REFLECTIONS ON ST. PETERSBURG STUDENTS OF URBAN DESIGN & PLANNING EINDHOVEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

MAY 2015 00 | preface BY Dr. Sukanya Krishnamurthy

“Nothing good or bad happens in redevelopments are themes that were without a lot of screaming”, we were told discussed by both students at the ITMO in culmination of our intense five day trip Urban Studies program and the students in the month of May 2015 to the city of from TU Eindhoven. St. Petersburg, Russia. An opportunity to have a dialogue with local actors on its Thanks to the initiative of VIA from TU opportunities, study the transformation of a Eindhoven and Dr. Irina Shmeleva from post-socialist city, and analyse the processes ITMO, we experienced a slice of what the underway to create a more livable city city of St. Petersburg has to offer; history, through the efforts of various institutions potential, grime, and importantly grit. and individuals, were some of the take- always from our time there. Dr. Sukanya Krishnamurthy Assistant Professor, Chair of Urbanism and Urban Architecture, Faculty of the Built Environment, Eindhoven University of A city, that is home to some of Russia’s Technology greatest artists and literary giants, has a planned historic core that covers several square kilometres, and is geographically well placed to benefit from improved access to the international tourist industry, and global economic interests. St. Petersburg, as the second largest city of Russia is a city with an official population of just under five million and an unofficial population closer to eight million. A city that is arguably the cultural capital of the country presents challenges that are synonymous with urban areas experiencing population growths and displacements, municipal and infrastructural woes, and post-industrial transformations.

What was immediately striking to a group of predominantly western educated group of urbanists was the dichotomy between the want, the need and what is currently there. While Western ideas of architecture, planning and cultural life have shaped the built form of the touristic city centre, a critical discussion on its periphery, its lack of infrastructure, and contrasting identity between the city centre and periphery was in many ways the focus of the trip and the observations of the participants of the trip.

The need to address the city’s many opportunities for industrial re-use, water front ecology, sustainability initiatives, heritage management, and city centre

2 3 00 | introduction BY the travel committee of via

Dear reader,

In front of you is the book that is the result of the trip organized by VIA Stedebouw to that took place from the 1st to the 6th of May 2015. From the University of Eindhoven in total 13 Urban Design Master students, one Architecture Master student and one professor joined on the trip.

This book covers the experience of all participants in the form of a personal reflection on the trip. Each individual part can be divided in three separate parts. The first one being a general reflection of the trip as a whole. For everyone Russia was a new country to visit, this new experience has been recorded in this paragraph. The second part is a reflection on the lecture given by Kyle Patching, a local director of development with a western background. The last part is an essay on the projects visited by bus under the professional guidance of professor Valery Nefedov. In this paragraph the sites are described, reflected and possible spatial interventions are discussed.

For more information on VIA and ways to contact us please look us up on Facebook: facebook.com/VIAstedebouw.

Travel committee of VIA Stedebouw Paul Faasen Jan Tatoušek Wessel van Wijlick Chris Steenhuis

4 5 01 | New Holland area BY BERT DE GROOT

Field trip by Valery Nefedov (New General Reflection Holland Area)

Before my visit to Saint Petersburg, my The first location we visited with the bus comprehension of Russia was fairly tour was in the center of limited as I am more westerly oriented. Saint Petersburg. We approached the island Therefore, the trip was a great addition to along the adjacent to arrive at the my understanding of Russia in general. impressive neoclassical arch over the water I think it is amazing how much you can entrance to the island. The outer perimeter learn and experience of a foreign country of the island was filled with buildings of a within four days. All in all Saint Petersburg similar neoclassical architectural style. made a great impression on me with its Although, we were not able to enter the Fig. 1.1 New Holland Island beautiful waterfront along the , the island due to construction activities, it was dominating street profiles and the plentiful quiet clear that the place had a certain present cultural heritage. I feel we have had charisma and historic atmosphere. The halted when the project ran into a number to the cultural life of Saint Petersburg as an excellent impression of what the city is site has altogether a great deal of potential of difficulties. Aside from global financial part of the new cultural trinity with the about. To sum up my conclusion of Saint with its location and the quality of cultural difficulties, the foremost problem appears and the Mariinsky Petersburg is on the one hand as the second heritage along the water. to be the political and bureaucratic Theather. city of Russia the enormous potential, and system of Saint Petersburg and Russia. on the other hand the pessimism of a nation New Holland Island emerged in 1720 after The authorities are not yet sufficiently plunged into a headlock by bureaucracy and the construction of two new in the able to decisively facilitate significant passivity. center of Saint Petersburg. These canals, redevelopments of urban plans. Instead, the the and the Admiralty Canal, current system rewards passivity and the intended to connect the tributary Moika evasion of responsibility. In addition with Lecture by Kyle Patching with the prominent Neva River for flat out corruption this is a lethal recipe for logistical purposes. Subsequently, these addressing urban plans of this magnitude The lecture of Kyle Patching on the last day new canals carved out a new triangular and complexity. In that regard I recognized of the excursion was a huge eye-opener to island in the middle of the city. The Russian some familiar similarities with the lecture me. In the days before I already noticed Imperial Navy exploited the island during of Kyle Patching about problems with the neglect of many vacated buildings and the 18th and 19th century. The composition property developing in Saint Petersburg the general absence of redevelopment in and arrangement of the island transformed along the waterfront. It was not until the many areas of Saint Petersburg. But it continuously along with the ever- intervention by Russian billionaire Roman was not until the lecture of Kyle Patching transforming requirements of the Russian Abramovich before significant progress that I understood the inner workings of Admiralty. As such, the island had purposes could be achieved. The new plans by West 8 project developing in the city. It is best ranging from a , to a storage facility constitute the restoration and revitalization summarized as excruciatingly slow with and a naval penitentiary institution. After of the historic architectural ensemble on inconvenient regulations and a fair amount the fall of the in 1917, New the island and to create a unique mixed- of corruption. This system of passivity can Holland Island fell into neglect. This state use facility wit a major new museum that be best traced back to the communistic days of decay continued until the 21st century will become a central part of the lives of of the Soviet Union. Apparently Russia has when the navy finally departed the island. residents of Saint Petersburg. severe problems, compared to other eastern Thereafter, this piece of prime real estate European countries, with adjusting to a in the heart of Saint Petersburg became It is unfortunate that the redevelopment more liberal and free market society. But available for commercial and cultural of New Holland Island had to last over what most surprised me was the indifferent purposes. the course of a decade. However, with the acceptance of the current pessimistic current developments and status quo, the situation by the Russian people. Personally I The subsequent redevelopment of the completion of the island in the foreseeable feel I would have had a more confrontational island was however not a particular smooth future seems inevitable. As such, it will prove attitude towards this defective system, but process. The initial plan and design by in all likelihood an enormous contribution perhaps I am naïve in that regard. Norman Foster was eventually completely 6 7 02 | New-Admiralty Island BY CHRIS STEENHUIS

located within walking distance of the main General reflection downtown business district.

For everyone who joined on the trip it was What was also insightful were the their first visit to Russia. To me it was not environmental issues that the city faces. and I’ve visited Saint Petersburg multiple Again as a tourist you don’t notice this at times before. This might have influenced all, but the impact of these developments how I saw the city during this visit. This visit was striking. The bus tour gave again has however not been anything ordinary. good examples of this. Partly because of The parts of the trip that were organized by this pollution, the water is not made very the ITMO university gave a unique insight accessible at this moment. There are very into the city. Nothing of which you would few opportunities to swim or interact with Fig. 2.2 New Admiralty . Source: Wikipedia experience as a visiting tourist. These parts the water in some way. Health risks are where there for the most interesting to me. an important factor in this. However it physically also hard to reach the water. expensive residential projects. The contrast of the state owned United The tour with the bus for example gave a Very little effort has been made in the area could not be bigger. The redevelopments Corporation. very clear image what the city plans are and outside of the city center to interact with of these public spaces just outside of these will be the projects for the next few decades. the water. In many regards the water is zones seemed to have no priority. Overall In 2010 an agreement was signed between I was amazed by the scale that these projects currently considered a barrier and not as a land values could however greatly benefit the St. Petersburg Economic Forum the showed. High density residential projects feature. The pollution was also visible in the from the redevelopment of these zones. Government of St. Petersburg and United followed by more high density projects and way people take care of their public space. Who wants to look out from his penthouse Shipbuilding Corporation (USC OJSC) for old soviet industrial heritage after old soviet Zones with no particular ownership were on a littered beach or canal? the relocation of the industrial heritage. It looks like there are so often littered with cans and plastics, making from the New Admiralty Island to Kotlin many opportunities for development choices them even less attractive. These zones often Island at the head of the . The have to be made, even for a city of this size. I felt like no mans land with their own rules Lecture by Kyle Patching vacant area of about 17 hectares left by the was also surprised how relatively close these and people. relocation will be used for the construction sites were located to the city center. Sites The lecture by Kyle Patching provided us of residential, commercial and social around metro stations are generally well Remarkably these seemingly grey zones with an interesting contrast on what we facilities. St. Petersburg could build up to developed but other redevelopment sites are were often just out side well developed had seen two days earlier. Kyle gave the 200 thousand square meters of estate, the background on the different development USC reported (PortNews, 2010). practices and showed how the planning regulations work in practice. Kyle seemed The question is in what way this new area very knowledgeable about the current state needs to be developed to become a vibrant of affairs in project development in Russia. and true extension of the city center. It is Supported with his western Canadian easy for the site to fall in the trap of project background he was very well able to put developers who are aiming at maximizing these factors into perspective. their profit and caring little about what they deliver. A potential threat here is that the site will become yet another residential Field trip by Valery Nefedov (New complex with very expensive apartments. Admiralty Island) This looks like a very real threat considering the unique characteristics of the site and The Admiralty Island ship wharf is one with that the potential land values. of the oldest ship building areas in Saint Petersburg. It is still operational and The site can in many regards be regarded still builds sizeable ships. The wharf also as a unique place in Saint Petersburg. The functions as a production plant for naval first feature is the beautiful enclosure of military battleships and submarines panoramic water views from both the small Fig. 2.1 Location New-Admiralty Island (FAS, 2015). The wharf is since 2007 part bend in the Neva on the north side and the 8 9 02 | New-Admiralty Island BY CHRIS STEENHUIS

