33

Abstract from Master's thesis

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

 

Citation preview

Page 1: Abstract from Master's thesis
Page 2: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1Prefacee Analysis of St. Petersburg Historic Urban Development Formation

Chapter 2Recent Experience in the Construction of Embankmentsin the Historic Center of St. Petersburg

1.1 e European Embankment Contest. e Judicial Quarter1.2 “Marine residence” complex on the embankment of the Vasilyevsky Island1.3 Ideal City residential area on the Oktyabrskaya Embankment1.4 House on the Neva River Bend residential complex on the Sverdlovsk Embankment1.5 Smolny Park residential complex on the Smolny Embankment1.6 Grandville residential complex on the Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment

Conclusions

Literary sources

- 2 -

Page 3: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

- 3 -

Many European and American cities that are inclose proximity to water are actively rethinkingand improving the coastal territory. In Russia, astrong interest is focused on the development ofthe embankments of the main city waterway, theMoscow River. e interest is reinforced by thefact that the riverside areas are the mostecologically pristine compared to other urbanareas. An international call for proposals of anunprecedented scale took place in August 2014; itwas attended by the best architectural teamsaround the world. However, Moscow is not the only city in Russia,which is beginning to take interest and activelyimplement the foreign experience of thecontemporary urbanistics.

Introduction

1А. Trapkova. Rivers of Money and Time: How to Transform the City's Waterfront. Forbes.Urbanistics blog - 2014

View of Petrovsky island from the top

e modern development of the coastal areas is aparticularly relevant direction, which has onlyrecently emerged and become increasingly populararound the world. e depressed peripheral areasare getting replaced with the developed urbanareas with extensive park zones and comfortableaccommodation. e effects of the twentieth-century industrialization had bad consequences onthe view of the city’s waterfront, which isobstructed with industrial zones, highways, andport facilities. It is only at the end of the 1970s thatthe concept of the new urbanism was born as aresult of deindustrialization; the concept wascentered on the creation of embankments thatprovide a comfortable living environment for thecitizens1.

Page 4: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

- 4 -

As a holistic ensemble of architecture, thehistoric town sets the rules of the game, in whichthe new and old either make up a harmonioussymbiosis of architecture or enter into an activecon ict. e task of the modern architect includesthe adjustment of these relations, in which heseeks to follow any fashion trends and standards ofthe modernity or chooses the historical or classicalstyle without violating the integrity of the historicurban environment. In both cases, the architectinevitably falls within the restrictions that areimposed by the governmental organizations andthe laws that protect the historic heritage. e aim of this study is to answer the question,what should the modern embankmentarchitecture look like to qualify for the part of thehistoric city environment.

Embankment of St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, the cultural capital of Russia,which was originally conceived as the Venice ofthe North, is a striking architectural ensemble ofthe 18the-20th century, built on water. ehistoric urban environment of St. Petersburg hasremained virtually intact. Here the embankmentsoriginally served as the main, front facade of thecity, so their architectural appearance was ofprimary consideration. However, theindustrialization did affect many river facades ofSt. Petersburg, which are in a depressive state atthe moment. According to the increasingly popular globaltendency of the riverside space revitalization, wecan predict that the attention of the modernarchitects and urban planners shall soon be drawnto the St. Petersburg waterfront.

Page 5: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

- 5 -

e four promising sections of Petrovsky island

Aer studying the foreign experience of themodern embankment construction in the historicand prospectively developing new cities, it isplanned to offer an informed project proposal forthe reorganization and the construction of a newembankment in the context of the actual historicenvironment. e development concept of the Petrovsky IslandEmbankment in St. Petersburg will be a goodexample of such construction. In addition to thefact that the Petrovsky Island is one of the centraldistricts of the historic city, on its territory there ispreserved the cultural heritage, which will becomepart of the new embankment complex.

Almost the entire island, which is currently in thepossession of small industrial companies, is usedfor storage facilities accommodation. ePetrovsky Island is of interest to the constructioncompanies who are actively involved in the tendersfor the development of its territory. e St. Petersburg project designers are morefocused on the development of the four promisingsections of the Petrovsky Island located in closeproximity to the cultural heritage objects, sincethey are convenient for the future construction interms of the transport communications and thelack of regulation prohibitions. As of recent, the redevelopment of industrialareas has manifested itself as a citywide trend ofthe contemporary St. Petersburg.

Page 6: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

In the next ve years, nearly 5.5 million squaremeters of housing will be built in the territory ofthe industrial zones2. It means that moderndevelopers will inevitably face the challenge of thequalitative transformation of the embankments. For the Petrovsky Island, it means the recoveryfrom the depressive state and the new quality ofthis industrial area. In the future, this process willcompletely change the island’s role in the urbanstructure and restore it as a comfortable livingarea. e development of the new embankments onthe territory of the Petrovsky Island is anambitious project with a great urban developmentpotential, which will in uence the surroundinghistoric urban environment. is study shallidentify the current trends in the development ofnew embankments and develop a project proposal,which will be a good meeting point between thecity and the river.

- 6 -

2 А. Asanova. Developers and the Industrial Zone. Fontanka.ru. Section “Construction” -2015

Photographs of the current state of Peterovsky island

Page 7: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

Symbiosis of old and new in the architecture of European cities.e Netherlands, Haarlem.

