Contemporary Public Spaces Were Discussed at SPbGASU

Contemporary public spaces as a tool for developing the urban environment were discussed at an interregional scientific and practical conference, which took place at SPbGASU on May 11–12. The participants set the task of identifying current trends in the development of public spaces and the ways to create a comfortable environment.

Architect Svetlana Danilova, Director of the SPbGASU Centre for Development of a Comfortable Urban Environment and Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural Environment and Landscape Design, spoke about the Centre’s activities. According to Svetlana, in line with recommendations of the Russian Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities, competence centres implementing the programme for creating a comfortable urban environment should involve the expert community and residents, as well as contribute to forming the staff reserve in this field of activity. The Centre at SPbGASU fully responds to this approach.

Training and support of young professionals will ensure a systematic improvement in the quality of the urban environment for years to come, painless staff rotation, development of interdisciplinary and inter-university cooperation, and dissemination of successful experience. The centre makes it possible to put into practice young specialists’ interesting ideas, useful both in terms of the development of modern public spaces and as a "social lift" for the beginning architects, whose initiatives will not break up against the traditional hierarchy of authorities and approvals thanks to public decision-making.

✔ “We shouldn’t forget that a comfortable environment fosters and influences the public mentality," Svetlana Danilova concluded her speech.

Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural Environment Design at Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering Ilya Sakovich, PhD, made a report “General principles of forming the comfort of the architectural environment”. In his opinion, the life of a modern man is exposed to constant stress and emotional tension. One of the factors having a negative impact on people’s physical and psychological state is the low quality of the architectural space, which is a part of everyday life. At the same time, there are enough examples when a well-designed environment helps to increase labour productivity, raise self-esteem and improve people's well-being.

Ilya Sakovich listed the principles of universal design formulated in 1997 at the University of North Carolina (USA). The first is the equitable use, that is the created environment or product should be convenient for everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. The second principle is flexibility in use, the need to consider a wide range of individual preferences. The third principle is simple and intuitive use: understanding should not depend on the user's practical experience and level of education. The fourth principle is perceptible information. Accessibility for users with different sensory abilities and in different environmental conditions must be ensured. The fifth important principle is the error tolerance factor: it is necessary to minimize the risks and adverse consequences of accidental, unintentionally erroneous actions so that a person does not suffer as a result of an object’s illiterate use. The sixth principle is low physical effort: efficiency, convenience, comfort, and minimization of fatigue must be ensured. And finally, the seventh principle is the appropriate size and space for approach, reach and use.

These principles should be used not only in the design of facilities providing access for people with limited mobility, but also underlie any architectural environment designed for everyone’s comfortable use.

“As a rule, people perceive a comfortable environment as obvious and natural. However, any elements of discomfort cause feelings of awkwardness and protest. And this immediately degrades the quality of life and work. Therefore, the idea of ​​a comfortable environment should be the basis of every modern architectural project,” says I. Sakovich.

Young researchers are also engaged in significant and far-going studies. For example, Dmitry Bogdanov, a second-year Master's student, under the supervision of Associate Professor of the SPbGASU Department of Architectural Environment and Landscape Design, PhD in Architecture Pavel Loshakov, is working on the arrangement of public spaces using local raw materials on Mars. Since it will be very expensive to deliver cargoes from the Earth, the student suggests using Martian materials to create the necessary items. In 2019, vast deposits of clay were discovered there, which can be considered as the main material for the production of furniture and other interior elements. Another material is 3D-printed artificial wood. The speaker also told about the green frame of public spaces on Mars, which will consist of plants cleaning the air from harmful substances, and vegetables and fruits that are familiar to us.

“Using all of the above technologies and methods of space organization, a comfortable living environment with a high degree of vital activity will be formed, which will lead to effective work of specialists and reduce the risks of stressful situations,” believes Dmitry Bogdanov.

The fifth-year student Ksenia Goncharova, under the scientific guidance of senior lecturer Yana Elizarova, is working on a design concept for tourist complexes for the Arctic zone using the example of Murmansk. According to Ksenia, the unexplored and vast Arctic has always attracted tourists. While there is a boom in Arctic tourism all over the world, the Russian part of the Arctic is only embarking on the path to "tourist enlightenment". The issue of the migration loss of the Arctic population, primarily of experienced specialists, is quite acute, which negatively affects the development of these territories. This can be partially influenced by creating comfortable living and working conditions through developing the tourism industry.

Ksenia Goncharova proposed to introduce tourist complexes on the basis of existing cities, which will attract not only local residents, but also create unique points of attraction for tourists. Such a complex will become a starting point for the traveller, inspire to search for emotions, create conditions for exploring the cultural environment, including the landscape, local traditions and art. The author believes that in the general urban system the tourist complex has a great potential serving as a space for contact between local residents and tourists, and the network of such complexes in different parts of the Arctic zone will become a national brand.

Text: Tatyana Petrova

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