Moika river on the south side. Secondly sea. This left abandoned sites in the city the rich history of the site, which should be center ready for development. conserved and remain visible in the to be developed plans. The site might be enclosed Most of these sites have been successfully fully by water features, the site is still very developed as places where people happily close to the city center. This proximity is the want to live. One of those examples are the third main unique feature of this place. old docks in the southern part of Rotterdam. The former transshipment Entrepot port In an international perspective waterfront (Entrepothaven) is an example of this. It has redevelopments are a very common and been developed as a residential area with often become new icons for the city. In the luxurious apartments. Netherlands we have multiple examples Fig. 2.4 NDSM-wharf Amsterdam where these redevelopments, not completely The docks still remind the people of its unexpected, turned out to be one of the history with the presence of the old loading favorite places for people to live. I would cranes. More modern yachts tell something Today the NDSM-wharf is a thriving cultural The gradual approach of development like to discuss two examples in Rotterdam about the kind of people that live here. hotspot of the city. It is a place for art, culture is something that can be learned from and Amsterdam with a similar situation but and creative industries but also used as an the NDSM-wharf. The wharf itself was two different outcomes in the way they were Amsterdam NDSM-wharf event area and a breeding place that since abandoned in 1984 but only in 2003 the developed. The Dutch capital has a rich history in ship the ‘90s has grown to a breeding ground for first municipal vision was formed. This building. even visited a artists. Today larger companies also want period was crucial for forming the identity Rotterdam Entrepot port shipyard near Amsterdam to see how the to be part of this image and companies like of the area and has deeply influenced The city of Rotterdam is from an historic ships were made. This tradition came to an MTV and Discovery Channel have set up the current success of the area. Even if perspective, but still very much today end in the race for the largest seaport with their headquarters here (Bruins et al, 2009). commercial functions take over and the area a port city for sea ships. In the past all Rotterdam. The second largest city won is transformed to a place to a place luxurious activities related to these shipping logistics this race and the shipyards in Amsterdam The cultural free ground is now being apartments, what gradually happened in the where located in the city center. Due to where mostly abandoned. The largest developed as a cluster for media, TV, audio Entrepot port, the area can still be a place the developments that cargo ships became shipyard is the NDSM-wharf (NDSM-werf) and filmmakers. With these developments that is loved by its citizens. A right balance larger and larger most of the port activities in Amsterdam North closed down as well. they do not want to expel the currently should however be found between the have moved further upstream, closer to the established artists, on the contrary they are free grounds of the NDSM-wharf and the an important part of the eventual image Yuppie-developments in Rotterdam. of the new ‘MediaWharf’. A mix of artists, smaller and larger companies will be combined in the new plans to create a new Sources extension of the city center with residential Bruins, L., R. de Jong, R. Vooren & J. Adamse and job function on the northern banks of (2009) NDSM-werf Oost Amsterdam- the IJ-river. Noord in: Saris, J. S. van Dommelen & T. Metze (ed.) Nieuwe ideeen voor oude What can we learn? gebouwen. Creatieve economie en stedelijke The Admiralty Island ship wharf can learn herontwikkeling. Rotterdam: NAI uitgevers. certain lessons from these two Dutch cases. Both docks still have a visible connection FAS (2015) Admiralty Shipyard [online] to the past with the preservation of the http://fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/ historic implements such as the cranes and industry/admiralty.htm last accessed on 23- buildings. This part of history forms an 05-2015. important part of the image of these two places. Even the Entrepothaven still has a PortNews (2010) St. Petersburg Govt., USC certain raw edge to it that attracts make it so agree to base Admiralty Shipyards on Kotlin popular for its visitors. Island [online] http://en.portnews.ru/ Fig. 2.3 Entrepot port Rotterdam news/122767/ last accessed on 23-05-2015. 10 11 02 | New-Admiralty Island BY CHRIS STEENHUIS

through St. Petersburg the urban fabric General reflection and its architecture also contains the strong Russian identity. Also in the outskirts, 5 Days in St. Petersburg resulted in an where you’ll find the modern concrete inspiring trip that consisted of visits to a building blocks from the 20th century. It great variety of architectural and urbanistic shows a great contrast with the pluriform sightseeing’s as well as some popular tourist architecture of the city center. attractions. I have experienced the city as a Another strong characteristic of the city are vibrant and dynamic place that has a lot to the cars, and the space that they claim. The offer. car can truly be seen as a symbol of welfare In the city center, the cultural heritage seems that is omnipresent in the city. Traffic jams to be present at every corner of the street. are not a rare phenomenon and sometimes The Hermitage Museum, the Peter and Paul do remind you of some American cities Fortress and the Church of the Savior on which are also designed for cars and dealing Blood are only a few examples that visualize with the same infrastructural problems. the Russian culture and its great history. All these different influences and elements The beautifully designed subway stations, are captured in the DNA of the city which and the steep and tall elevators that lead makes it a truly unique city. Furthermore, to them, was one of the most impressive the hospitality of the Russians (especially experiences in the city. the students), the traditional Russian food Beside these traditional Russian landmarks, and the beautiful weather made it a great the influence of the Western European experience. Thank you, St. Petersburg. culture is also noticeable. The canals, inspired by the urban plan of Amsterdam, are distinctive elements running through Lecture by Kyle Patching the city and in some situations the architecture can easily be traced back to the The presentation by Kyle Patching gave a neoclassicism style of of the 18th clear and brief insight of the history and and 19th century. However, while walking characteristics of St. Petersburg and its

12 13 03 | BY Frits Erdmann

the bigger challenges for the future. locations and spatial design and planning in Along the Obvodny canal, examples of general. Not just for the short term, but also industrial heritage are still present in its for a longer period. original shape and appearance. The old paper factory is such an example of a successful General solutions can be found in new transformation and now accommodates functions and activities that respond to local creative spaces ‘TKACHI’, an art gallery or regional needs and problems and can and studios (figure 1). It is not surprising operate within the specific characteristics that small creative businesses seems to go of the building (this includes the floorplan, hand in hand with the transformation of design of the façade, etc.) without losing its industrial heritage. They often have a public identity or strong appearance. In this case, a function and house meetings places like possible solution, and first step, to activate bars, café’s and small shops. The spatial the building lies in activating the plinth and qualities and appearance of the building restore the relation with the street. By means development on spatial planning. Especially Hopefully St. Petersburg will open up for offers spaces that contributes to a strong of some breakthroughs, the façade opens on the topic of redeveloping waterfronts the contribution of foreign companies who identity and historical atmosphere to these and becomes a porous boundary between and industrial heritage. It became clear can help the city redevelop its cityscape. meeting places. public and private space. Now, passengers that St. Petersburg is dealing with some Already some Finnish companies realized can experience what is happening inside major challenges. The threats of floods and some plans in the city and let’s hope this will Another industrial zone along the canal the building. In combination with a public insufficient infrastructural networks are expand in the future. is called ‘The Red Traingle’ (figure 2). It function this could attract people to take strong motives to come up with new methods accommodated one of the first factories a look inside. Here can be referred to a and ideas to reform spatial planning and in the country manufacturing rubber and project of ZwarteHond Architects, who design for a sustainable and prosperous Field trip by Valery Nefedov its history starts halfway the 19th century. transformed a formerly girls school into a future. Also water pollution, caused by the (Obvodny Canal) Currently, this impressive, massive redbrick center for contemporary art in Rotterdam, former industrial sites, is an economical building houses a few small scale functions The Netherlands. threat, and is an important feature to deal Through history, St. Petersburg has built up like garages or rehearsal spaces, but is largely Another important aspect of its location is with by redeveloping new waterfronts. a great variety of industrial heritage sites neglected and decayed. The necessity to the canal. Currently, the former factory has One of the remarkable things said was the in the city center. Many of these sites were transform such a building should offer new no relation with the canal. However, whether general used method for spatial planning. built adjacent to canals or to ensure methods and ideas how to deal with these to link the canal with the building can be Developers do not want to transform a sufficient water transport system. After industrial heritage because of the risks that the economic crisis in 1990 large industrial arise when a plan fails. Furthermore, is it enterprises went bankrupt and as a result cheaper to demolish and rebuilt the area many industrial sites were neglected. When which result in a fast profit. According to these sites lost their function many were Patching, it requires a lot of ‘’screaming’’ demolished and made way for modernistic and pushing to convince developers and high-end departments and building blocks. policymakers that transformation and Redevelopment was cheaper to construct reconstruction of these heritage sites is not and ensured a fast profit. Nowadays, these only profitable, but also adding a higher modern building blocks are a dominant standard for qualitative living. Therefore, element in the cityscape. working as a spatial planner, designer Despite this transition, there are still many or advisor demands a strong will and sites with industrial heritage in the city persistence to achieve your goals, in the form center. Often with a great monumental value of realizing urban designs/plans or policy. It and potential qualities for transformation. seems that St. Petersburg is dealing with the Unfortunately, because of the financial same problems Western Europe was dealing benefits of redevelopment, few are restored with in the post second world war period and converted with a new goal. Therefore, (welfare state). As mentioned, the extensive the role of (post)industrial sites and their car use is also one of these problems. reconstruction and transformation is one of 14 15 03 | Obvodny Canal BY Frits Erdmann

argued. The road between the building and canal creates a hard border and space for the car needs to be dissolved to create this connection (figure 3). Nowadays, the canal seems to have no function and therefore its presence can be questioned. Nevertheless, research need to be done to formulate new solutions and possibilities for this important spatial element in the city.

Sources Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture, St. Petersburg State University of Architecture . (2013). European Trends of Industrial Territories Transformation and. St. Petersburg.