Contemporary construction in the historic cityallots nontrivial tasks before architects. earchitecture of the city, which has been formingover the centuries, requires careful and thoughtfulattitude under the today’s conditions. Afundamental scienti c problem is the lack oftheoretical design basis in the conditions ofhistoric environment and, as a consequence, thelack of continuity in the creation of the city’s faceby the previous architect generations. e loss of identity by a historic center leads todevastating consequences for the city. Moderndevelopers oen neglect the importance of thehistorical context, regardless of the visualenvironment in which the new construction isdone. erefore, an architect who designs in thisenvironment should develop the historical andtheoretical basis comprising of the characteristicfeatures of its contextual identity. e historic environment research formed thedesign and urban recommendations for theimplementation of the new construction. eadopted architectural standards allow adjustingthe quality of the newly-created constructionprojects. is practice has been successfullyapplied in many US cities, such as Seattle andPortland, since the 1900s3. In order to accentuatethe priority principles of local urban planning, anenvironment design code is developed; it ensuresthat the new construction is consistent with theplanning structure of the city, the environment,the panorama view from distant points, as well asthe proportions and the proportionality ofbuildings.

- 7 -

3 L.S. Romanova. Modern Buildings in the Historic City Centers. Research. Problems.Prospects - 2008

Chapter 1Preface

Page 8: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

is set of recommendations de nes the highquality of the urban environment. When designing in a city like St. Petersburg, thehistorical context must be taken into account. Atpresent, St. Petersburg authorities have developeda set of regulations that impose restrictions on thenew buildings. ese documents regulate thenumber of oors and dimensions of the designedstructures, as well as the frontage line. However,these rules do not provide recommendations onthe visual and aesthetic aspects of the new facilitiesand their stylistic identity.

- 8 -

On the one hand, they grant the contemporaryarchitects nearly complete freedom in regard tothe means of architectural expressiveness. On theother hand, they assume the unconditionalprofessional literacy of the specialists and theirdeep awareness of the historical context in whichthey create the new works of architecture. erefore, it seems appropriate to examine thecharacteristic features of St. Petersburg urbandevelopment that has formed over the threecenturies, as well as to identify the features of themodern construction process.

Historicism (row above) and trend (row below) as two directions of the new construction in historical cities

Page 9: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

General plan of St. Petersburg. Gravure by M. Mahaev 1753

St. Petersburg is one of the most beautifulRussian cities, which represents the unity of themagni cent ensembles situated on the banks of thewide Neva River. When planning the city’s image,Peter the Great followed the examples of Veniceand Amsterdam, i.e. the cities with a wide networkof canals that served as streets and avenues. “St. Petersburg is a city of an exceptional quality.More precisely, of exceptional qualities. at is,the qualities of the people related to architectureand urban planning. It is a city of symmetry andrelationships,” said the classic St. Petersburgarchitect M.A. Belov. e grand architecture of the city has beenforming over the centuries. e best architects ofthe world implemented their most ambitiousprojects, forming a harmonious ensemble, whichcontinues to fascinate the city residents andvisitors with its splendor. However, it took St. Petersburg quite some timeto acquire its present appearance. Initially, thenatural conditions were unfavorable for theconstruction. e at banks of the Neva Rivercould not serve as a reliable protection frompossible ooding. It took a huge amount of workto drain the swampy area covered with forests andshrubs and dissected by numerous rivers andstreams. In the days of Peter the Great, it was impossibleto carry out geological research of the territory. Asit turned out centuries later, the city was situatedon the aqueous soil and moraine loam. ese

imsy soils are covered with powdery and clayground hindering the on-ground construction andcausing differential settlement of the buildings,which continues for decades4.

- 9 -

e Analysis of St. PetersburgHistoric Urban Development Formation

General plan of St. Petersburg in 1730

4 L.G. Zavarzin. Loose grounds on the Territory of St. Petersburg. Urban Renewal andGeotechnical Engineering - 2000

Page 10: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

Rock material lies at a depth of approximatelythree hundred meters; even today, it cannot beused in the construction. A little north of St.Petersburg a joint of the Russian plate and theScandinavian crystalline shield is situated, whichmakes the whole urban area seismic. In addition,there were some fault lines discovered directlyunder the city5. e areas on the banks of the Neva River, inwhich the ancient Russian and later the Swedishvillages had been located before the founding of St.Petersburg, were initially selected for development.With the growth of the city, its territory required amajor engineering preparation. In the 1720s, theLebyazhy, Zimnedvortsovy, Kryukov andAdmiralteysky Canals were laid in a short period,connecting the Neva River with the Moyka Riverand draining the Admiralteysky Island. eVasilevsky Island was built up next; rst, there wascreated a substantial network of canals, whichfurther de ned the layout of the lines and avenuesof the Islands.

- 10 -

e rst construction in the city was the Peterand Paul Fortress, laid in 1703; originally, thefortress was called St. Petersburg, and the namelater extended to the whole city. Aerwards, therebegan a massive construction of bridges, includingthe Petrovsky and the Kronverksky Bridge, and inthe period from 1705 to 1708, the rst forti edfortresses were built, including the AdmiraltyFortress. us, at the beginning of the cityformation its main functions were forti cation andshipbuilding. A uniform construction project of St. Petersburgwas yet to be created up until 1711; however, PeterI had already outlined in his mind the main urbandevelopment plan of the new capital; it consistedof stone buildings constructed aer the image ofthe Western European cities, which he had seen intravels. e historic European cities were of a highdensity and featured congested construction. Inthis regard, St. Petersburg’s city-forming structureis similar to that of Stockholm.

