In the 20th century, the Dutch city of Rotterdam was radically transformed from a historic town into a modern city, becoming the selfacclaimed 'city of architecture', home to international architectural design offices, publishers and institutions. Although it is already 60 years after the destruction of the Rotterdam inner city, the city still struggles to be the vibrant, rigorous urban environment it needs to be in order to attract the so-called creative class.

This article provides a contextual overview of the transformations of a number of key public spaces that are symbolic for the challenges the city faces. After the post-war reconstruction the city continue to transform itself beyond modernism.

Within the last five years the team of Irkutskrazhdanproject has worked out a number of interesting projects, such as a unique architectural and engineering solution for city environment – the 130 Quarter built by Irkutsk’s 350^th anniversary in 2011,  a new school for 600 students in Kultuk settlement, a water sports complex in Irkutsk and an international ethnocultural center Baigal. Irkutskgrazhdanproject is commissioned to improve the area planning scheme for the Irkutsk region and to work out regional design standards.

The article reviews the monography “Design today: from the virtual space to the objective and environmental reality. Design school in Irkutsk” written by O. Zheleznyak and her co-authors. The researchers focus on the urgent problem of the contemporary design concerning the interrelation between the virtual space and the objective and environmental reality. Design is interpreted as a system of identification of the region and branding of the city through discussion of the peculiarities of the image of the territory and regional trends in design. The same technique is used for featuring the image design in the virtual and material space. The monography provides the examples of scientific and design works elaborated by the Design Department of Irkutsk National Research Technical University.

Public Libraries located in Bogotá the capital of the Republic of at 2650 m above sea level made a good contribution to public space in the northen districts with limited public and green spaces. More than a library public space offers possibilities to young people to have a nice green and permeable space full of native nature. The ultimate aim of the design is to contribute as a proposal in introducing biodiversity giving value to the spontaneous and wild forgotten species as well as recicled materials.

The urban heat island is considered to be one of the contemporary health aspects that cities urgently need to respond to. The Hotterdam research project addresses the Rotterdam urban heat island, in order to explain the links between the health of the city’s population and the features of its built environment that make it more or rather less warm. The work resulted in two heat maps that make the city of Rotterdam and its inhabitants more aware of and less susceptible to the health effects of heat waves. The insights into the urban heat island that were gained in this project are relevant for other cities in Holland (Amsterdam, The Hague) and abroad.

In the article the concepts of city and urban way of life are critically reexamined in the wake of megapolitan crisis and global communications. The concept of city is still and ignoring rediscovery of alienation and meaning of identity limits in consuming oriented society. In 21 century understanding of urban and planetary phenomena should be reassessed and the fundamental limits of telluric destiny of the humankind rediscovered as a next step in architectural approach to survival of mankind. There are some special points emphasizing situationist approach to urban and architectural theory.

The essay presents the analogies of turning city borders and walls into boulevards and gardens through the examples of Moscow and Irkutsk. The main street of Irkutsk is viewed in a new light, as a boulevard. It is proposed to take into consideration the peculiarities of the four sense-parts of the street when working on design codes.

The use of provincial design as a special form of manifestation of peculiarity of the “place” is determined by its relevancy for today’s world culture and common development tendencies of the Siberian region. The Provincial Design Project worked out by the Department of Design of Irkutsk National Research Technical University reflects the peculiarities of the art and design space of the region, corresponds to the current context and challenges of the profession and may serve as specific means of the territorial image formation.

The article presents a concept of visual environment within the boundaries of the historical settlement of Irkutsk. The concept is aimed at formation of an integrated architectural-artistic appearance and ordered arrangement of outdoor advertising and information facilities.

The problems of urban environment are discussed, and practical measures to improve it are proposed by the Discussion Club on city environment.

The article presents the history of the Bratsk Organization of the Union of Architects of Russia, from formation of the Bratsk Branch of the Union of Architects of the USSR in 1974 and its transformation into an independent organization in 1992, until the present time.