GoogleMaps. (n.d.). Retrieved from maps. google.com: https://www.google.nl/maps/ place/Sint+Petersburg,+Rusland/@59.908 861,30.284093,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4 696378cc74a65ed:0x6dc7673fab848eff Heike Oevermann, Harald A. Moeg. (2015).

Industrial Heritage Sites in Transformation: Clash of Discourses. New York: Routledge. SLS Writes. (n.d.). Retrieved from slswrites. wordpress.com: https://slswrites.files. wordpress.com/2010/01/red-triangle.jpg Visit Petersburg - Official city tourist portal of St. Petersburg. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.visit-petersburg.ru: http://www.visit- petersburg.ru/en/leisure/197016/

16 17 04 | BY JAN TATOUŠEK

We have visited areas in St. Petersburg General reflection where the link between monumentality and waterfront clearly went missing. One The beauty of St. Petersburg appears to have example is the western part of Vasilyevsky its foundations on two principles. Firstly, Island, where a district of 1980’s apartment it is unique because of the experience of buildings was built in a very monumental the water, which is formed by the rivers way with a canal in its centre. However, and canals lined by prominent buildings, the potential of the waterways is totally palaces, and churches. This experience is neglected. Apartments face the gulf but exploited deliberately as in the examples their residents can only access the water of Amsterdam or Venice. Secondly, it at few locations because the waterfront is is astonishing because of its Baroque occupied by metal garage boxes. In a newer experience, formed by major visual axes development, we saw a riverfront being and representative buildings at the axes’ occupied by a gated apartment complex, and endings. St. Petersburg therefore has therefore inaccessible to the ‘non-privileged’. was really striking to see and experience was the projects should pop up in an almost something of the atmosphere of Amsterdam It should be generally accepted that strategic the amount of unexploited potential and explosive way. For that to happen, probably and something of Rome. The experience waterfronts belong to public activities. Or, areas of amazing resource throughout the a public debate about architecture is of the city fluctuates between these two if that is not possible given the developer- city, contrasting with the ‘error’ of the new necessary. The awareness still needs to come principles; at the Neva river, the waterfront dominated real estate market, the loss of development, which ignores the existing that a development based on local qualities, experience is dominant, whereas in the city waterfront to private property in one place potential and creates new and new layers genius loci, and quality of dwelling has lots centre, monumental gestures such as the could be compensated by an outstanding and of development which had proven to have more to offer than a kitschy Neo-Pseudo- Palace Square or Nevskiy Prospekt seem to unique relation with the water elsewhere. a negative impact on the city. The main Baroque maximum-profit developer project overshadow the system of canals. Water and A concentration of waterside activities problems I see here are related to transit of 16+ stories. Baroque monumentality is an interesting would be achieved in an intriguing space and architectural awareness. Transit seems combination which at times works well (the with a strong identity citywide. The ‘beach’ to be very problematic, even though there two strengthen each other) but sometimes that we have seen is such a concentration is a solid metro network, the extent of the Lecture by Kyle Patching there is a mismatch or competition between of waterside activities, but it is an evident city and focus on individual transportation the two. emergency solution and its quality needs to instead of public transit already has a great The lecture of Kyle Patching offered an be significantly improved. In general, what impact on the navigability of the city. I interesting perspective on the paradoxical think that given the severe traffic jams, it is situation described in the previous reflection. necessary to put lots of effort in promoting A lot of development is taking place but alternative modes of transportation. But not in the areas where it would really be also to promote a different city development beneficial to the city. What I understood scenario. Suburban expansions of the city from the story of Kyle Patching is that the cause a rise in average journey length and situation is partly caused and aggravated by journey time. These vast populations living bureaucracy and outdated urban planning in the far suburbs are ‘pushed through’ the principles. Current development is born unused industrial ring everyday during their from existing bureaucratic principles. It home to work journeys. And in this unused works fine to buy a greenfield plot and build ring one million souls could live so near to unoriginal copy+paste apartment towers the city centre they would not even need the on it. However, buying and redeveloping car all the time. a brownfield area clashes with the lack of experience of the authorities in this field and I foresee St. Petersburg a very bright future their subsequent unwillingness to approve if the general mindset behind development such an approach. Also here, a public happens to change in the years to come. discussion about architectural qualities If the economic vitality is linked with the and the pros and cons of different types of genius loci and potential of waterfront development could be helpful. development and industrial redevelopment, 18 19 04 | Vasilievskiy Island BY Jan Tatoušek

At this moment only the New Holland Island a two-stop metro ride is enough to reach project is really alive, and that is related to Nevskiy Prospekt from Primorskaya. This, the large amount of money involved in the in combination with its orientation towards project. Even this money could not ensure the Gulf of Finland, makes Vasilyevsky that it would be completed according to the Island a lucrative area for development and original schedule. The island could have redevelopment. been finished long ago and could work as a trigger for the whole surroundings. A large-scale waterfront extension and Probably small initiatives that could development project is ongoing on the similarly improve and gradually gentrify western edge of the island. This involves the larger areas have a difficult time being set construction of a Sea Passenger Terminal, up legally. Therefore, it will be very difficult residences, and commercial space on to perform projects of high quality in the reclaimed land. The project takes advantage areas of high potential without a changed of the island’s lucrative location. It is the mindset of the authorities and a willingness city’s representative façade facing the sea, with another band of development without be more intriguing to attempt a coexistence of these authorities to accept challenges and and it is a suitable place for prestigious creating an area that is relevant to the city’s between this industrial activity and new leave the now irrelevant dogmas of the past. large-scale construction of a new CBD residents and that boasts carefully designed development, than to move the shipyard and expensive high-rise residences at a public space along the water. Unfortunately, to the edge of the city and start developing reasonable distance from the historic city it is more likely that the newly reclaimed from scratch in the area. Field trip by Valery Nefedov centre. In general, this approach could be land will be developed as a series of isolated (Vasilyevsky Island) beneficial to the city’s image as it could microdistricts that will feature little Two areas around the are create an accent in the generally bland interaction with the surroundings. This is very suitable for redevelopment: the area Vasilyevsky Island has a unique position seafront and it could enhance the quality of a side-effect of the tabula rasa situation in between 22-ya liniya and 27-ya liniya, and within the city of St. Petersburg. Its eastern public space along this seafront. which very little relevant context exists – it the area between the Bolshoy prospekt part belongs to the city centre, whereas the is very difficult to design here a successful and Kosaya liniya. The attractiveness of area around Primorskaya metro station is However, despite the potential of the new and lively mixed-use neighbourhood with these spaces lies mainly in their relative already high-rise suburbia. The distance waterfront development, its implementation residences as well as cultural and leisure- conformity with the surrounding urban between historic areas and suburban areas could be disappointing. It should be avoided related functions. When we look at the tissue (morphology) and the abundance of is exceptionally short on Vasilyevsky Island; that the island would only be extended similar Zeeburg district in Amsterdam, valuable buildings with an industrial past. which was accordingly built on reclaimed These should be inventoried and taken as land out in the bay, we see that it is a a starting point for the area’s development. predominantly residential area; a robust The most evident example is the iconic tower neighbourhood, but generally lacking a real of the Krasny Gvozdilshchik factory. But also added value to the city’s residents. many façades and buildings along Kosaya liniya, Kozhevennaya liniya, and 27-ya liniya With respect to this added value for the could become attractive solitary remnants city that could be created on Vasilyevsky of the industrial past. Nowadays these areas Island, the areas around the Baltic Shipyard are treated as an isolated industrial estate, are ideal for redevelopment from not with 22-ya liniya and Bolshoy prospekt very intensively used industrial estates being hard borders between city and to a mixture of residential and public industry. I believe that these areas are ideal functions that incorporate the buildings of for a harmonious coexistence of small-scale industrial heritage located in these areas. industrial activity, and mixed residential This approach could give birth to a much and public functions. They could acquire the more interesting waterfront neighbourhood identity of a place where the public can come than those developed at the western edge in touch with the shipbuilding industry – if of Vasilyevsky Island. The Baltic Shipyard not physically, then at least visually. at the southern tip of the island is a still Fig. 4.3 IJburg, Amsterdam, residences built on reclaimed land functioning industrial space, and it would 20 21 04 | Vasilievskiy Island BY Jan Tatoušek

A strategy that could be employed in the The on-land industrial heritage could be areas of study is to make the relation of treated in several ways. One strategy would the city with the Neva river very explicit be to treat the most valuable buildings as here. It is a place related to shipbuilding solitary remnants of the past, and to award – the construction of merchant ships in to these remnants public functions. The particular. This can be made into a spatial rest of the area would then be developed experience, as in the example of Rotterdam’s into predominantly residential space. An Maritime Museum. There, the ships are example of this approach is the Strijp R exhibited in the inner harbour amid some neighbourhood in Eindhoven, where parts of the city’s high-rise buildings, thereby of historic Philips factories were maintained creating an impressive interplay between and sold to a popular product designer Piet the built environment and the maritime Hein Eek who operates these buildings environment. The ingredients necessary as production facilities combined with a for this approach are public promenades showroom and restaurant. The rest of the into new (larger-scale) blocks. A less on both the level of the water and the level area is made up of low-rise residences in violent example is Duisburger Innenhafen, There are numerous possibilities to improve of the embankment; places where ships contemporary style that respect the local a harbour redevelopment project which the areas around the Baltic shipyard. Among (private, historic, military) can be exhibited industrial past. features blocks of similar size; some of the keywords and phrases for a successful or docked; and waterfront architecture than these blocks are historic storage houses, development could be: marine atmosphere, enhances the maritime atmosphere. Another possible strategy would be to and some are modern additions. In this interaction between navy/marine and incorporate the historic buildings into Duisburg project, also artificial extensions the city, inventory of valuable industrial newly formed building blocks. These new of the harbour into a new residential area are heritage, fragments of heritage in modern blocks would respect the layout of the roads featured. In this way, the feeling of the water urban tissue, high level of functional and and the general morphology of Vasilyevsky is maintained throughout these ‘drier’ areas. typological variety, successful mix (without Island. But it would be possible to build This concept could work well on Vasilyevsky the current hard borders) of residences and around and (in some cases) on top of the Island, because in the current situation, the production. buildings of industrial heritage. An example water is only experienced in the immediate of this is Amsterdam’s Piet Heinkade, where proximity of the Neva and further inland not existing storage houses were incorporated anymore.