5 What do the geological maps of St. Petersburg say? Interview with D. Golubev. Ecologyand Right, 2006, № 9

St. Peterburg of the XVIII century on A.F. Zubov's gravures

Page 11: Abstract from Master's thesis
Page 12: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

By the end of the rst decade of the 18th century,the need to hold the defensive line disappeared,since the military actions had moved to theterritory of Central Europe. e city ceased to be aborderline outpost and gradually evolved in adifferent capacity. e Petrograd Island became the starting pointof the new regular urban planning with the rstroyal Sloboda and the noble manors built in itsterritory. e planning was carried out under thesupervision of the Italian architect DomenicoTrezzini. e so-called model projects, i.e. the rstgeneric models of St. Petersburg houses, werespecially designed for the city development7. It wasrequired to build a huge number of buildings atthe same time, so the construction was graduallychurned out. e rst model houses had a woodenframe, which was then lled and coated with clay.Such buildings were more ame-resistant thantheir wooden prototypes and were cheaper thanbrick houses.

- 12 -

e task was complicated by the lack of brickfactories in St. Petersburg. Many generic houseswere later painted brick to ensure the similarity tothe European cities. e embankments were oendecorated with a brick pattern as well. It was the

rst attempt to decorate the generic buildings. e Admiralty and the Big Neva were the mostactively built up areas; the Spit of the VasilyevskyIsland and the Vyborg district were the least builtup areas. At the time, the territory of the PetrovskyIsland was located at the outskirts. Since wood was the dominant building materialin Russia until the 18th century, the rst St.Petersburg embankments were built using woodenstilts. In 1715, the government issued a decreeaccording to which every Petersburger had toprepare and install the stilts before its house. Ittook St. Petersburg citizens several years to executethe decree. e most problematic section of theNeva River banks was the territory of the WinterPalace.

7 Е.Yu. Stanyukovich-Denisova. Model Projects in the Residential Construction of St.Petersburg in 1730-1760s: Typology and Modi cation Problem - 2009

"Model project" of the XVIII century by D. Trezzini

Page 13: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e shallow waters before the residence excludedthe possibility of approaching the building fromthe water. e buildings had to be constructed onstilts; according to the contemporaries, the stilts“rendered a beautiful look to the river”8. From1716, the embankment was built with woodenbearings. It resulted in occupying up to 80 metersof the river. e engravings by A. Zubov and the drawings byH. Marselius give an idea of the woodenembankments appearance in the rst quarter ofthe 18th century. Stilts obliquely driven into theground were covered with board and slab shieldsor brushwood. e embankments were equippedwith primitive hithe and go downs. Aer 1712, a massive stone construction beganat an accelerated pace, although the stone was stilla rare and expensive material in St. Petersburg. Bythe Decree of Peter I, thousands of noble andmerchant families were forcibly resettled to St.Petersburg; each family had to bring a cart with acertain amount of stones9. ese materials wereused to construct palaces, mansions, and housesfor noble people.

- 13 -

Aer being granted the status of the capital, St.Petersburg clearly needed to develop a strategy forthe future development; in this regard, a numberof potential projects were considered. In eachproject the city center was located on a separateisland; however, each project offered to use theregular town planning. e large-scale generalplan proposed by Jean-Baptiste Alexandre LeBlond in 1717, which included the preservation ofthe old military forti cations, was not adoptedsince it involved making signi cant redevelopmentin the places where houses had already been builtand canals made. However, it was Le Blond whooutlined the idea of creating several urbanensembles on which the ve administrativedistricts were later based10. e architect alsoinvented an integrated system of verticaldominants and the uniform rules for areadevelopment. e rectangular streets on the Vasilyevsky Islandwere based on Trezzini’s project. In 1719, thearchitect N.F. Gerbel created a ray-like planning inthe area of Admiralty, which has survived to thepresent days.

8 V.I. Kochedamov. Embankments of the Neva River - Leningrad, 1954 - p.11.9 S.P. Luppov. e History of St. Petersburg Construction in the First Quarter of 18thcentury - Leningrad -1954, p.11

St. Petersburg on the gravures by A.F. Zubov and H. Marselius

10 А. Gutnov, V. Glazychev. e World of Architecture - М.: Molodaya Gvardiya - 1990,p.351

Page 14: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e main spatial and compositional principle ofthe city had already emerged: the unity of manyseparate areas with distinct compositions forminga mosaic around the widest area of the NevaRiver11. In 1721, Russia became an empire; it greatlyincreased the requirements for the capital’s urbanstrategy. e new status of the city necessitated therevision of the general plans of its administrativeunits, since no single urban plan did exist. Citybuilding up was characterized by the compositedisunity. In line with the state program developedin 1717, settlements for foreign experts’accommodation continued to emerge on the banksof the Neva River. Part of St. Petersburg’s territorywas built according to a regular layout, and theother part was a disordered suburban sprawl. To evenly distribute the residents, Peter the Greatissued a decree on the settlement on theoccupational basis and class. It led to the creationof zones with different architectural requirements,such as brick or wooden buildings, as well as therequirements to the number of oors.

