The winners of the 24th session of Winter UNI2023 proposed to restore old estates and create the Angara embankment in Usolye-Sibirskoye

The winners of the 24th session of the Winter Urban Planning University developed a concept for modernization of the historical center of Usolye-Sibirskoye. The authors proposed to restore old estates, build an observation platform on Varnichny Island and create the Angara embankment. The presentation was defended on March 11 at Tochka Kipeniya of INRTU.

Five international teams have been preparing urban solutions on the theme "Usolye-Sibirskoye is an industrial ecocity of the future" since the middle of February. The program of the workshop included online lectures and a face-to-face session in Usolye-Sibirskoye. Over 20 architects and urbanists from Russia, India, Syria and Moldova were elaborating the concepts of the city development. The participants of the project worked on five directions: historical and administrative center, industrial hub, brick factory, and station area of Usolye-Sibirskoye.

After the presentations of the teams, Maksim Toropkin, Mayor of Usolye-Sibirskoye, thanked the organizers and participants of Winter UNI 2023 for the fundamental study of urban problems. In his opinion, the 24th workshop is a starting point for the future development of the city:

"We have worked in such a targeted and fundamental way for the first time. Young talents mentioned real problems concerning the historical center, the lack of schools and kindergartens, and urban beautification. Ideas and achievements of the participants of Winter UNI 2023 will be included in the program of socio-economic development of Usolye-Sibirskoye and in the master plan of the city."

Daria Novichenko from INRTU, Polina Shurupova from Moscow, Irina Alekseeva from Krasnoyarsk, Gulgena Muratova from Kazan and Olga Mikheeva from Vladivostok were the authors of the best project. They explored the territory of the Old Town. This is a historical center, located on the bank of the Angara River, mostly built up with the private houses. Many vintage sites are concentrated here. Stone houses of merchants Brodyanskiy, Shabalin and Varvarichev, the territory of "Usolye" sanatorium are among them. The pearl of the Old Town is a country house of Vladimir Rassushin, the former Chief Architect of Irkutsk. The large-scale wooden building with columns was built more than 100 years ago, but has never been restored.

The team considers that the main problem of the historical center is its abandonment. Unique buildings are hidden behind concrete fences and surrounded by wastelands. The lantern lighting in this part of the city is outdated, and the pedestrian infrastructure is poor.

According to Polina Shurupova and Olga Mikheeva, the historical area can turn Usolye-Sibirskoye into an ecocity, a point of attraction for tourists and personnel of the future Federal Chemical Center. It is necessary to restore old buildings and provide them with new functions. Thus, it is proposed to locate a pharmacy in the house of merchant Varvarichev. Shabalin's house and the adjacent "Rodina" cinema can be transformed into a cultural center and local ice cream shop.

The creation of guest houses, cultural and exhibition spaces, and carpentry workshops will help to save other historical buildings.

The team's concept is to open the Public Cultural Center and the Cultural Heritage Center. The task of these organizations is to raise the population's respect for architectural monuments and help the citizens to take care of old houses.

In addition, the project includes the construction of an observation platform on Varnichny Island, reconstruction of the Angara embankment and direct passage to it through the "Usolye" resort. The Bazarny square and Karl Marx Street, which is proposed to become a pedestrian zone, can become a space for creativity. It is possible to build bicycle lanes along Mir and Lenin Street in the Old Town.

Authors consider that such large-scale transformations are achievable. Potential sources of funding are grant funds and public-private partnership programs.

The jury awarded the second place to the team, which explored the problems of the station area. The key ideas of the team concern opening the Museum of Trans-Siberian railway, restoration of the historical image of the station, correction of traffic flows and arrangement of a promenade from the station building to the embankment. One more interesting suggestion is to launch a local history route, which includes industrial sites.

The award for the third place went to the group that studied the industrial complex. The authors focused on the design of the transport hub linking the new industrial zone with the city. The second idea involves the placement of cafes, stores, workshops, and other small businesses around the industrial site.

Nina Danilina, an expert and Head of the Department of Urban Planning at Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, shared her opinion on the work of the teams. She believes that Winter Uni 2023, which dealt with the problems of industrial monotowns, plays an important role in the sustainable development of the state:

"It is great that the teams took into account the main trends and approaches to modern urban development. I was particularly attracted by the idea of creating green, public and transport frameworks. This will contribute to the infrastructural capacity of Usolye-Sibirskoye."

According to Karen Malkhasyan, Deputy Director of the Department for Interaction with the Regions, "Rosatom" always supports the activities aimed at the development of nuclear towns, which includes Usolye-Sibirskoye,

"This experience of merging the urban environment and industrial economy is an important pilot case for the country. Federal Chemical Center, which is planned to be launched on the territory of the former "Usoliekhimprom", cannot develop without forming a new urban infrastructure and vice versa.

The importance of such project-innovative programs with foreign students is great, because it allows to disclose the potential of the territory, as well as to create a model of an industrial ecocity, which is especially relevant today and for the world agenda."

The best ideas of the teams were combined by the experts into the final concept-presentation. Evgeniya Smirnova, Chief Architect of Usolye-Sibirskoye, Elena Grigorieva, Vice President of the Union of Architects of the Russian Federation, and Dmitry Falkovsky, general director of "Fox" workshop for architecture and design took part in its development. These achievements will be presented to administration of Usolye-Sibirskoye and will be demonstrated at the festival "Zodchestvo-2023" in Moscow in autumn.