The RF government’s program documents on education have high and ambitious goals. However, everyday training practice is in acute contradictions with these goals. With the help of the analysis of emotional and imagery content of typical interiors, it is shown that in most cases it refers to such emotions as shame, placability and obedience. Unconscious influence of interior images contributes to maintenance of discipline and controllability among students, but obstructs their effective education.

Architecture is the most vulnerable part of culture, almost doomed to destruction of its fundamentals, while the rise of its intellectual and creative level is badly needed. However, neither the resort to postmarxist French philosophy nor bringing the results of development of science and technology into architecture,
neither computerization nor peculiarities of parametricism and deconstructivism are helpful. It can be stated that in the beginning of the third millennium architecture and architectural education are in stalemate. The way out is in a “radical” switch from comprehension of object space to the time and to the processes of
thinking, designing and historical change in professional mentality. The interests must be focused not on the object, but on the process enabling the use of return reflexive strokes as well.

The article features professional formation, development of professional direction and creative heritage of the Irkutsk architect and urbanist Lyutsian Fedorovich Antipin.

The article presents proposals worked out by the international teams that took part in the 18th session of International Baikal Winter University of Urban Planning. The session focused on small rivers rehabilitation as a part of sustainable development. Through the case study of the Ushakovka River in Irkutsk, the teams proposed new ideas of riverfront development, which can be also applied to other small rivers.

The article observes the peculiarities of the realized restoration of the Nizhegorodsky Kremlin Armory, a cultural heritage site of federal significance. The restoration concept was based on the principles of scientificity and authenticity. Its purpose was to retain the parameters and historical look of the Armory, as well as its aesthetic and historical value as much as possible, causing the least interference in the historical material of the site. The article demonstrates the appropriateness of restoration and all design decisions, which made it possible to reveal the historical and cultural value of the site, to improve its maintenance, to provide conditions for modern use of the building, and to make the cultural heritage site available to the public.

The citizens are surrounded by urban environment. It develops in the “clearances” between people. The society and the city are not just interrelated, they form a single whole, like the obverse and the reverse of the coin. At first glance, this thought seems to be trivial, but it depends.
Irkutsk sociologists Mikhail Rozhansky and Elena Korkina, the ideologists of The City Otherwise Project, show the readers of PB how young citizens view their city. These views are expressed in their reflections and photos. Against common beliefs about modern youth, these young people are not obsessed with their gadgets. They use them quite well to take a fresh look at the environment. It should be noted that the project has attracted, among others, starting architects, especially those who have experience in participatory design. It is an interesting attempt to get in tune with the pulse of the city, with the common rhythm of images, which makes the city and its inhabitants a single whole.

Methodological issues of historical research on architecture and town planning of the Soviet period are represented in the article within a new paradigm, which is called by the author ‘a political history of Soviet architecture and town planning’. Its subject is how architects that became ‘government officials’ were made dependent on the power, how housing and town-planning policy was predetermined by external circumstances and how designing was considered as production but not as creation.

The article observes the “ARCH_TAIGA” project – Siberian platform for annual international architectural contests for students and young architects. Every year the designers from all over the world are challenged to find the solution to a new creative task. The main goal of the “ARCH_TAIGA” project is to stimulate exchange of ideas between architects, designers, builders and ordinary people of Siberia and other parts of the world. The project participants have the opportunity to bring their ideas to other cultures, and it enriches their own knowledge and skills as well. This year the contest is set on Tatyshev island – the center of family and active recreations of the city.

The article features the basic creative principles and the history of the Children’s Architecture and Design Center “Piramida”. It reviews educational techniques, events and projects of the Center. The article points out the significance of the principle of children’s continuous art education.

In the diversity of meanings of the word ‘conversion’ one can notice new horizons of transformation of the activity, including architectural and design activity. To do this, it is necessary to clear the word of additional meanings and to comprehend its depth. While sharing Konstantin Lidin’s idea of the expected transformation of the architectural profession towards preservation of social-economic and cultural-environmental values, the author offers to discuss the boundaries and possibilities of this transformation.