- 14 -

For example, the Admiralty district was given toworkers and shipbuilders, the Petrogradsky Islandwas intended for officers, and the Vasilevsky Islandwas inhabited by merchants and nobles. eembankments, which played the role of the city’sface, were built up with strikingly beautiful palacesof the noblemen. During the reign of Peter I, a stable settlementsystem was formed, in uencing the dispersednature of the built fabric of St. Petersburg, whichhas been partially preserved to the present time inthe form of the historic city center’s compositedisunity. Many settlements and estates of the pre-Petersburg period served as the basis for the newcity development. Dozens of old roads entered theurban fabric of the project. Aer the death of Peter the Great, the rate ofconstruction in St. Petersburg dropped; however, itdid not stop completely. e Governor General ofSt. Petersburg Munnich B. K. continued theextensive expansion of the city and theconstruction of the Neva River and the MoykaRiver embankments. In 1737, the Commission for St. PetersburgConstruction was established; it was a legislativebody aimed at governing the urban policies.Headed by the chief architect P.M. Eropkin, theCommission developed a new plan for the city12.e Commission’s projects preserved theprinciples of regularity and the streets orientationaccording to the vertical dominants of churches.e city center was eventually shied towards theAdmiralty. In the second half of the 18th century, St.Petersburg was compactly developing, with itsterritory shrinking a little bit. A number of urbanlands were turned into suburbs. By 1769, a stableperimeter of the agglomeration was set, thuspreventing its spontaneous sprawl.

11 S.V. Sementsov, О.А. Krasnikova, Т.P. Mazur, Т.А. Shrader. St. Petersburg on the Mapsand Plans of the First Half of the 18th Century - SPb.,2003

12 S.B. Lebedev. Chronology of the Architectural and Construction Departments’Emergence in St. Petersburg. - From: e Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture.ree Centuries of History. SPb., Petrotsentr, 2006, p.34-44;

General plan by J.-B.Le Blon 1717

Page 15: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e map of ooding on St. Petersburg

e Admiralty 1716

e primary urban development frame and therules for forming the optimal environment hadalready been created. However, the existing citydid not comply with these principles; theimprovements and partial reconstruction werenecessary. Particular attention was paid tobuilding up of the central districts. e mandatoryrequirement to build only brick houses on theembankments of the Neva River to the FontankaRiver was rst formulated at that time. e heightof the buildings was set at 10 fathoms, whichequaled 21 meters. e architects and city plannerswere actively engaged in developing thecontinuously updated general plan of the city.A.V.Kvasov, who was involved in the developmentof the Palace Square, the Admiralty, and theFontanka River Embankment, contributed greatlyto the urban planning of that era. In 1777, the city was badly damaged by ooding,which resulted in the need for banking of the

ooded areas and the re nement of the existinggeneral plan.

- 15 -

In 1780-1790, the stone construction wasexpanding, and the ensembles in the main squaresand streets of the city were created. In half acentury, the population doubled; by the end of the18th century, there were 22 thousand citizens.Starting in 1782, the quarterly division of theurban areas in St. Petersburg was legislatively

xed. e construction regulations were alsoamended in favor of greater density and theincreased number of oors (up to 4 oors). ecity was moving towards a more xed party wallbrick building. In the rst half of the 19th century, the citybegan to expand; new general plans wereprepared. Landscaped boulevards were created atthe entrance to the city from the harbor.

Page 16: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e construction regulations were enhanced;even the color of buildings was de ned. e newmodel projects were created. Aer the war of 1812, the Urban DevelopmentPolicy focused on turning St. Petersburg into themost beautiful city in Europe, by adding“correctness, beauty and decency” to the wholecity and each building while being guided by theprinciples of uniformity and regularity. eensembles of the Palace Square, the St. Isaac’sSquare, and the Spit of the Vasilyevsky Island werecreated. e talented architects, such as K.I. Rossi,V.P. Stasov, А. Mauduit, and А.E. Staubert workedon the city’s image. In addition to the active construction ofresidential and public buildings for differentclasses, the recreational areas were formed,including the parks for recreation andentertainment. e Kamenny Island, the ElaginIsland, the Krestovsky Island, and the PetrovskyIsland were country parks. e industry wasconcentrated in the western part of the VasilevskyIsland over the Obvodnoy Canal, in the Vyborgdistrict.

- 16 -

Regarding the Petrovsky Island, its western partwas occupied by industrial enterprises, and theeastern part was a nature park with amusementsand attractions. e beginning of the 19th century was a verysigni cant time in shaping the city as an ensemble,which focused on the quality of the spatial andcompositional environment. All facilities,regardless of their functional purpose, be itaccommodation, public buildings, and industrialbuildings, were reconstructed so as to form acontinuously harmonious urban ensembleheralding the city’s international prestige. ere was a systemic crisis in the middle of 19thcentury, which was a combination of pressingproblems in the urban management practices,transportation provision, the environmentalproblems created by the industrial activity, as wellas the decline of ordinary urban planningaesthetics.

S.Schedrin "e view from Petrovsky island" 1816

General plan of St. Petersburg in 1856

Page 17: Abstract from Master's thesis
Page 18: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

At the end of the 19th century, St. Petersburgwas hit with a wave of industrialization,intensifying the industrial development of theoutskirts. A railway transport system was built inSt. Petersburg, making the city a majortransportation hub of the country. e city’spopulation was greater than in Moscow but lowerthan in most of the European cities. At this time, avariety of water and land transport was widelyused, and the largest bridges across the Neva werebuilt. St. Petersburg actively gathered thesurrounding population, which resulted in achange in the design standards. Height limitationof the buildings was increased up to 11 yards (5-6

oors), mezzanine oors were built. e interest inthe ensemble methods was revived. e idea of“garden cities”, which came from England, wasgaining popularity at that time, encouraging urbantransformations in that direction; at the same time,there was formed the idea that the construction ofSt. Petersburg could be considered a full- edgedhistorical and cultural monument.