22 23 05 | Kosaya linia BY Joost van den Boer

While many of the dwellings are simply too General reflection small to live in comfortably. Also, as we have seen on the bus tour, great opportunities lie As I had not travelled to Saint Petersburg in the development of the river embankment. or any part of Russia before, I did not know To create space for humans, instead of cars. what to expect of the city, culture, and Ultimately, Saint Petersburg is a city of many people. What I found was an astonishing beautiful pearls, and much opportunity. place.

The historic city center still has the same Lecture by Kyle Patching sense of grandeur, as when it was built. The palaces and churches stand as monuments Over the years, many industrial sites have Fig. 5.2 Backside with very few possibilities to view the riverside of a rich history. The Hermitage Museum, been built along the water. Today, many of as a home to a vast collection of art, is ever these are in deplorable state, posing risks to so awe inspiring. The pattern of broad the inhabitants of the surrounding areas, as Field trip by Valery Nefedov (Kosaya to see and go to the riverside. It could be a streets and canals, implemented by Peter the industrial sites are situated near to the Linia) place where one would spend their leisure the Great, still persists. On the other hand, city center. Seeing that more and more of time, for example, strolling along the river many artifacts from the Soviet time remain. the city expansion is happening outside the In the midst of the 19th century the or drinking cappuccinos on a riverside Not palaces for the leaders, but palaces for city limits, these industrial sites could prove Brusnitsyn and Sons Tannery was opened terrace. The context makes it an ideal the people — marvelous interiors of metro to be indispensable to facilitate a dense in Saint Petersburg. The buildings that place for a mixed-use program. Possibly stations, grotesque housing ensembles. As inner-city growth. This type of development remain to this day still show their beautiful combining creative industry with touristic a contrast to the many generic flats from has the potential to decrease commuting architectural design. On one side of the and residential functions. that time, which is analogous to modern distances, to create pedestrian-friendly street Brusnitsyn Mansion is designed developments of the city, where many areas, to create a more attractive city. in an eclectic style, using many classical In order to start such a development, it is buildings and districts seem alike. decorations. Some of the impressive interiors important to show the potential of the place However, in this day and age, not all aspects survived and draw tourists to the mansion. to the people and to set a common goal for of the city have stood the test of time. Across the street, there is the industrial involved parties. To ensure the engagement Traffic congestion causes people to spend a complex, which consists of several brick of future users, it is recommended to considerable amount of time in their cars. buildings with appealing detailing. Once you involve these users in early stages of the go through the underpass in the building, a development. After all, the engagement view on the Neva River opens up. However, and affinity of the people can prove to be as the factory was closed down in the 1990s, success factor. It can also be used as a way the buildings have fallen into disrepair. The of creating a community, even before the businesses that are currently housed in the actual redevelopment of the buildings. As factory, do not seem to care about the state financing can be a limiting factor, a bottom- of the complex. The brickwork is crumbling up approach can be used. For example, a and many windows are simply bricked up. group of people can form a collective, as Pavement is non-existing and most of the to develop the project as a whole, while area is occupied by car wrecks. Both the old being able to cut individual costs and share industry and the current car services must the risks. In the Netherlands this practice have heavily polluted the soil. is becoming increasingly popular as it increases social cohesion, differentiates the Due to its location on the embankment of housing supply and is market-oriented. the Neva River this industrial complex could become a cherished place in the city. In the More in general, for Saint Petersburg to keep current situation, the factory completely growing as a city of tourism, it is crucial to separates the people on the street from the improve the general look of the city. This river. Instead, the factory could function as site is ideal to present a more differentiated Fig. 5.1 Kosaya Linia street a porous barrier, where it would be possible view on the history and heritage of the 24 25 05 | Kosaya linia BY Joost van den Boer

city. Especially interesting is the contrast between the old industrial buildings and classic architecture being so close to one another. Finally, the combination of the location on the river, the industrial heritage and architectural heritage could make this complex a unique spot for the people in Saint Petersburg.

Fig. 5.3 Cluttered backside of the Kosaya Linia 26 27 06 | River Embankment BY Joost van der Doelen

Field trip by Valery Nefedov (River General reflection Karpovka Embankment)

The study trip to Saint-Petersburg was very The river Karpovka, which means Forest interesting and inspiring. However I heard River of CrowRiver, is a small river, the city was very beautiful, I did not expect separating Petrogradsky Island and to see so many nice things. The field trip Aptekarsky Island. The most attractive was a superb addition to our study trip, stretch of the Karpovka runs between the St. especially because it gives another insight in John of Rila Convent and the St. Petersburg the history of the city. As an Urban design Botanical Garden. Here the curving, leafy student this was made extra interesting granite embankments provide a perfect through the words of professor Nefedov. setting for several excellent examples of the Fig. 6.2 Detail of the public space Northern Moderne for which the Petrograd Side is famous. The shore was only partly Lecture by Kyle Patching reinforced with granite embankments until apartments are still considered highly packed with cars and is a mess. A residential 1960-1970. desirable. It helps that this building was shared outside yard can be a real addition to The presentation was again another insight constructed for members of the Leningrad the living quality if it is designed well. Also, in the way the city of saint-Petersburg There are a couple of interesting buildings Soviet and other leading Party officials, so the front garden is very sober and doesn’t is planned. I really liked the way Kyle along the embankments. On the field trip no expense was spared. ask the attention the building deserves. presented and the way he manages all the a nice building was visited. This curved The apartments in the building are still different locations in the city. Starting with concrete building, set back from the river, However it was not possible to see the highly desirable, although unfortunately possibilities and ending with all kinds of is the First Residential Building of the inside of the complex on the study trip, the there is little enthusiasm in St. Petersburg pitfalls and examples of renewed urban Leningrad Sovier. It was built between 1931 outside and enclosed yards were of high for preservation of 20th century buildings, waterfronts around the world, this was a and 1935 and designed by well-known Soviet quality. The yard was meant for playing and the facades are in serious need of good and inspiring presentation. architects Ivan Fomin and Evgeny Levinson. kids of the residents, but the yard is now maintenance work. This building was built in the constructivism mainly used for parking cars. The volume of style and developed for the Bolshevik elite, the building feels good in the urban space which meant that high quality materials and is completely faces towards the river. Sources were used. The large and luxuriously fitted The complex had 76 apartments and in addition had a kindergarten, laundry, shop, http://www.encspb.ru/ apartment personnel and a solarium. object/2804019149?lc=en

Development opportunities http://www.openstreetmap.org/way/2490 However it was a big step that the wall of the 5444#map=16/59.9689/30.3023 Karpovka river was reinforced in the 1960s, it also was a pity because people could not http://www.saint-petersburg.com/rivers- ‘touch’ the water inside the area because of and-canals/karpovka-river/ the hard edge. A river like the Karpovka river can be a great resource in the neighborhoods and can be used for recreation. A part of the river already is sloped and the green area has a big influence of the way people perceive the space of the embankments. If it is not possible to make a sloped green area, stairs can also help the recreate besides the water. The Lensovet residential building is, as written before, of high quality and does not need any changes. The outside space Fig. 6.1 First Residential Building of the Leningrad Sovier however could be developed. The yard is now 28 29 07 | Galernaya Harbour BY Marinde van Rooij

General reflection

I experienced St. Petersburg as Lecture by Kyle Patching overwhelming. It is an enormous city, of a size which is hard to imagine coming from I think that we have seen a lot of St. a small town and finding Eindhoven already Petersburg in the four days we have visited a big city. Besides its dimensions, it is a the city. The bus trip took us to places where city of extremes which makes it even more tourists don’t go and on the other hand we overwhelming. The size of the streets and saw the city centre, tourist attractions and monumental buildings make you feel small. a neighbourhood in the outskirts of the city where Chris’ grandmother lives. This Fig. 7.2 River view from the embankments But this feeling is also less physical. The gave a broad image of St. Petersburg and whole social system and the standards are Leningrad, as the old lady still called it. so different from the ones we are used to, not worked on at all. Because of the lecture stiff way of doing the same over and over. that this makes you feel small as well and The bus trip and the lecture of Kyle Patching we now know why. The grandmother of Chris confirmed this, make you reflect the Dutch system. For me were however focused on development on by not understanding why we wanted to see it felt like you could do something wrong the waterfront. This makes our knowledge Besides, the lecture also broadened my her neighbourhood; for her this is the way it in a split of a second, for example with about the urban planning of the city limited. view on cultural heritage/Unesco World is, it is her standard of normal. the passport control when the authorities Heritage. That despite of positive effects took the passport of our teacher. You feel The lecture gave however a good image around retaining heritage, it limits the The low quality of life is one of the aspects helpless, small and stupid within a system about the planning culture in St. Petersburg. possibilities of redevelopment. that Kyle Patching also talked about, he you don’t know. About the difficult collaboration between even called it the “massive future ghetto”. It the various stakeholders and competing is a big and heavy statement, but also true. I really liked to get to know Russia and seeing interests, and the extensive paper work that Field trip by Valery Nefedov Almost all the sites we visited were empty; the differences, but the country and its comes along. This put the bus trip of the day (Galernaya Harbour) you didn’t see anyone on the streets and no people don’t attract me to come back in the before in perspective. During the bus trip children playing outside. You only saw cars, near future and definitely not to move there. professor Valery Nefedov namely suggested Social standards and quality of life cars, cars and garbage. And when professor But the end, I also want to visit . lots of potential development, which were The most memorable of the whole trip Nefedov talked about ‘nice green space was for me the social standards, quality of outside’, it was only a little bit of grass at life and the different way of thinking. The a windy place, again surrounded by cars. I bus trip showed us several sites along the would say that it is not surprising at all, that waterfront; from building sites, to good the space is not used in that case. and bad functioning areas. However ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are very relative. Compared to the Car dominance Netherlands I would name these areas ‘bad’ Something completely different, but my and ‘even worse’. nose is still recovering from the bad air quality in the city. Imagine, that two weeks I was impressed, in a negative way, about later my nose is still damaged from the inside what professor Nefedov said in a discussion because of the air pollution. I am sensitive during the toilet break. He said that people for air quality, but still it is an indication for in Russia are okay with the way it is, that the situation in St. Petersburg. they even want back to the Soviet Union. It is hard to imagine that more than half of The air pollution is however not the only the people don’t want to change a thing and problem of the cars. During the whole trip agree with the living standards and quality you saw cars everywhere and we even didn’t of life that is there now. He explained that bring it to the end point of the trip, because only young people that have seen more of the bus got stuck in traffic. Fig. 7.1 The bus at Galernaya Harbour the world, want change but experience the I think the city should do something about 30 31 07 | Galernaya Harbour BY Marinde van Rooij

