Moscow is aiming to create its own Soho district, called ArtKvartal. The neighbourhood will become home to people in the creative professions as well as to museums and galleries, creating a cultural hub for the capital. And while in New York and London such areas developed organically, Moscow is planning every detail. VoR's Dasha Chernyshova reports. Five square kilometres of Moscow are to become a city within a city.
An ambitious project called ArtKvartal has been recently presented to the Moscow authorities. The idea is to create a new socio-economic living model in the Russian capital – a district for people in the creative professions. Innovative technology will combine with cutting edge design to create a simplified and attractive lifestyle. Art galleries, media outlets, fashion houses and design bureaus will dominate the landscape of the area, and replace the rental economy. Three-tier project: The project consists of three layers. Peter Kudryavtsev, founder of Territory Development Institute, who is working on the project, said: “The first is a creative city – basically the creation of different clusters where small businesses can flourish. The second layer is a connected city - we are thinking about an innovative mobility system which will be based on pedestrian routes, comfortable bicycle routes, the accent on public transport and some additional car sharing. And the third layer is all the additional things for living in the city like sports, public spaces, good retail, good dwelling and so on.” This new entity is not just expected to catalyse inner-city regeneration and gentrification. It also embodies an idyllic vision where people use transport less and less, while having everything they need at their hand. The concept is being elaborated by an international team and takes New York’s Soho district as an example. Meticulous planning: Peter Kudryavtsev said: “Soho in London and Soho in New York were created spontaneously; unfortunately this is not going to work in Moscow. We are really dependent on the city infrastructure. So the whole idea is to make this project with Moscow city government. This is quite different and this will be important work for Russia for creating a new model of living in a city.” The idea has strong government support but is still a long way off from being implemented. However, with recent trends in urban planning demonstrating a desire to move beyond city centres, the creation of such districts could lay down a marker for the cities of the future. ArtKvartal will use central Moscow’s industrial areas, replacing the old buildings with a cultural hub. (Voice of Russia), Dasha Chernyshova, Source: Voice of Russia UK