- 18 -

e revolution of 1917 was the cause of stoppingthe industrial production and the sharp decline inthe population. It was planned to achieve the city’srevival through the programs of Petrograd portsdevelopment, as it was under Peter the Great14. In the post-revolutionary period, the urbanplanning focused on the creation of residentialcomplexes in the working areas. According to thenew general plan, the territory of the city had togrow 1.5 times while maintaining the layout of thecentral city core. e Second World War affected hundreds ofvaluable historical and cultural monuments, suchas the Hermitage Museum, the Winter Palace, theRussian Museum, and many others. Ordinarystone buildings were extensively damaged andrequired major repairs15.

e wave of industrialization. Fabric "Red Flag" in St. Petersburg

English garden city of the beginning of the XX century

14 S.V. Sementsov. Peter I: the Role of Personality in the Formation of the St. PetersburgTown-Planning Legislation in the 1712-1718. - 2001, SPb, p. 45-5215 Dzeniskevich А.R., Kovalchuk V.М., Sobolev G.L., Tsamutali А.N., Shishkin V.А. eUnconquered Leningrad. Essay on the History of the City during the Great Patriotic War -Leningrad: Nauka, 1970, p.413

Page 19: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

Aer 1945, the city began actively recovering; atthe same time, there the reconstruction andimprovement of the urban neighborhoods tookplace. e former non-residential semi-basementpremises could not be restored; neither could thebadly-lit con ned courtyards. Constructors didtheir best not to destroy the heavily damagedbuildings unless it was an absolute necessity,which resulted in signi cant restoration costs. erestoration of the palace and park complexesdragged on for decades. Along with the restorationwork in the central areas the peripheraldevelopment of the city was resumed in order toincrease the total housing stock. e pre-wargeneral plan did not meet the new demands of thecity; therefore, it was subjected to the adjustments,which included laying new main streets, thebreakdown of parks and squares, as well as theestablishment of memorials.

- 19 -

e new plan that was developed by the architectsN.V. Baranov and A.I. Naumov in 1948 supportedthe historical ray-like urban development schemeand preserved the location of the old city center.Particular attention was paid to the idea ofdeveloping the marine facade of St. Petersburg notonly in the central regions but also in others. During the postwar years, there prevailed low-rise residential construction with 5-6 oors. Somehouses were quite comfortable; they had elevators,refuse chutes, and the hot water supply. Overall,however, the provision of citizens with housingremained low; it resulted in the large-scaleindustrial construction in 1950. e industries ofprecast concrete and nishing materials, such aslinoleum, plaster, and wallpaper, were activelydeveloping. In the 1960s, the construction of large-panel buildings in the new residential areas wasgaining popularity along with the continuingrestoration of the historic center.

Разрушительные последствия Великой Отечественной войны

Postwar general plan with a continuous chain of parks from Petrovsky to Krestovsky island

Page 20: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e conservation policy of the historicallydeveloped city center as a place of business andcultural life was formally adopted; there was alsoadopted the architectural monuments restorationpolicy. In the newly constructed districts, there was atransition from the perimeter development to thefree planning and the gridiron building up withtypical panel buildings. However, the aesthetic andcompositional aspect of the typical housingorganization was clearly pushed into thebackground. First and foremost, the technologicalproblems of mass construction were solved. ere were attempts to address the issue ofgaining access to the sea. e 1966 General Planprovided for the formation of a maritime facadewith a length of 30 km from Strelna to Holguin,draining the wetlands of the Neva River delta. In order to confront the monotony environmentcreated by the widespread use of standardmechanistic projects, it was offered to diversify theoptions of intraquarter compositions andintroduce the community centers built accordingto the individual projects. Overall, in the second half of the 20th century, anew urban development code was developed; itdiffered strikingly from the former.

- 20 -

Its features were almost not compatible with thehistorical code of St. Petersburg. Somecompatibility was traced in certain rules of theframework creation; however, most of the urbanplanning parameters clearly contrasted with theold ones, which led to the competitive coexistenceof the two types of environment in the citystructure, i.e. the historical and the contemporary. e new characteristic features of the historiccity were regularity, unity of the complementaryparts, the suburban nature of land development,the active use of the Neva River water space, theman-made canals and hithes incorporated in theurbanized areas architectonics, the variety ofharmoniously combined architectural styles ofdifferent eras, as well as the uni ed system ofvertical dominants that provided the picturesquedynamics of the spatial movement in the urbanenvironment.Fragment of general plan by A.I. Naumov and N.V. Baranov

Fragment of the layout with free standing blocksduring the period of mass construction in St. Petersburg

Page 21: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e modern type of environment ischaracterized by the harsh industrial approach, theclose adherence to the principles of straightnessand concentricity, an increase in the spatial andcompositional construction module, as well as thelarge scale of building structures. Every year, the contrast between these geneticcodes increases, compounded by the fact that theentire legal and administrative basis is focused onthe development of the industrial environment,ignoring the unique characteristics and the qualityof the historic urban fabric. Restoration policy isnot able to solve the problem of the environmentintegrity because it does not actually cover the newconstruction. In addition to the maintenance ofthe cultural monuments, for the most part, thepreservation of environment means theimplementation of the diversity in the historicbuildings construction parameters in a newcapacity. ese parameters should regulate theappropriateness of a particular architectural styleand the accents, set the rules of walls and windowsplacement, limit the height of buildings andregulate the structures. us, the relative unity ofthe “old” and “new” can be achieved. In the last decade, due to the increased cityexigencies, the attempts of new construction in thehistoric environment are being made. At the sametime, there is a variety of architectural styles andapproaches, both historical and retrospective, andinnovative. ere is a tendency towards thetransformation of the former industrial anddepressed areas. e projects that have beenrecently built and planned for implementation inthe next few years may eventually become a full-

edged part of the city without breaking itsharmony. It is proposed to consider the foremostof them.