The article tells about the ideas competition for development of the Burkhan Cape territory in Olkhon district, the Irkutsk region. The peculiarity of this competition is that the participants were invited to demonstrate not only their professional skills, but also their ecological point of view: the project should include the solutions for preservation and revitalization of the nature of Burkhan Cape, as well as the arrangement of tourist flows aimed at decreasing anthropogenic load on the territory with due regard to the ethnic and religious peculiarities of the territory.

The article analyses the architectural concept for the historical and ethnographical exposition complex Russian Pritomye. The project tasks are formulated. The concept recognizes multifunctionality of the future use of the territory of the open-air museum. The article reviews the development plan of the ethnographical settlement, historical reconstruction and restoration of the re-located historic buildings.

The essay descries a visit to the Majorelle Garden, which is located in the city of Marrakesh (Morocco).

The article tells about a trip to Winston Churchill’s Chartwell estate in England. It describes the attractions of the park and tells how the great politician took part in its building.

The article observes peculiarities of Japanese gardens located in Great Britain and the USA. Their symbolics, traditions and techniques used for their creation are described. The article features several elements of the gardens and how they depend on the national mentality of the country of their location. According to
the article, at present time, there is no deep understanding of the specifics of Japanese garden culture in Great Britain and the USA, and the images of China and Japan contaminate.

The article describes a visit to the roof garden created by the landscape designer Ralph Hancock in the first half of the 20th century. The garden is located on Kensington High Street 101-111, London.

The article features the methodology of the International Baikal Winter University of Urban Planning Design, the topics and the teams that participated in the 19th session. The article describes the site, the technical assignment and the work of the teams. It underlines the significance of abundant territories as hidden
resources for urban development.

The author reviews the development trends of the present-day China: urban processes; formation of special economic zones; employment of population; quality of urban environment. He draws historical parallels between the events of the Soviet period in the USSR and the reforms in China in the 1980s. The author points out specific features of organization of work in a design institution and peculiarities of design culture and describes the everyday life, interpersonal relations and the mentality.

The article studies the methodology of designing pocket parks, reveals the advantages over other types of green spaces, observes the peculiarities and basic characteristics of pocket parks, and defines their role in the system of urban greening. The article proposes the allocation of the first pocket park in Irkutsk.

The article tells about the sports facilities that have been worked out by the Siberian Design Institute in Irkutsk and Shelekhov within the last three years. The team of authors has designed three sports complexes for different kinds of sports in the unique urban context. While designing the facilities of such different shapes and volumes,
the architects kept to the same principles of careful attitude toward context, maximal efficiency of spatial organization, and application of a wide range of modern materials.

The article analyses different forms of easel painting, monumental and decorative art and photography existing in modern universities. It observes how the function of art changes in the context of modernization of culture and higher education. The role of initiators of art spaces in universities is also featured.

 

The article presents the projects of squares worked out by Irkutsk architects by the city’s 355th anniversary, as well as the comments by the chief architect of Irkutsk Sergey Aleksandrov.

The article presents Vladimir Deikun’s creative works and projects, as well as his teaching principles. His book illustrations and exhibition designs are analyzed. His creative works are featured in the context of linguistic processes and the dynamics of the Irkutsk design.

The discussion touches upon conversion processes in the dynamics of city life. The participants consider the problems of conversion of Irkutsk’s industrial enterprises, their random or natural character. They give reasons for their opinions on the changes in the city toponymics. They also study the cases of annexation of waterfront territories at the Angara River and Lake Baikal.

The article analyses the experience of creating an image of the Yenisei embankment in Divnogorsk. The article points out the necessity of a dialogue between architects and various groups of inhabitants differentiated by age, mentality and fields of activity. It proposes a strategy for discussion grounds as an effective tool of designing a city space.

The article speaks about the history of the design of the National Innovative Complex “Olonkholand” in Yakutsk. It features the
concept of the future complex, which will play an important role in the development of the territory. The focus of the article is
the International Architectural Competition for the design of “Olonkholand”.

