„Transformation of Sotsgorod. Planning ideas and reality”
The round table " Transformation of Sotsgorod. Planning ideas and reality ", took place on December 14th, organized by the Sub-Project Spatial Transformations by moderation Dr. Anastasia Malko. The discussion focused on the changes over the past five years to the areas of Sotsgorod planned in the 1930s. Aim was to reflect upon the values of these areas and the transformation processes. Participants of the round table were experts Dr. Eugenia Konysheva historian of architecture from Chelyabinsk and Dr. Dmitri Chmelnizki architect, historian, publicist from Berlin. Experts highlighted values and identities of the sotsgorod that has a specific character by the urban integrity of the residential complex, including all necessary functions integrated in the district and located in the pedestrian accessibility. As an independent, enclosed residential formation under an industrial enterprise it had a stable size intended to provide a comfortable way for balanced living. Ongoing transformations processes could be noticed from the 1990s until now. It includes infill construction of multi-story buildings has been carried out on the territory of the socialist city, including on the site of demolished historical objects. Massive multi-story panel buildings changed the silhouette of the socialist city by “squeezing it” between new development. The expansion of highways and new development of open green spaces was significantly decreasing. Thus, the urban integrity of the socialist city, its main value, was damaged. Some buildings entirely or partially lost their original appearance. However, the most significant objects have retained their historical appearance to the present day, both residential buildings and social and cultural facilities.
© Evgenia Konysheva, 2022