Two sessions and three discussions of the program of the section 'Creative Environment and Urban Planning' will focus on the regional agenda: participants will discuss drivers of economic growth for Russian cities, trends of urban environment transformation for the younger generation, successful cases of revitalization of urban areas and ways to bring professional education in field of architecture to regions.
One of panel discussions will be fully dedicated to Saint Petersburg, including the innovation project of an art park in the place of the former Judicial Quarter. Eva Franch i Gilabert, the first female director of the Architectural Association School of Architecture will visit Saint Petersburg to give a special lecture at the Forum.
'This year we have formed a relevant agenda that allows us to discuss current objectives and reveal significant topics for further discussion. In particular, it will be about strategies of regional development, public spaces, education in field of architecture and transformation of the profession in general. There will be vigorous debates, presentations by outstanding speakers from all across the world and, of course, the best projects,' Sergey Kuznetsov, Chief Architect of Moscow who will be a Head of the Section 'Creative Environment and Urban Planning' for the fourth time in a row, noted. Participants of discussions are leading architects, representatives of authorities, business and media, experts in development of the urban environment.
Work of the Professional Flow of the Section will be opened with the Plenary Session 'Looking in: Regional Development Strategy. Local Identity as New Economy'. Architects, head of local administrations, leaders of social foundations and curators of festivals will speak on how cultural and educational initiatives can develop cities and settlements. Aside from Sergey Kuznetsov, Yulia Bychkova, Director of Nikola-Lenivets Art Park and Producer of the Archstoyanie Festival; Mikhail Zygar, writer and journalist; Edouard Moreau, urbanist, founder of Orchestra Design Studio; Tamara Muradova, architect and founder of the Archiproba Studios who used to work on the Luminary Center in Khrug settlement in Dagestan, and other experts will speak at the event.
Session 'Innovative Infrastructure as Competitive Advantage in the Struggle for Human Capital' will be dedicated to urban environment design for creative youth – from modernization of community clubs to renovation of residential areas and creation of parks. Anton Nadtochiy, co-founder of the ATRIUM Architectural Workshop and the author of Sakha_Z, the first permafrost all-year park; Paul Thomas, architect, author of the project of Gelendzhik Golf Resort club (USA); Andrey Erenkov, Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Construction of the Voronezh Region; Vasily Chekanov, Chief Managing Director – Director of the Construction Department of Sberbank PJSC, and other participants will speak about why and how architecture defines a level of life intensity.
The topic of urban environment design attractiveness for the younger generation will be labored by participants of the panel discussion 'City Break: How Millennials 'Break' Cities'. Panel discussion 'Modern Public Spaces as a Way to Revitalize Urban Territories' will focus on unused urban spaces of Saint Petersburg that can become new centers of attraction due to the work of architects and urbanists. In particular, the discussion will cover one of the most keenly discussed projects within revitalization of Saint Petersburg – turning the Judicial Quarter on the Vatny Island into an art park, as well as challenges for renovation of the Grey Belt, a circle of industrial areas of the cultural capital, and plans for reorganization of the Stables Department. The discussion will be attended by Chief Architect of Moscow Sergey Kuznetsov; Chairman of the Committee for Urban Construction and Architecture and Chief Architect of Saint Petersburg Vladimir Grigoryev; architect, urbanist of the MLA+ International Project Bureau Yana Golubeva; founder and head of the Rozhdestvenka AB Narine Tyutcheva; head of the Studio 44 Architectural Bureau Nikita Yavein and urbanist, member of the PapaUrban Creative Association Daniil Veretennikov – one of the pioneers who suggested the idea of turning the Vatny Island into the park.
Guillermo Penalosa, expert in transformation of public spaces, President of 8-80 cities (Canada), will take part in the session, as well as in the discussion on revitalization of urban territories. In the late 1990's he led the park area development project in Columbia, during which over 200parks were opened, including the Simon Bolivar Metropolitan Park in Bogota. Currently his company Gil Penalosa & Associates offer consultations on public area transformation to city communities all across the globe.
The Forum will be visited by Eva Franch i Gilabert, the first female director of the affluent Architectural Association School of Architecture, curator and educator in field of architecture. Since 2010 Ms. Franch i Gilabert had held the position of Executive Director of the Storefront for Art and Architecture in New York. Her lecture 'More than Architects' will take place on November 16. This very day Ms. Franch i Gilabert will take part in the discussion on education in field of architecture 'Professional Education at the Local Level: an Interdisciplinary Approach to Urban Development', where Sofya Trotsenko, Director of the ISS RANEPA School of Design and founder of the Winzavod Contemporary Art Center; Narine Tyutcheva, founder and head of the RE-school; Natalia Fishman-Bekmambetova, assistant to the President of the Republic of Tatarstan; Ruslan Kukharuk, Head of the City of Tyumen, and other experts will speak.
Registration for participants of the Professional Flow of the Forum will be open until October 20 on website.
