting thing about working with Edward is his willingness and openness to cooperate with communities and various participants in the process. Many architects in Russia are suspicious of the public and its possible reaction to the project. While Edward sees an advantage in this contact, a source of inspiration and extraordinary ideas. Feedback and interaction with an active and constructive-minded part of the local community helps us to take the project to the next level.
EM.: I am sure that the ideas of transparency and participation are not a matter of culture or communication skills. Rather, it is about presenting the benefits or the useful input that can be made by the various stakeholders in the process. In this sense, collaboration is not limited to consulting. It can be implemented in various formats: through joint construction, cultural programming and space festivals, or mobilizing people and attracting a new audience. The main thing is the transparency of the process and the willingness to cooperate not only between local residents and architects, but between architects and local authorities, stakeholders and potential investors, potential investors and local authorities.
Even after 12 years of working with public spaces in Russia, I always admire how much live energy I find in every city and project. It can come from an initiative group, a local community, a theater group, or a school. And you need to open the space for this energy, let it into the project. Don't just ask people, “What would you like to see here?” But actively involve them in the concept development process. It's difficult - almost like running an orchestra, but vital. In Russia, this phenomenon is still a novelty, but every year there will be more and more examples of such an approach to the development of territories.
Townspeople ready for this kind of interaction?
EM.: Certainly! The energy level in Russia is amazing, people here are ready to create new things. The only brake on development is a lack of trust. In many cities, people have little understanding of what an open, transparent work process is. Therefore, the more conferences such as “Revitalization of small towns through the involvement of local people in cultural practices”, the better.
E. G.: Now every example is especially valuable, every successful case where this principle of trust is clearly manifested: Tatarstan, the Art-Ovrag festival, the Octava cluster in Tula, private museums in Kolomna, and so on. Popularization and exchange of experience allow us to overcome the inertia of regional authorities and developers, demonstrating what benefits they can get from joining efforts.
Tell us about the specifics of Russian redevelopment projects. How could you characterize it using Octave as an example? What difficulties did you face? How much easier or more difficult was it to work on this project than on public space projects?
EM.: I don't think it was easier. Working with local communities is always difficult. But it was necessary to do this, because we came to a city in which there were almost no spaces intended for people.
The project was implemented very quickly. We didn't have time for rework or doubts. Less than a year was spent on everything: concept creation, architectural renovation and construction support. You can call this the "zero version" of the project. It was a serious challenge for us, especially considering that it was necessary to adapt a huge complex to the needs and requirements of a relatively small city in terms of population. If we had three years at our disposal, we would have decided some points differently. But the deadlines were extremely tight, and the more valuable is the fact that the first step was nevertheless taken and the result had already proved the success of the decisions made. Octava lives on and is very popular. During the year of its operation, the cluster has become a new center of attraction: more than 300 events of various levels have taken place in Oktava, more than 70,000 people have attended it.
But we want the cluster to develop further, so that people feel like the owners of the created space and independently moderate the scenarios for its use, and not only on the days of some events, but every day.
E. G.: It's like a chain reaction: as soon as an event is organized, it attracts an audience that is ready to be active. But the next stage will come when people want to come up with their own projects and will be more actively involved in the formation of the Octava event program. This will take time, of course. Now the cluster team is working on the next stages of the project for the development of the plant's territory, which will involve local communities and local projects.
Octava is a unique experience for Russia. The speed of development and implementation of the project, the quality of design and infrastructural solutions, the sophistication and level of the cultural component - have no analogues. How did this become possible?
EM.: A unique situation developed at Oktava - several factors combined: the project has a private investor Mikhail Shelkov and there was a strong desire on the part of the customer - GK Rostec. In addition, the project was also implemented with the active support of the Governor of the Tula Region. The first made it possible to implement the project quickly and efficiently, but without the second there would not have been such a rich and varied program. There was that very energy that made working on the project not only fantastically interesting, but also enjoyable. All were focused on achieving maximum results.
E. G.: When we presented our ideas to Rostec, we immediately found mutual understanding. Despite the fact that we are a young team, they understood our values and supported them. The very trust developed very quickly, without which it would have been impossible to implement such a complex project with the participation of dozens of Russian and foreign experts in the fields of urban planning, urban planning, culture and art, industrial design and marketing, and business.
IAre there projects of public spaces and redevelopment as parts of a single process of transformation of Russian cities in the post-industrial period?
EM.: Certainly. Moreover, we are promoting the idea that public spaces should be integrated through redevelopment, ideally simultaneously, within the framework of comprehensive territorial development projects. For example, we have developed a renovation plan for the area adjacent to Octave, taking into account how the cluster will affect the surrounding urban environment. This process must be controlled and directed. You can't just passively wait for change. It is necessary to create a viable and self-developing urban ecosystem, with functions and programs that work for the future, for the development of the entire city.