- 21 -

Contemporary buildings in the style of popular trend in St. Petersburg

Page 22: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e Judicial Quarter by M.Atayants

e competition for the development of theembankment European in the area of the Spit ofVasilyevsky Island has been one of the mostsigni cant events in the architecture of St.Petersburg in the recent years. In the past, theembankment was occupied by the storagepremises of the St. Petersburg trade port; later, bythe industrial enterprises. Today, the area of morethan 150,000 square meters was given over for theconstruction of the Supreme Court complex. e winner of the contest was selected inOctober 2013; it was the team of the architect M.Atayants. According to the architect, “the entirecomplex shall be made in the spirit of St.Petersburg classicism.”16 Since the Judicial Quarteris surrounded by famous Baroque and Classicismbuildings, the only right thing to do was “to appealto the classics in the context of the surroundingurban ensembles.” e priority was to preserve theoriginal appearance of the Neva River panoramas.e compositional decision of the project wasbased on the idea of the solemn turning towardsthe Neva River water space; at the same time, thelowered buildings of the Judicial Department serveas propylaea in front of the main portico of theCourt building17. In addition, due to thecompositional arrangement of the buildings, theclassic view of the Prince Vladimir Cathedral fromthe Palace Embankment opens up.

- 22 -

Chapter 2

Recent Experience in the Construction of Embankments

in the Historic Center of St. Petersburg

1.1 The European Embankment Contest. The Judicial Quarter

16Maksim Atayants: “We Revive the Block Development”. Interview for Design andArchitecture in Nizhny Novgorod 17http://www.archi.ru/russia/50436/sudebnyi-kvartal

Page 23: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

Ivan Fomin’s 1914 project "Tuchkov Buyan"

In order to make the complex look lessimportunate against the plastered buildings in theNicholas and Alexander classicism style, it wasdecided to decorate it with natural stone, in tunewith the architecture of the early 20th century,situated at the foreground of the urban ensemble. It is worth noting that the project by M. Atayantsreceived mixed reviews from critics and the public.“According to the Venice Charter for theConservation and Restoration of Monuments andSites, which is a key document of UNESCO andICOMOS, any additions to the historical urbancontext should bear the signature of their time,that is, express the aesthetics and values of themodern architecture,” wrote the architect F.Nikandrov in a critical article about the winningproject, pointing out that the architecturalappearance of the new Judicial Quarter is anirrelevant quoting of the pompous Romanarchitecture, which is not applicable in the presentcontext. On the contrary, the in uential art historian andarchitecture critic G. Revzin supports the idea ofM. Atayants and justi es its relevance:

- 23 -

“In the clari cation to his work, Maksim Atayantsclearly indicates that he drew the inspiration fromIvan Fomin’s 1914 project Tuchkov Buyan. Backthen, Fomin was probably the best Russianinterpreter of the Alexander classicism; althoughhis project for the same site was not implemented,it was a signi cant episode in the history of theRussian architecture.”18

In addition to the winning project, the short-listof the contest included the projects by suchbureaus as Zemtsov, Kodiayn and partners, Studio44, and S. Gerasimov’s bureau. e project by Zemtsov design studio was basedon the creation of green space that would providea connection to the Alexander Park and thePetrovsky Park; therefore, great attention was paidto the landscaping of the pedestrian promenadeand boulevards. e Court buildings werecharacterized by the ponderous social modernismstyle inherent in many projects by Yuri Zemtsov.

18 G. Revzin. Judgment Day: http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2330428

Page 24: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

Nikita Yaveyn’ s project (Studio 44) combinedthe features of Classicism and Constructivism,thus creating a light and weightless image of thejudicial complex, inadequate to the credibility andintegrity of jurisdiction. S. Gerasimov’s project in the style of Stalinistarchitecture of the 1940s St. Petersburgemphasized the fundamentality and severity of theauthority. e contest showed that the participants, i.e. therenowned Russian architects understand andinterpret the classical and contemporary relevancein their own way. In a city, which is theconcentration of various historical styles ofarchitecture, a modern architect appoints itself theright to choose which style to stick and how totranslate it into reality. As a result, there areinconsistencies in the results obtained, as well as alack of understanding by the public.

- 24 -

Projects by "Studio 44", Yu.Zemtsov, Е.Gerasimov

Page 25: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

ere were cases when the new construction inSt. Petersburg was guided by the Western models.e “Marine residence” complex, located on theembankment of the Vasilyevsky Island in closeproximity to the central area of the city, was such aproject. In 2014, the project of the St. Petersburgarchitectural bureau A.Len was approved forbuilding in the Vasilyevsky Island harbor. eregular planning structure of the area is based onan orthogonal grid, obtained as a result of ananalysis of the typical historical center quarter ofSt. Petersburg. e project supports the existingmain lines of the major avenues at the VasilyevskyIsland. e architectural concept of the residentialbuildings complex was inspired by the silhouettesof waves and sailing vessels from the engravingsdepicting St. Petersburg. e buildings with up to18 oors are guided by the terrain structure,decreasing in the form of an amphitheater whenapproaching the Gulf of Finland, presenting apicturesque view to the majority of apartments.19

- 25 -

1.2 “Marine residence” complex on the embankment of the Vasilyevsky Island.