that and build on the already existing become a nice place to stay. metro network, where however also the air quality and indoor environment should be To give an overview of the site I made a improved, and act on the flat topographical small SWOT analysis, concluding: characteristics of the city. • The strength of this place is its location along the water, its sheltered The Dutch Consulate General mentioned location in relation to the wind and its the possibilities of introducing a cycling position with respect to the sun. network in St. Petersburg as well. I think And of course the already existing plans for there is lots of potential in the city, especially a new harbour. because of the enormous dimensions of the • A weakness of the area are the closed street profiles. If people would make more buildings with no human scale. Fig. 7.4 Redevelopment plan of the harbour use of the public transport, or even when Another weakness is the focus of the future a fee would be introduced for parking and plan on the water and not on the whole making use of the car in the city centre, the public space ranging from the building and also the stiff regulation and paper work amount of space reserved for the car on the plinth up to the water. for redevelopment. streets can be limited. That space can be • Opportunities lie in the already used for green and making cycling paths. I existing harbour for recreational use and the The main problem, I think, will however think the city would benefit from that and wide dimensions of the waterfront; there is be the change in the way of thinking. The the spatial quality would improve. lots of potential to develop this to something downgrading of the car; in its usage and else and is not limited to the available space. possession, will be the main switch needed Galernaya Harbour • A threat is the usage of the space by for development here and all over the city. This is the same for the harbour of cars. As said already, you see cars everywhere Galernaya. The place where the bus stopped and also the only function of this place is to If, at some point this will happen, or the cars was overruled by cars. I can’t say that was park cars. will be parked underground, this space in the only problem. Also the buildings were Galernaya harbour particularly can be used massive, impersonal and the plinths closed. The area has lots of potential for the residents for recreational purposes and contribute to But if something would be done with the living nearby, so the target group is already the living quality of the neighbourhood. public space, this area has potential to there. Money will probably be the problem I imagine this with a decreased amount of space for the street, more green (not only grass, but also trees, plants and flowers) and places to sit, play and recreate. In this way the people that we could see during the trip that picnicked and were fishing there, are served in their usage of the space and more people will follow. The area would therewith contribute to the liveability of St. Petersburg!

Fig. 7.3 Recreationists along the river 32 33 08 | Waterfront Hotel Pribaltiyskaya BY Paul Faasen

city, the downside of a city as large as Saint- General reflection Petersburg was immediately visible. The large amount of undeveloped industrial While organizing the study trip, I thought of areas, the large waterfront lines with lots Saint-Petersburg as a large, beautiful city, of opportunities which aren’t used, the whose cultural heritage at least matches high number of almost identical high rise that of Paris. The inner city is filled with lots residential buildings; the contrast couldn’t of beautiful aesthetical buildings who every be bigger for me. On the other hand, the tourist will love to see. That’s why the study information professor Valery Nefedov trip should have a balanced program of both gave about the plans of the different sites educational and touristic events. revealed to me that the urban designers of the municipality are very aware of the value Fig. 8.2 Situation drawing 2 The first day of my first trip to Russia was of those sites and what they can bring to the filled with a touristic walking route in the inhabitants of Saint-Petersburg. Before the inner city, starting at the Hermitage. During trip, I’ve only read some information about the goal of my trip. typical Soviet apartment blocks. this day I tried to compare Saint-Petersburg the New Holland Island, so seeing the site in with lots of the other large cities of Europe real life helped me visualizing how this area The Waterfront boulevard, named Morskaya I’ve visited before. Because the avenues of could look in a few decades. Unfortunately, Lecture by Kyle Patching naberezhnaya lies in between the existing Saint-Petersburg aren’t completely filled many other sites where in a worse state apartment blocks and the embankment of with trees, like for instance Paris, I noticed with a lot of pollution, especially those On our fourth day, we visited the Netherlands the Gulf of Finland. This is also the site of that the architectural buildings had a larger close to the water. It was striking to see so Institute in Saint-Petersburg (NIP) where the Marine Façade project, a plan to create influence on me and therefore I could many polluted areas relatively close to the Kyle Patching gave a very interesting lecture 450 ha of artificial land. On this new land, appreciate them more. Afterwards I think developed residential areas about the city. a new passenger port for tourist cruise of Saint-Petersburg as one of the most inner ships, a high-tech architecture business cities I’ve ever seen. To see the both extremes of the city within The facts and insights he gave were very and residential district and a section of the two days made the experience of the trip informative. Also, it was good to hear Western Diameter Highway will be built. The bus trip on the second day was there more valuable to me. When visiting a city as how the policymaking works and all the This reclaimed land will reduce the current conflicting a lot with my experiences on a tourist, you will not see the other side of it. paperwork that is required for executing accessibility to the gulf for recreation the first day. While driving out of the inner Therefore, the bus trip was really completing a project. The mentioning of how bicycles purpose for the local inhabitants, but will be manifest themselves in the city and how a a large increase in activity during both day good cycling structure could improve the and night for this area. infrastructure in the city.

Field trip by Valery Nefedov (Waterfront Hotel Pribaltiyskaya)

Hotel Pribaltiyskaya is located on the western part of Vasilievskiy Island. This island consists of two main parts. On southern and eastern side of the island there are mostly buildings from the 19th century. The southern embankment has some of the oldest buildings in the city dated from 18th century. The southern part of the island also has a rectangular grid of streets. The western part is mostly formed by the shape of the embankment and was developed in Fig. 8.1 Situation drawing 1 the late Soviet times. It is mostly covered by 34 35 08 | Waterfront Hotel Pribaltiyskaya BY Paul Faasen

Russian Federation. Relations with the To improve the embankment of this European Union are the priority in the side of the island, a competition for the policy of St. Petersburg Government. design of ‘The Square of Europe’ was held in 2006. The Square of Europe should A number of projects aimed to promote become a symbol of historical memory and St. Petersburg as a European city opened indissoluble connection with Europe, so for the partnership have been launched. vital for the successful common future of Opening of the Square of Europe is a Saint-Petersburg. Its goal is to stimulate result of cooperation with the Council collaboration of young European artists, to of Europe and the European Union. The develop creative interactions of European European competition for the best project cultures, to strengthen cultural ties of of architectural and artistic decor for the European countries, as well as to foster the square will consequently continue such European youth dialogue, revealing the partnership. wealth and value of cultural traditions.

Following the historical traditions with a broad international participation in the process of St. Petersburg creation and continuing the European cultural cooperation, the Government of St. Petersburg has proposed the idea to organize under the Council of Europe and the European Commission aegis the International Competition for Young European Architects for the Best Project of Architectural Decor for the Square of Europe. This initiative has been supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the