The article presents the results of participation of the Design Department of Irkutsk National Research Technical University in the XXIVth International Review Competition of Graduation Works on Architecture and Design 2015 and in the International Competition of Scientific and Educational Literature. The Department submitted nine works. Eight of them received the 1st category diplomas of International Public Organization of Assistance to Architectural Education and a laureate diploma; one work was awarded with a 2nd category diploma.

The article considers the aspects of teaching of history and theory of architecture and the relations between humanity and design subjects. The touch point of design and history may consist in consideration of the tasks, which have been facing the architecture throughout its history, and their solutions. The educational result of the course should be not only students’ historical knowledge, but also their ability to analyze projects regardless of the time of their construction.

The author questions the generally accepted definition of architecture as a profession, because the genuine subject of architecture has not been defined yet. The article underlines the systemless selection of subjects studied at architectural schools and an indefinite status of the architect in the democratic society. Either the crisis faced by architecture in the third millennium can finish the transformation of architecture into building design or architecture will acquire a professional status.

This article, through words and pictures, tells the story of how and why a small piece of Japanese cultural heritage – a genuine Japanese garden – was established in the heart of Asia in Irkutsk through a partnership between two sister-universities and a long lasting friendship between Russo-Japanese communities in both countries. The first Japanese garden was created in the greenhouse of the Botanic Garden of Irkutsk State University in 2012 to provide a new cross-disciplinary ethnobotanical and cultural facility for students and the local public. The 35-sq.m garden (7m x 5 m) was developed to provide an opportunity for visitors to experience one of the great horticultural art forms of the world without leaving Irkutsk.

The existence of the 130 Quarter is viewed in the light of the tendencies and processes of the city life. The multifunctionality and architectural image of the territory serve as the basis for its attractiveness. These features are opposed to possible quality loss. The conditions for preservation of the architectural look of the Quarter are also reviewed.

 

The theme of the session of Baikal Winter University of Town Planning Design was conversion of Zaton, a
district in the center of Irkutsk, which has changed its meanings several times during its long history.
Fatefully cut off from the mainland by Transsib at the turn of the 20th century, the peninsular is located
where the Irkut meets the Angara. Zaton has ceased to develop and now does not look like a central
part of the city, regardless its geographical location. Developers prefer greenfields, vacant areas,
but not Zaton with its warehouses, sawmills and dockyards. At the same time it has neither networks
nor roads. It is obvious that as soon as infrastructure appears the land will become precious because of its
central location and the water.International teams of the Winter University proposed their ideas,
which were preceded by students’ works of previous years presented by the teachers of the Institute
of Architecture and Construction of Irkutsk National Research Technical University.

The article presents the history of design institutions in the Soviet Union and Russia, their significance and areas of activity. It analyses the current condition of town planning and urban development, as well as principles of management of design institutions. The article cites the Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly of Russia.

The article reveals a linear concentration of the trading function in the historical center of Irkutsk. It features historical prerequisites and continuation of the tradition in the post-Soviet period, given the conversion of plants and factories. The article analyses the current state and prospects of modernization of the trading axis with its transformation into a modern public space.

The article presents a renovation project for the territory of the former silver smelting works (match factory) in Barnaul. The history of the works is given together with the proposed concept of the museum and exhibition complex as an integral part of the tourist-recreational cluster.

The article reviews public discussion of the projects for public spaces in four districts of Irkutsk. The key aspects of the project “Formation of a comfortable urban realm” are presented. The article also features the peculiarities of the public discussion of the projects among different groups of citizens and in different districts of Irkutsk.

Stanislav Grigoriev is one of the actively practicing architects of the 1960s
generation. His biography and creative career, professional principles and the most
famous realizations are presented.

The article reviews the results of the 17th session of International Baikal Winter University of Urban Planning Design, the subject of which was “The System of Urban Centers. Formation of Public Spaces”. The international teams presented their reconstruction projects for urban areas, including periphery districts of Irkutsk. The teams proposed various scenarios for using the public spaces in different time, by different categories of users, depending on the functions of public spaces.