Perspectives on Heritage, Transformation, and Community Dynamics in East European and Eurasian Microrayons
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Edited by Barbara Engel
› Open Access Introduction Essay
This research offers a deep dive into the architectural and social landscapes of East European and Eurasian microrayons. Through the lens of heritage, transformation, and community dynamics, this book sheds light on often overlooked narratives in Soviet urban development from the 1960s forwards and their continuations following the breakup of the USSR.
From legislative transformations in Uzbekistan to community-driven spatial transformations in Georgia, each chapter presents a nuanced perspective on the legacy of urbanism in the former USSR. This academic project is one of few, following the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, to take a look at both sides of the front line. The authors also examine developments in the Baltic States, Caucasus, and Central Asia.
The book at hand presents thirteen ‘district stories’ from seven post-Soviet countries, written by experts from a variety of disciplines, including architecture, urban and regional planning, public policy and social sciences, and human geography. The authors present observations of spatial, social, and functional transformations as well as of the formal and informal frameworks, planning strategies, and concepts that lay behind the physical development. They discuss spatial patterns and their modifications with a view to future heritage-sensitive development of the neighbourhoods. They point out unique details and the fact that genius loci makes a difference. The contributions formulate new narratives for large housing estates from the 1960s and identify the potential challenges in responsible planning and the need for action.
210 × 230 mm
240 pages
180 images
Softcover
ISBN 978-3-86922-892-1
EXHIBITION RESIDENTIAL HERITAGE: SOVIET MORPHOTYPES AND TYPOLOGIES now at BHROX, Berlin!
October 8 – November 12, 2024
Residential neighborhoods developed during the Soviet era have left an indelible mark on the urban landscapes and daily lives across Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus. These spaces not only reflect the architectural prowess of their time but also embody the social dynamics and contradictions of the post-Soviet era. Soviet urban planning, driven by political and ideological imperatives, was characterized by its rigidity and adherence to existing building technologies. Despite these constraints, this period gave rise to a rich tapestry of urban layouts and architectural styles. From the avant-garde's daring experiments blending private and communal spaces to the standardized microrayon plans—essentially miniature cities within cities—each manifestation speaks to a unique chapter in urban development.
The exhibition, which was developed as part of the research project “cities.building.culture”, shows the Soviet residential heritage in its different urban and typological forms - from 12 neighborhoods in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazastan, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
Venue:
BHROX bauhaus reuse
Mittelinsel (Kreisverkehr)
Ernst-Reuter-Platz
10587 Berlin
Opening hours Tue– Sun 12:00 - 20:00
except for special events and on closing days
Concept and content: Barbara Engel, Ekaterina Gladkova, Anastasia Malko, Marina Sapunova, Nora Staab
With contribution from: Sofija Bakanova, Volodymyr Bysov, Dmitrij Chmelnizki, Kateryna Didenko, Mikhail Vladimirovich Garelik, Andrei Nikolayevich Gonchar, Ksenia Gulyaeva, Tatsiana Ionet, Evgeniya Konysheva, Valery Vasilievich Kozlov, Dona Kulmatova, Lara Klein, Nini Palavandishvili, Heghine Pilosyan, Svitlana Smolenska, Jona Thiele, Mariia Tumureeva, Daria Volkova, Felix Weimert
Axonometries: Ksenia Gulyaeva
Copy editing: Michael Thomas Taylor
Graphics and Layout: Bruno Dorn
@ Model of Chervonyi Promyslovets in Kharkiv, © Bernd Seeland
› Download "Stalinist Era" Poster
› Download "Stalinist Block" Poster
15:00 CET, 29 June 2023
In the frame of the round table will be discussed the value-based approaches for the development of mass housing estates in different countries. The focus is devoted to current challenges and perspectives on the modernist housing transformations including topics like renewal policy decision-making, community engagement, challenges and limitations.
- What were the primary objectives of the mass housing transformation programs?
- What was the impact of these programs on other city policies and their influence on other mass housing areas? Analyzing the local/global strategy implemented.
- How were the outcomes evaluated in terms of successes and setbacks, and what valuable lessons were derived from these experiences?
- What potential approaches to spatial transformations can be considered for future endeavors?
programme
15:00: Welcome // about CBC
Anastasia Malko
Ph.D. Senior Researcher Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
15:05: Governing Public Spaces in Housing Estates: Insights from Estonia
Tauri Tuvikene
Professor of Urban Studies, Tallinn University
15:20: The Transformation of the Havana Housing Estates in Budapest, Hungary
Adrienne Csizmady
Research Professor at the Institute for Sociology, Centre for Social Sciences, Budapest, and Associated Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Szeged, Hungary
15:35: Community-driven transformations in the public open space of large housing estates
Alisa Korolova
Ph.D. Researcher, Assistant. Prof., Riga Technical University, Faculty of Architecture
15:50: Open Common Discussion
© Alisa Korolova, 2020
© Tauri Tuvikene, 2012
„Transformation of Sotsgorod. Planning ideas and reality”
The round table " Transformation of Sotsgorod. Planning ideas and reality ", took place on December 14th, organized by the Sub-Project Spatial Transformations by moderation Dr. Anastasia Malko. The discussion focused on the changes over the past five years to the areas of Sotsgorod planned in the 1930s. Aim was to reflect upon the values of these areas and the transformation processes. Participants of the round table were experts Dr. Eugenia Konysheva historian of architecture from Chelyabinsk and Dr. Dmitri Chmelnizki architect, historian, publicist from Berlin. Experts highlighted values and identities of the sotsgorod that has a specific character by the urban integrity of the residential complex, including all necessary functions integrated in the district and located in the pedestrian accessibility. As an independent, enclosed residential formation under an industrial enterprise it had a stable size intended to provide a comfortable way for balanced living. Ongoing transformations processes could be noticed from the 1990s until now. It includes infill construction of multi-story buildings has been carried out on the territory of the socialist city, including on the site of demolished historical objects. Massive multi-story panel buildings changed the silhouette of the socialist city by “squeezing it” between new development. The expansion of highways and new development of open green spaces was significantly decreasing. Thus, the urban integrity of the socialist city, its main value, was damaged. Some buildings entirely or partially lost their original appearance. However, the most significant objects have retained their historical appearance to the present day, both residential buildings and social and cultural facilities.
© Evgenia Konysheva, 2022
Transformation of low-rise residential development
A round table, "The transformation of low-rise residential development in the 19th century", took place on November 30th, organized by the Sub-Project Spatial Transformations by moderation Dr. Anastasia Malko. The discussion focused on the changes that occurred to the areas of low-rise buildings of the 19th century in the cities of Irkutsk and Tula over the past 5 years. Participants of the round table were experts from the city of Irkutsk: Sergey Mayarenkov, entrepreneur, coordinator of urban projects and partner at the "Siberian Laboratory of Urbanism", Ruslan Khotulev, architect and urban planner and Ekaterina Matel, architect-restaurateur, deputy chairman of the IRO VOOPIK and experts from the city of Tula: Ksenia Chizhova and Maria Pavlova, architect-restaurateurs and coordinators of urban projects, and local historian Sergey Uruev. Both cities accumulate large areas of historical low-rise housing undergoing urban regeneration and transformation. During the discussion experts highlighted different problems concerning preservation and further development of such areas. In most cases, a displacement of residential function has occurred through private investment and the commercialization of space. On the other hand, the experts question the preservation of the residential function in the historical areas since the growing commercial tends to convert the space "into the exhibition".
© Anastasia Malko, 2023