Open International Competition for the development of an architectural and planning renovation concept for the city of Norilsk up to 2035
13 July, 2021 — 22 March, 2022
Norilsk
The competition was initiated by the city administration and the Norilsk Development Agency (NDA). The operator is the CENTER Lab International Urban Laboratory.
Aim
Selection of the best architectural and planning concept for the renovation of the city of Norilsk until 2035, which determines the optimal parameters and solutions for the development of the city in accordance with modern approaches to architecture, urban planning and urban technologies.
Format
Open
International
Two-stage
Dmitry Karasev
Head of the city of Norilsk
The concept will, first and foremost, give us a future-focused understanding of the architectural and planning features of our city. The desires and suggestions of the local community will absolutely be reflected in the concept for the renovation of Norilsk. We are talking about a qualitative transformation of the city, meaning that we will have to use the latest innovative materials and technologies. The competition for the development of an architectural and planning renovation concept for the city of Norilsk up to 2035 is an international event, so we are expecting to see a lot of interesting ideas and proposals from all over the world.
Participants
Professional organizations in the field of integrated development of territories and urban planning, architecture, design, development of concepts for the development of public spaces, master planning, operating in Russia and capable of attracting specialists in the field of economics, finance, content programming to the team.
Prize fund
15 500 000 rub.
On March 22, under the chairmanship of the Head of the city of Norilsk, Dmitry Karasev, the final meeting of the Jury of the Open International Competition for the development of an architectural and planning renovation concept for the city of Norilsk up to 2035 took place, during which the winner of the competition was determined.
According to the results of voting by the members of the Jury, the Consortium headed by Higher School of Economics(Moscow, Russia) became the Winner.
The “North Pole of the Future” is a city attractive for living, expansion and self-realization that will become a leading platform for testing and implementation of new technologies and materials for development of the Arctic.
The project is based on an interdisciplinary approach to integrated development of the city in a qualitatively new spatial organization, with an urban environment full of modern and high quality services and functions, focused around people’s needs.
The project focuses on the retention and development of human capital, based on the needs of the permanent population and temporary residents of the city, applying the principle of targeting approaches for each of the target groups.
The developed concept involves implementing a set of architectural and planning solutions, the formation of a spatial strategy based on the development of the city, improvement of transport infrastructure, and emphasis on the developing public spaces, as well as the use of energy-efficient construction and engineering technologies, innovative materials, and more.
Second place – the Consortium headed by Gradplan (Moscow, Russia).
Norilsk will become a demonstration site for testing advanced planning ideas in the Arctic, as well as an example of unique design solutions and approaches to creating public spaces. The project, which meets the highest international standards, is subordinate to the central idea of unlocking the city’s socio-economic, urban planning, natural and cultural potential, which will further serve its long-term sustainable development as a support zone, centre of competence and innovative solutions.
The essence of the project lies not only in the physical reconstruction and renovation of the city’s housing stock, production and infrastructure, but also in the transition of Norilsk to a new knowledge-intensive, conscious and environmentally friendly economy. To achieve this, there are strategies to modernise production facilities by transforming them into a new technopark, to expand the Polar University by constructing new campus buildings and a research centres, as well as build a technology development centre “Nickel Valley” where young specialists and students can work and create start-ups focused on Arctic exploration, applying the latest technologies in the extractive industries.
While preserving the historical emphasis on the panorama of the entrance to the central district of the city, we complement it with a new urban landscape, harmoniously interacting with the natural and deterministic environment. Gradual development of the complex on based on a natural and environmental principle complements the recreational and eco-cultural framework along the embankment.
High-quality architecture must absorb the mythologized image present in the minds of most residents of the city.
In areas of high wind load, it is proposed to form effective energy-efficient facades with wind barriers. These facades are implemented through the use of a discrete structural design system, which is also used in the formation of service infrastructure facilities.
The residential facades form compositional rhythms that allow altering the architectural quality of districts, without fundamentally changing the existing development.