19 http://archi.ru/projects/russia/8637/zhiloi-kompleks-morskaya-rezidenciya

e ground oors accommodate the communityand business premises, making up theinfrastructure components of the projected area.Each house has a multi-level undergroundparking. Due to the layout of the residential units,there is a clear distinction between the public andhousing estate20. us, the project supports the main preferencesestablished in the modern complex construction ofRussia. A daring approach to architecture,manifested in the inhomogeneous pattern of thefacade front at the promenade, becomes a newfeature of St. Petersburg’s urban environment.Among other things, the architecture project bearsthe features of the northern European cities. Lookat the concept reveals the in uence of the Dutchschool of architecture. In general, the continuity ofthe building traditions of the foreign countrieswith similar climatic conditions can have apositive impact on the formation of the St.Petersburg city environment.

20 http://www.a-len.ru/obekty/proektirovanie-zhilyx-domov/zhiloj-kompleks-morskaya-rezidentsiya/

Page 26: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

In February 2013, the reconstruction project ofthe former industrial embankment near thehistorical center of St. Petersburg was developed aspart of the BFA-Development contest. eambitious project entitled Ideal City representsone of the major trends of St. Petersburg’scontemporary urban policy, which is focused onthe redevelopment of the neglected urban areas.e former industrial territory with an area of 31.2hectares accommodates such objects of culturalheritage of regional signi cance as the ornton’sWoolen Goods Association and Vargunins’ PaperMill. e historic structures such as the chimneyof the boiler room are planned to be integratedinto the new residential district. In this respect, theproject’s initial conditions are similar to that of thePetrovsky Island, which once again underlines therelevance of the chosen direction of research. e project’s authors, Studio 44 Design Bureauproposed the idea of block structure development,based on the 100 × 100 m gridiron plan, used inthe construction of the ancient cities in the 5thcentury BC. It is surprising that the city-formingsystem that was developed over two millennia agoremains relevant for the modern construction,attaching the democratic nature to the entirecomplex. Many contemporary cities, includingBarcelona, Sacramento, Houston and others arealso based on the gridiron plan. Similar to theprinciples of the ancient cities, a square withlandscaped public garden, which is the maincenter of attraction and the main public space ofthe Ideal City, became the central core of theproject’s composite drawing.

- 26 -

1.3 Ideal City residential area on the Oktyabrskaya Embankment

Page 27: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e system of green public spaces also includesthe pedestrian promenades, residential buildings’inner courtyards, a park in the north-western partof the territory, and the green spaces of schoolsand pre-school educational institutions. e total area of the property at the site will beabout 500 thousand sqm, of which a total of 60%will be used for housing accommodation. eestimated population of the future residentialcomplex makes 13.5 thousand residents. ere aretwo basic types of construction in the project; theyare housing blocks with a closed perimeter and aninterior courtyard designed for families withchildren, and tower buildings united by a commonpodium, designed for small families. 9- oorbuildings with a height of 31-32 m and 13- oorbuildings with a height of 43-44 m are prevailing.ere are two residential towers of 70 m on thesouthern boundary of the site.21

e ground oors of the buildings will be used asshops, public catering, and service establishments,children’s studios and clinics. e tower buildingswill also accommodate chain stores on theirground oors. As a result, the architects managed to achieve theremarkably balanced nature of the environment,where private space is counterbalanced with thepublic space, vehicular traffic is balanced by thepedestrian traffic, and the perimeter seclusion ofthe courtyards is balanced by the transport andpedestrian permeability of the urban fabric.

- 27 -

21 А. Belov, А. Belousova. Russia Project № 73 “Dom.Kvartal.Gorod” - 2015, p.154

Page 28: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e Sverdlovsk Embankment situated along theright bank of the Neva River is one of thedepressed industrial areas in close proximity to thehistoric center, on which the new complex withcomfort class properties will be built in the next

ve years. is embankment is also one of thelargest main streets of the Krasnogvardeiskydistrict, which cannot but affect the aggressivenature of the environment, which has yet toprovide a comfortable private space. In addition to the existing new housingcomplexes, characterized by the architecturalreticence of the 2000s, the residential complexproject House on the Neva River Bend waslaunched in 2015; it featured retrospectivestylistics. e architectural composition of the House onthe Neva River Bend, as well as its facadessilhouette echoes the appearance of the brickarchitectural monuments of St. Petersburg in thelate 19th - early 20th centuries. e facadematerial, i.e. the facing dark brown brick, is intune with the color scheme of the historicbuildings located on the banks of the Neva River atthe Vyborg side and Okhta.

- 28 -

1.4 House on the Neva River Bend residential complex

on the Sverdlovsk Embankment

e arrangement of the yard facades is based ona combination of dark brown vertical stairwells,wall planes with light decorative plaster, and theglass balconies and loggias. e architectural emphasis of the yard space,that is, the restored heritage building of the 19thcentury, is the Okhtinsky Cotton ManufactoryWater Tower (1900, designed by the architect V.V.Shaub), is the jewel of the complex. e project isauthored by the Grigoryev and Partners designteam under the guidance of the architect V.A.Grigoryev.22

e rst oors of the building are occupied byoffices with separate entrances; the access to theinterior courtyard is available to the complexresidents only. e mezzanine oor of the buildingprovides access to the terrace overlooking thepark. e average number of oors makes 11.What makes the House on the Neva River Bendremarkable is the fact it accounts for the nature ofthe existing industrial architecture and aspires tobecome an organic element of the urban system 22 http://domnaizluchine.sevgorod.ru/arhitektura/

Page 29: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

- 29 -

1.5 Smolny Park residential complex on the Smolny

Embankment

e Smolny Park is an expensive elite classresidential complex largely due to the quality ofthe construction materials used. e houses aremade of high-quality solid brick, which ensuresthe durability of the entire complex. e locationin the Petrograd district is also determinable of thehigh cost of living.

while maintaining and preserving the culturalheritage sites located in its territory. ecombination of these factors automatically impliesthe high cost of living. Unfortunately, when itcomes to the economic or regular building up inthe similar districts, the investors are reluctant totake up the costly restoration of the culturalmonuments. However, it is clear that people livingin close proximity to the center of the historictown enjoy living in an environment that preservesthe old architectural models.