Fig. 8.3 New developments are taking place 36 37 09 | Morskaya nabereznaya easily accessible. The city has to make a do we stand as a city? This would give the sprint to reach the current standards of proper ground for the next thing needed; BY PIM MOoLENAAR & Sebastiaan Brons infrastructures and system in order to a long-term regional- and citywide vision keep the city livable for the coming years. and strategy for Saint Petersburg. In short; The infrastructures need a vast amount of “Vision Saint Petersburg 2050”. Creating modernization which needs to happen very a long-term vision and strategy for the more successful cities in the world, several soon before they become outdated. city and the region would force the city General reflection issues have to be solved. and the policy makers to set specific goals As Saint Petersburg is a city which is and dots on the horizon which the city Looking outside from the airplane window First of all there is the vast bureaucracy from spatially based on the city of Amsterdam, could work to. It would also set specific while flying over the city and catching a the policy makers. This relic from the soviet the inner city is partially a copy past city, as priorities for developments so money can final glimpse of the city before the view is time, is a main issue when it comes to new well as the Leningrad neighborhoods which be spend more efficiently to the projects blocked by clouds. Visiting the city for the development in the city. When it becomes too are implemented as a punch. Basing part which the city actually needs. Moreover, first time answers many questions but also hard for investors to start development, and of the city on another city can be successful Vision Saint Petersburg 2050 would be gives new questions. Saint Petersburg, once money becomes scarce, urban renewal is the way of urban design and planning, but it a vision and strategy which implies all called Leningrad, used to be one of the will become harder and harder for the time does not mean that the city has a cultural different governmental organs, from water communistic hotspots of the country, while being. Cutting the amount of bureaucracy historical affection of this way of designing management to energy and from housing at the same the city’s spatial roots lie in the would vastly improve the timeframe for planning. This is not something that can be to waste disposal. This causes all parties to resemblance to Amsterdam, which used to the urban development and improving implemented but has to grow for several concur with one vision and strategy, which be one of the most capitalistic hotspots in public spaces. On the other hand, this decades. For instance Saint Petersburg has creates a vision with specific guidelines, Europe. After visiting Saint Petersburg for bureaucratic system is still in the memory a historical relation and culture of water goals and targets for all stakeholders. a couple of days and experiencing the city, of many inhabitants and is part of the social management, as the city lies on a swamp This vision should be the leading element now is the time to look back and answer cultural history of the city. Therefore is will and often had strengths from the open sea. though all future development in the city in some simple questions; How is the city be hard to get rid of this system as 80% of On the other hand, the city does not have the coming decades. A leading vision and doing, how is it feeling and how does it see the population wants to return to the Soviet the history of building with the water as strategy would give a common goal between its future. system. the Dutch have more strongly. Therefor the all policy makers which forces them to work implementation of the Dutch canals and together. As stated in several lectures and In order to improve the status of the city, the canal buildings in Saint Petersburg do conversations with experts during our stay, the public realm, leisure and recreation, and not have the same effect as in the city of The topic of long-term vision and strategy it is clearly mentioned that Saint Petersburg urban renewal, a strong economy is needed. Amsterdam, due to the differences in scale making is something that has been visually seen is one of the most beautiful This does not only mean the economy of the and accessibility. implemented in many successful cities cities in Europe. It has a vast spatial history country and the city itself, but also strong across the world, each with its own set of with many historic structures and buildings, relations with other economical strong Saint Petersburg has so much potential in it. goals and challenges for the coming years. giving the old center a monumental scenery. countries and strong diplomatical ties. The As stated by the several tutors and students For instance, PlaNYC (the vision for New This scenery reveals itself with imposing current international relationships that in the city, there is enough funding available York) is mostly oriented towards widespread governmental and religious buildings along Russia has with its western neighbors are and enough knowledge closeby to take the maintenance of its infrastructural systems, vast green parks and wide streets. It is a tense. This has caused an economic decline next step for the city. Saint Petersburg, as while the vision “Stockholm 2030” focusses popular city with a young population striving in the country which off course affects well as Russia, has a strong economy, enough more on new urban development for more for welfare and a livable city. The city itself the spatial development in cities. A more natural resources and a willing population. inhabitants and the expansion of public has all the ingredients of becoming one of constructive and empathetic attitude of both In our opinion one of the mayor problems is transport. The creation of a common the most successful cities in Europe. So why sides is needed in order to keep the money that there is no clear view what the priorities vision and strategy is a powerful tool that is it that the city has not yet received such a flowing. are in the city and what would we be the forces policy makers to determine where status and is not yet capable of showing its next step for the city. This can for instance they stand, prioritize future developments, potential? Due to the Soviet hangover, the time in be seen in the waterfront development, and setting common goals for different the city has stood still for several decades. where areas with a huge potential are stakeholders. What we have seen during our visit to Saint At the moment the city is running behind dominated by heavy infrastructure under Petersburg is a city that is struggling under approximately 30 to 40 years in comparison construction. Therefore we would plead What should also be an essential part of this the Soviet Hangover. In our opinion the with for instance Amsterdam. This is for that the city should come to a hold and strategy and vision, is working on the social city has reached a turning point in history. instance shown in the quality of the mobility should determine exactly where it stands. aspect of urban design and the planning It has reached a certain point in time at the infrastructures, seeing car possession as It needs to set a starting point in time and process. The inhabitants of the city are a flip of the communistic period to the more a status, the outdated energy grid and the with it specify where the city stand, what valuable part of future development and western oriented way of city planning and water management system. At the same the status is of its livability, infrastructures, should be included in the design solutions design. This comes with a certain amount time the knowledge of these aspects and economy, systems, health, social value and and the strategies for specific parts of the of complexity. In order to become a more the ways of the further developing several national and international allure. Thus city. Inhabitants are the people who can successful city, up to the standards of the vital systems in the city is available and basically answering the question; where make or break the city, and therefore it is 38 39 09 | Morskaya nabereznaya One last thing that we personally high potential for the rediscovering of the experienced in the city was a certain amount waterfront and public space and activities BY PIM MOoLENAAR & Sebastiaan Brons of pessimism. The focus at the presentations along the river. and lectures were often on the negative aspects of the city, such as the missing It can be stated that, at this moment, the area waterfront, policymakers, bureaucracy, is not functioning to its potential, and is of vital that their opinion and ideas should be supply and public transport should be easy to lacking support and unsuccessful poor quality to the city and its inhabitants. It implemented in the city. Possibly, citizen of create, adjust and extended in the city. If all architecture. This may come from the Soviet is one of the rare banks of Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg are feeling more distant extremes in the city (socially, economically, Hangover, and the realization that the city that can be used for recreation and leisure towards its policy makers as for a long time in policy, risks, in scale and contradiction) has much more to offer than is really shows. due to the sandy shores, which create small they controlled every aspect of city life, would level out more, it would make the Still, it was sometimes hard to specifically beaches. These beaches are partially used or they weren’t involved at all in spatial city more open and accessible for investors find what the city is good at, and where the by residents for recreational activities, development issues. Still, social cohesion and a more wide range of initiatives that potential exactly lies. As we asked Professor but mostly beaches are full of garbage and and self-organization has proven to be otherwise would never take off. At the V. Nefedov during the excursion: “What lack proper facilities for extended usage of an effective way of influencing the direct same time, this increasing accessibility and is the city actually good at?” the response the banks. Moreover, due to the motorway living environment of the inhabitants. It openness would make the city more flexible was:” We have all resources and money between the buildings and shore, the often functions as a catalyst in improving and of human scale, as there are more available for urban redevelopment, but we beaches are not accessible or visible from anonymous public spaces, recreation and possibilities of small scale improvements. are not using is as it should be used”. On the public space. In some areas the shores vacant buildings. This way of spontaneous Off course, leveling out the extremes in the the other hand it was very good to see and are even used as storage facilities and the urbanism, of pop-up urbanism could be a city is one of the toughest tasks there is. It experience the optimism and the willingness areas are covered by small metal boxes tool for the city to redevelop public space or not only demands a huge amount of policy of the student of the ITMO. They really see blocking the view. It almost goes without vacant industrial sites. changes, it demands a total rethinking of the tasks that are at hand and see a positive saying that there is no relation between the society, economy and ways of investing. The future for the city that they can help create. urban fabric, the apartments and the public As Kyle Patching stated in his lecture at the entire ways of urban development as the The future of the city will lie in the upcoming space and the waterfront. Moreover, this Dutch Consulate, Saint Petersburg is a city city knows so far will need to be left behind, generation of new designers and planners relationship is further troubled by the new of extremes, in every aspect of city and the and a new course with new standards has to with a positive attitude and the willingness highway created along the waterfront, which life of the inhabitants. This causes a complex be taken with a different attitude towards to make a difference. will partially destroy the visual relationship society and hard conditions for companies profit and investments, successful urban between the river and gulf. and investors as they are forced to take high areas, successful public space and quality of Looking back to our visit to Saint Petersburg, risks for high profits, or complete failure and living. It is the question whether the people we had an amazing time. We had a very warm One of the mayor problems that needs losing top dollar. This gives a huge amount in Saint Petersburg are ready for these kinds welcome from the University, and we are to be fixed, is to create more visibility of uncertainty about spatial developments of changes, and are willing to change their very thankful for the time and energy they from the public space and the waterfront. in the city for policymakers, investors and ways in order to create a more successful took to show us the city. We recon we have Momentarily, the view is blocked by a high inhabitants, whereas essential elements city. seen a complete image of the city thanks difference, trees small scale buildings. such as schools, hospitals, energy and water to the lectures and presentations and by Creating a more open view would create visiting interesting sites. Saint Petersburg is more awareness of the presence of the a very lively city and made us more curious waterfront. Moreover, the new highway about the future of the city. We’ll be sure to could also give a possibility for downgrading visit the city again. the Morskaya naberezhnaya road which increases the ability to cross the road and lowers the noise and pollution caused by the Field trip by Valery Nefedov vehicles. (Morskaya Naberezhnaya) A possible value and potential for the bank, During the fieldtrip we came upon the area is that there is quite a lot of space between of Morskaya naberezhnaya, an area along the water and the buildings, which means the waterfront on the north side of the that the potential beach or public space Vasileostrovsky District. It is the area where is of sufficient size and capable to serve the Malaya Nevka River flows over in the many inhabitants of Saint Petersburg. Gulf of Finland and is currently dominated Nevertheless, this requires an investment to by the nearby construction of the World Cup transform the entire bank. 2018 stadium on the other side of the river, and the new highway which runs along the The potential of the bank lies in an area whole waterfront of the city. This is one of with mixed functions and openness for the areas in Saint Petersburg which has a the inhabitants of the city. It has to cope Fig. 9.1 Morskaya Naberezhnaya 40 41 09 | Morskaya nabereznaya with the negative influences of the new highway, and need to operate on itself. BY PIM MOoLENAAR & Sebastiaan Brons This can be done by creating recreational facilities and commercial facilities along the water, together with recreational routing such as bicycle or walking lanes. This way the waterfront will gain more value for the neighborhood, thus improving its allure and image. Potentially this specific project the city has to tackle, can be the soft side, small scale urban development of public space, in contrast to the hardcore, large scale development of the stadium across the river. Where at one point space is being taken, space can also be given back to the people.

Fig. 9.3 Current situation where the view is blocked

Fig. 9.4 Situation with more visibility from the public space and the waterfront 42 43 10 | River estuary BY Remco Knoops

General reflection Lecture of Kyle Patching

The trip gave a brief overview about not The river Smolenka estuary is an example only the city of St. Petersburg but mainly of those projects that could have a nice also about how the people are living within waterfront instead of an undeveloped area. It and close to the city. It was great to see those should be part of the real estate development things you normally can not see when you for these kinds of projects. Until now the visit a city. We had the opportunity to see real estate companies are making big profit the richness of the city by visiting the more by only realising the building blocks and tourist attractions like the hermitage, Peter the necessary infrastructure. There should and Paul fortress and the church of the be a regulation obligating these companies Fig. 10.2 Construction works at the Smolenka Estuary spilled blood. By making it possible to visit to realise a liveable area for every price- a local apartment in Leningrad we could range. The municipality should participate also see the poor part of city. Seeing the be creating these obligations and inspect expanding and a new highway will be created bad conditions of the buildings and living these areas during the development if the crossing these artificial islands. The artificial environment within the apartments and real estate companies are realizing these island has potentials as an open area with The artificial islands will be detached from experiencing that the deterioration of the areas, setting a tight deadline in line with design opportunities for a waterfront. the existing neighbourhood due to the neighbourhoods is even worse then thought. the realisation of the building blocks. development of the new highway. This The trip by bus confirmed that this is a At the northeast side of the riverbanks was new highway leads to more noise impact, common problem for all the surrounding already a small village before the founding bad air and less land value. It destroys the neighbourhoods of St. Petersburg. It gave a Field trip by Valery Nefedov (River of St. Petersburg. During the industrial potential influence of the artificial land. The brief overview of the Russian culture, better Smolenka estuary) revolution a lot of companies situated neighbourhood loses the connection with posed, the culture of St. Petersburg. next to the river banks, which during time the water, which is the only parameter by The Smolenka river, in the 18th century developed in large factories. Nowadays non-development that increases the value known as the Myakushaya river, is mounding neighbourhoods are located at the boarders of the surrounding neighbourhood. Areas in the Gulf of Finland. At the mound of this of the river. like this are the areas we try to avoid in the Smolenka river is a man made island, also Netherlands and those are the common known as artificial island. These islands are The waterfront of the Smolenka estuary living spaces in St. Petersburg. The only should become part of the Morskaya thing that can be done is realising a nice embankment. During the years since transition area between the neighbourhood the development of the adjacent and the artificial islands with lots of a green neighbourhoods the area is neglected. They and the ability to relax and enjoy the outdoor never implemented the plan and nowadays environment. it is not a very attractive spot for meeting and spending your spare time with friends. A development opportunity for this area is finding a solution for the high road. It could Since the surrounding neighbourhoods be realised by creating a tunnel for the traffic. were realised it does not give the impression This gives the opportunity to make the that there was any attempt to develop the artificial islands part of the neighbourhood. waterfront. It looks like an abandoned area It could be a nice waterfront with housing with pavement that is not destroyed by the facilities or an area with recreational use of it but because of it un-use. The new facilities increasing the land value. artificial islands are still in development at which the current waterfront becomes an in between area. It has opportunities to develop into a next in-between-area. Current development has different plans for Fig. 10.1 Situation drawing Smolenka Estuary this area. 44 45 12 | Territories along Small Neva river BY Suzan de Wispelaere

power of the emporium. General Reflection Then the inspiring bus tour, seeing a whole Sint-Petersburg, a city with different different side of St. Petersburg with the impressions; On the one hand consisting of abandoned industrial estates but also the ornamented oversized streets, statues and new developed residential areas, where empowering palaces but on the other hand I have difficulties to imagine that people filled with traffic jams, dilapidated estates, really want to live in these enormous blocks industrial buildings and large monotonous alongside the river with barely any attention towers originating from the Soviet hangover. towards public space or connecting on an We had the chance to visit various sites of urban fabric. Besides that it seems that the city. The historic city center, the old the residents do not really care about their Fig. 12.2 Parking Tower – High Tech Campus Eindhoven. Source: inbo.com glory of Peter de Grote which I experienced surrounding public space, like more green, as one big façade, nice designed but you giving up on the car, have a healthy lifestyle could feel the poor maintenance and decline. or community involvement. Probably Lecture by Kyle Patching larger and broader road where a bus station It was really interesting to see how he used because they have bigger priorities, like was situated before the road curved, which Amsterdam’s canals but implemented it surviving the month. During the lecture of Kyle Patching it was gave a hectic and dangerous impression. I on a totally different way. When I visualize interesting to have a visual and quantitative am not sure what kind of bus station this the canals of Amsterdam I think of small I really liked the collaboration with the view of all the industrial zones scattered really is but it consisted of a big parking scaled houses with soft edges, trees, things Russian University and our opportunity to through the city. It created more awareness place for buses and bus stops alongside the happening on the street; residents use the connect with Russian students. The ability to about the scale and the amount of areas road. The bus stops had assigned locations public space in front of their buildings to ask questions and discuss topics concerning that need redevelopment, however I do not but therefore occupied a driving lane. I put plants, benches, park their bikes and the city really enriched our trip. As well for think it is realistic to transform all these can imagine that this can create dangerous children play there. But in St. Petersburg, the visit to the Dutch Consulate and the areas by creating big new master plans and situations when more buses will leave at the scale is totally different, enormous university, seeing the type of projects the relocating the industries. That seems like once and conflict with the passing traffic. broad streets full with traffic, decorated students are working on. you are displacing the problem. Perhaps it Especially since it seems a terminus for the buildings but with extreme hard edges and is wise to select some key projects with the trolleybus and a transfer point for the buses, well-designed parks and palaces throughout biggest priorities and use these as catalysts to however there were nog further facilities the city, probably all designed to radiate the revitalize the neighbourhood. He mentioned or visual recognition of a public transport it is really difficult to start a project due to node. resistance, not the right connections and the adaption of the project to the Russian I think it is an opportunity for St. idea, perhaps this revitalisation should be Petersburg to focus on public transport and in collaboration with the citizens, creating improve the identity because of the traffic more responsibility and social cohesion in congestion problems. Nowadays many the neighbourhoods. public transit nodes in the Netherlands are being redeveloped to cope with more travelers. Different transport systems are Field trip by Valery Nefedov interconnected within multifunctional (Territories along the Small Neva buildings, providing various facilities River) for the travelers and easing the use of public transport. For example, in Breda a When we drove through Uralskaya Uliza I multileveled station is developed; an island was still perplexed by the previous stop on shaped bus platform is connected with the Morskaya Nabereznaya, with the large the train station whereby the travelers do residential buildings forming an enormous not have to cross a street anymore but can enclosed element in contrast with the easily elevate to a higher level towards the primitive small scaled metal garage boxes terminal. This seems a safe solution for Fig. 12.1 Island platform Station Breda – the Netherlands. Source: viabreda.nl and the desolated beach. We entered a pedestrians and adequate for combining 46 47 12 | Territories along Small Neva river BY Suzan de Wispelaere

different traffic flows. on a big scale. Upward of Uralskaya Uliza 21 towards the Smolenka river a transition Furthermore the Uralskaya Uliza gave a was noticeable; the street profile appears widespread industrial and mono functional narrower, a higher density of buildings with impression due to the broad and rational an active plinth and nice green features. set up of big shopping malls with parking I think these building blocks, which lots, fuel stations, car related shops and contain qualitative architectural elements, industries but barely any residential use. could work as a catalyst for any further Next to that, many functions were closed redevelopment of the shopping strip. towards the road with a fence creating no Especially if the focus is on the human scale spatial qualities and barely any connection and his experience, with active plinths, towards the Neva river. Quite striking was higher density, mixed functions, soft edges Fig. 12.4 Possible situation after development the designed parking tower, that seems to and greenery. be an efficient solution to deal with the car problem and to extract it from the visibility. With all the new developments on the decades traffic engineers have discovered Mann, A. (2014, june 6). What’s Up With At the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven they Northern Islands more traffic congestion that building bigger roads actually creates That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes realized an parking tower but added a green can be expected. Since 2005 there were more traffic due to new drivers, resulting Traffic Worse. Retrieved from http://www. element whereby the building nicely blends already plans to create a bridge connecting in the intensity of traffic staying the wired.com/2014/06/wuwt-traffic-induced- in the landscape. Vasilevsky island and the Petrograd side same.”(Duranton & Turner, 2009) “As long demand/ through the Serniy Islands and Malaya Neva as driving on the roads remains easy and I had the idea that there was more single- to solve many traffic problems; diversion cheap, people have an almost unlimited use planning in St. Petersburg, at certain of traffic and thus relieve the city center desire to use them.” (Mann, 2014) moments I really missed a layered design and the Tuchkov bridge. The most current in the streetscape, no use of trees or other plan wants to finish the bridge before the What Turner and Duranton actually green elements to reduce the scale, but World Championships in 2018, creating a advocate is congestion pricing: raising the on the other hand there were many well bridge with a distance of 974 meters, 6 lanes price of driving on a road and parking the designed spacious parks creating qualitative broad with sidewalks and bicycle lanes. I car when demand is high to discourage the green spaces. So it seems to be the decision really doubt if broadening or making more people to travel during congested hours. of mixed use on a small scale or single use roads will solve the problem. In the last few Next to that, the extra cost of driving would also make public transit a more attractive option, leading to more people using it. It seems Congestion pricing has been tried successfully in places like London, Stockholm, and Singapore. Perhaps St. Petersburg can be added to these successes.

Sources

Map of public transport in St. Petersburg. (2015). Retrieved from http://transportmap. ru/transport-spb.html

Duranton, G., & Turner, M. A. (2009). the National bureau of Economic research. Retrieved from The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion: Evidence from US cities: http://www.nber.org/papers/w15376 Fig. 12.3 Current situation 48 49 13 | River Embankment BY Thomas Galetzka

to see how this era influenced the city and General Reflection how the people lived and still do in this part of the city. Another surprise was the metro Saint Petersburg was before the study trip system of the city, with extremely deep a city that was only know by name and one stations but beautiful decorated where some building,: The Hermitage. Besides that city can still learn something from. the city was a great unknown for me. This ignorance resulted in several great surprises Looking back on the whole trip in such during the 5 days we stayed in the city. The short time it was interested to see so many old inner-city was surprisingly beautiful with different aspects of the city. It was fun to the several churches and other monumental meet fellow students abroad and their building spread along the city. Also the help during our stay was great, especially Fig. 13.2 Red Banner Textile Factory building & Residential Complex along the Embankment resemblance to Amsterdam was great to see with helping translating the confusing and although the canals were a lot broader than not understandable and the original in Amsterdam is was still clear showing interesting spots in the city. This in comparison to a more European As also mentioned in the presentation these where Peter the Great found the inspiration standard where these zones are found at the reference projects in London, Vancouver of the planning of the city. the edge of a city. But also the fact that al and Detroit tends to do develop slightly Lecture by Kyle Patching lot of the embankment zones are abandoned different than the presented way in Russia, Then there was the part of Leningrad , this industrial areas and are like this for decades this of course due to the governmental and part of the city was a whole surprise for me The presentation of Kyle Patching of the and that there is almost no plan for each of administrative part of the system and that’s as since it exist of all massive high building waterfront redevelopments of the city of the zones. This strange to see since in the also the key where the major changes needs blocks that for me at least looked all the Saint Petersburg was a quite interesting Netherlands these types of zones almost do to be done in order to develop these more same. It was quite a surprise that the still presentation. It was interested to hear not exists. innovative redevelopment plans along the existed, as i heard that they were mend for that the city is ready for redevelopment of waterfronts. only 20 to 30 years. This part of the city was the waterfront as other cities in Western Although there are many similarities to be also a hard contrast to the more organic and Europe and North America have been doing found in the situation in the Netherlands All in all there are a lot of opportunities and detailed inner city and is of course clear to in the past decades. It was strange to see such as the mix-use redevelopment projects possibilities to redevelop the waterfront of see that this was build during the soviet era that the industrial areas are so close to the and concentrating on common conflicts in a Saint Petersburg with but the fact remains of the city. That said it was also interesting city-centre and spread through the city. study area to come with a solution for the new is there enough money, political en private districts. Next to the similarities there are willingness to start the process to transform also differences. One of the main differences the old industrial areas to a new and with the situation in the Netherlands is all innovative waterfront. the paperwork and administrative work that comes with a development of a site. As mentioned in the presentation it was Field trip by Valery Nefedov (The really surprising to hear about the amount River Zhdanovka Embankment) of paperwork and co-ownership is involved in developments. But also the influence of The River Zhdanovka is a side river of the the municipality and government with their river Neva in the city of Saint petersburg. policies and law that a developer had to The river runs from Bolshoy Avenue of the comply with in order to submit and execute Petrogradskaya Side to Novoladozhskaya a plan. Street. The embankment was formed in the 18th century as a passage along the Another point was that the development right bank of the Zhdanovka River, which are still fairly traditional and according the received its name in the late 18th century standards that have been set years ago. This from the Zhdanov clerk assistants who traditional approach can and needs to be owned a house along the river. changed so it can compete with other major Fig. 13.1 The River Zhdanovka Embankment & development site along the Embankment cities in Western Europe or North America. At the Bolshoy Avenue the Zhdanovka 50 51 13 | River Zhdanovka Embankment BY Thomas Galetzka

embankment has a beautiful developed embankment with a grand parks as the These developments do not stop at the Petrovsky park, which provides the district embankments itself but the surrounding with an beautiful recreational opportunities districts can also benefit from these and possibilities for the residents. But also developments since a large section of the the rest of the embankment consist of a district needs revitalization. This means that green environment which gives the river one project along the embankment can be a a pleasant environment which gives a catalyst to further develop the whole district positive atmosphere to the embankments including the Red Banner Textile Factory and gives the residents the opportunity to building that we have seen in the bus tour. recreate along the river. This green strip of the embankment is combined with large residential apartment buildings and piers. An example of these new developments of the Also at this side there are several sport old industrial area along the river are already facilities such as the , visible on the northern side of the river. On the home of the football club FC Zenit and this side of the river on the Petrovsky Island several other sport and training facilities. there is already an Residential Complex Since this side of the river consist of so many build by Studio 44 Architects. This new great attributes this side does not really need complex is a great example of what could new development since the atmosphere is happen with a new redevelopment of the already quite positive and pleasant. river directly opposite on the other side of the river. These developments are similar This is in great contrast with the other to other (re)-developments in the city end of the river the part surrounding along several rivers where there is a plan to the Novoladozhskaya Street. Along this transform the old industrial area to a new section of the river there is the possibility mixed function zone. and opportunity for redevelopment of the houses along the embankment and in the All in all there are a lot of opportunities district. These possibilities are there since and possibilities to redevelop this area but this side has almost no green spaces and this is there enough money, political en private side of the river used to be an industrial side willingness and initiatives to start this which is abandoned. This as a consequence process to transform the old abandoned of the deindustrialization of the area, where industrial areas to a new mix-used and the industrial companies have been moved innovative waterfront. of the district or just completely eliminated. These factors means that there is plenty of opportunity to redevelop this area with a new residential complex or a mix of residential and enterprises. The new complexes can be realized as a with up to eight story with high-end luxurious apartments directly located along the river and surrounded by green spaces and a park. This gives a pleasant environment to live in. This is can also be an continuation of the situation on the other side of the river and gives a more uniform identity to the whole Zhdanovka embankment, so people can recognize the Zhdanovka river just by its embankment. 52 53 14 | Krestovskiy Island BY Wessel van Wijlick

Unfortunately the human scale is lost in General Reflection the streets where cars and fast traffic is dominant. A streettype like the Bolshaya Because I was in the board of the trip I was Konyushennaya Ul. could emphasize the excited since the beginning to organize a trip greatness of streets for pedestrians. to Russia. The rich history of St. Petersburg and beautiful baroque plan of Peter the On Sunday the bus tour was most interesting Great were reasons to visit. During the and well organized. In the beginning I was years, St. Petersburg has known many rulers wondering if we could see all of the 16 sites which all influenced the appearance of the during the day. But on the moment we city. The first day we arrived at the Nevsky were a the first location: the New Holland through the metro in the middle of the Island I knew this was going to be a great Fig. 14.2 Small Belosselsky-Belozersky palace historic center where our hostel was located day. Professor Valery Nefedov is very along. This first impression was amazing professional and knows a lot about the city. although we had plans in the evening to visit The locations are well chosen and gave me most beautiful platforms I have ever seen, Petersburg is currently turning his back to the opposite site of the city: a microrayon insight and opportunities to see the city all in different interesting themes. In the the water instead of embracing the qualities. in former Leningrad. I think it was very in a way that was not possible without the afternoon we finished the city tour to take a The former industrial and soviet buildings important to see the different atmospheres cooperation with the university. After all view on the Isaac and walked on the walls of have irreplaceable properties that could give and contradictions in the beginning to have I was surprised that we have seen all the the . the city a new glory and identity. The lesson a fair picture of the city. locations and each location has its own I have learned from Kyle is perseverance potential for redevelopment. The last day of our trip was a very official and the ability to compromise. On the second day we went to the Hermitage day which started awkward by arriving late. in the morning and did a sightseeing tour in The Monday supposed to be an easy-going The presentation by Kyle Patching will be the afternoon. This supposed to be one of day to relax and see Peterhof. On our way discussed in the next chapter. The afternoon Field trip by Valery Nefedov the touristic days because none of us (except back to the city we had organized a metrotour on the ITMO University was inspiring. (Krestovskiy Island) Chris) have been to St. Petersburg and along the Kirovsko-Vyborgskaja line. The The entrance and staircase of the building Russia before. It was truly fascinating how underground palaces, which are the stations is very beautiful and the informal studio Until the beginning of the 20th century the the historic center has such greatness with and platforms, amazed me in many ways. under the roof is really nice. It is inspiring island was private property of Belosselsky- cathedrals, palaces and grand boulevards. The relatively new metro system has the to work in such an informal atmosphere Belozersky family. The wealthy family had which is opposite to our university building. built a palace designed by famous architect Overall I think the trip, in the current Rastrelli on the south of the island. The format, was absolutely great. The balance island used to be green and park like. What between informal and professional program is interesting is the street pattern which was excellent and the interaction and originates of the Belosselskys. In that way conversations with Russian students was a you can say the island has a sustainable success. structure that can implement changes in time easily. Due to urbanization, many apartment blocks have been built since the Lecture by Kyle Patching 1950s.

To start with, I find it mostly brave of a non- The island has one of the first recreational Russian to have such a strong character and venues in St. Petersburg. The Belosselsky- influence in a city like St. Petersburg. He Belozersky family already supported tennis, touches the challenges and opportunities polo, rowing and a yacht club before the for redevelopment in the core. The city has Russian Revolution. Those sports were so many potentials and it would be nice if meant for the higher society and still policies are not so though. Because of the today the island is the center of sports many former industries in the city, new and recreation. New residential buildings Fig. 14.1 Martinova Embankment new residential ways of living and recreating are possible. St are also built for the high class society. 54 55 14 | Krestovskiy Island BY Wessel van Wijlick

One of the activities that made the island remain the heart of sport. For example the internationally known for sports was the south side can be more open and free venues athletics club at the end of the 19th century. for football, volleyball and other beach activities fit perfectly in the atmosphere Sponsor and founder Sergei Constantinovich of the island. Currently, the new football became a representative to the International stadium and highway-infrastructure offer Olympic Committee (IOC) afterwards. great opportunities for the island. A giant During the Soviet period, the island became bridge is being built right now part of the ring a base for a successful sport and rowing around St. Petersburg. I am wondering why club. Today, continues its they blocked the view instead of building a tradition as a base for sports and recreation tunnel (if this would be cheaper). Beside the and is still the home to half a dozen tennis metro station and bridges along the south- Fig. 14.4 Zenit-arena under construction clubs, several boating and rowing clubs as eastern side the island is quite isolated well as the site of the new “Zenith” football between various rivers. The strength of the club stadium, replacing the at island is the low density, largely green space the western spit of the island. Although the and surrounding water. A great example for island has changed significantly since the living is the new residential zone north of Russian Revolution in terms of its land use, the island. Further developments would be even more so during the past decade, there better if a solution will be found where the is still the dominant presence of sports on gates and fences are not necessary anymore. Krestovsky. To conclude: the island has a rich history according to sports and recreation. People The beautiful landscaped park contains an who are living on the island are mostly amusement park and many venues for sports higher class people in a green environment. and recreation. In combination with sport To maintain the strength of the island the and history the island has high potential banks could be developed and the parks for a resort, because the island was always should be preserved. used by the higher classes. However, the island should be accessible for everyone to

Fig. 14.3 Green environment Maritime Victory Park 56 57