Another noteworthy modern residentialcomplex is located on the opposite bank of theNeva River in close proximity to the beautifulBaroque ensemble of the Smolny Cathedral.Smolny Park residential complex is characterizedby simple and laconic architectural solutions. ecomplex does not exceed eight oors and isentirely located in a secluded park area. us, the modern complex is located in thebackground of the city-forming dominant SmolnyCathedral. It is a fairly common technique in theconstruction of new housing in the historicalcenters, which helps to preserve the character ofthe urban environment. However, despite the seeming simplicity of themodern Constructivist architecture, the complex ischaracterized by the high-quality housing.Spacious apartments with high (over 4-meter)ceilings, wide well-lit balconies, and elaboratefaçade glazing create a comfortable livingenvironment.

Page 30: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

e residential house, which is small comparedto the above complexes, is located in the historicpart of the city between the Lieutenant SchmidtEmbankment, Inostranny Pereulok, and Line 13and 14 of the Vasilyevsky Island. All buildings ofthe new house are interconnected. e windows ofthe apartments overlooking the LieutenantSchmidt Embankment offers spectacular views ofthe Neva River, St. Isaac's Cathedral, the spire ofthe Admiralty, the Cathedral of the Assumption ofthe Blessed Virgin Mary, and other famoushistorical and architectural monuments of St.Petersburg. e facades of the new complex were designedby architects as part of the historic environmentregeneration.

- 30 -

1.6 Grandville residential complex on the Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment

erefore, the authors were mainly guided by thearchival materials describing the historicalbuildings that preceded the new construction andlooked up to the classic designs. According to the oor limit in the constructionregulations, the maximum number of oors in theLieutenant Schmidt Embankment makes from 4 to6 oors. e house is equipped with anunderground parking place on the -1 oor andcommercial premises on the ground oors. As a result of the project implementation, anequitable urban planning cell of the historicwaterfront was formed; it tted into the context ofthe environment without compromising itsintegrity.

Page 31: Abstract from Master's thesis
Page 32: Abstract from Master's thesis
Page 33: Abstract from Master's thesis

GSPublisherEngine 0.34.100.79

1. А. Trapkova. Rivers of Money and Time: How to Transform the City's Waterfront. Forbes. Urbanisticsblog - 20142. А. Asanova. Developers and the Industrial Zone. Fontanka.ru. Section “Construction” - 20153. L.S. Romanova. Modern Buildings in the Historic City Centers. Research. Problems. Prospects - 20084. L.G. Zavarzin. Loose grounds on the Territory of St. Petersburg. Urban Renewal and GeotechnicalEngineering - 20005. What do the geological maps of St. Petersburg say? Interview with D. Golubev. Ecology and Right,2006, № 96. Russian Architecture of the First Half of the 18th Century. Research and Materials / Edited by GrabarI. E. M.:Gosstroyizdat, 1954. 415 p.7. Е.Yu. Stanyukovich-Denisova. Model Projects in the Residential Construction of St. Petersburg in1730-1760s: Typology and Modi cation Problem - 20098. V.I. Kochedamov. Embankments of the Neva River - Leningrad, 1954 - p.11.9. S.P. Luppov. e History of St. Petersburg Construction in the First Quarter of 18th century -Leningrad -1954, p.1110. А. Gutnov, V. Glazychev. e World of Architecture - М.: Molodaya Gvardiya - 1990, p.351.11. S.V. Sementsov, О.А. Krasnikova, Т.P. Mazur, Т.А. Shrader. St. Petersburg on the Maps and Plans ofthe First Half of the 18th Century - SPb.,200312. S.B. Lebedev. Chronology of the Architectural and Construction Departments’ Emergence in St.Petersburg. - From: e Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture. ree Centuries of History.SPb., Petrotsentr, 2006, p.34-44;13. S.V. Sementsov. Urban Development of St. Petersburg in 18th - Early 19th Century. V.1 - 2011, p.52514. S.V. Sementsov. Peter I: the Role of Personality in the Formation of the St. Petersburg Town-PlanningLegislation in the 1712-1718. - 2001, SPb, p. 45-5215. Dzeniskevich А.R., Kovalchuk V.М., Sobolev G.L., Tsamutali А.N., Shishkin V.А. e UnconqueredLeningrad. Essay on the History of the City during the Great Patriotic War - Leningrad: Nauka, 1970,p.41316. Maksim Atayants: “We Revive the Block Development”. Interview for Design and Architecture inNizhny Novgorod17. http://www.archi.ru/russia/50436/sudebnyi-kvartal18. G. Revzin. Judgment Day: http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/233042819. http://archi.ru/projects/russia/8637/zhiloi-kompleks-morskaya-rezidenciya20. http://www.a-len.ru/obekty/proektirovanie-zhilyx-domov/zhiloj-kompleks-morskaya-rezidentsiya/21. А. Belov, А. Belousova. Russia Project № 73 “Dom.Kvartal.Gorod” - 2015, p.15422. http://domnaizluchine.sevgorod.ru/arhitektura/

- 33 -

Literary sources: