“ANGAR” innovative public space will become the youth hub of Chukotka
Agency for Strategic Development CENTER, in collaboration with MAParchitects architectural bureau presented to the governor of Chukotka the concept of the “ANGAR” year-round public space which is unique for the region and will become the main platform for self-development and leisure of young people in Chukotka Autonomous Region. The place for the creation of the new leisure center is a currently unused industrial garage. The project approved by the head of the region includes the architectural concept of the public space, its ideology, and its mission, as well as usage scenarios.
The idea of creating a youth leisure center in a new format providing opportunities for self-development and leisure activities for creative young people came from the governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Region, Roman Kopin, and the customer of the project is the Youth Support Fund Non-Profit Organization. The concept of a new public space in the regional capital Anadyr was developed by a consortium comprising Agency for Strategic Development CENTER and MAParchitects architectural bureau.
The first stage of integrated work was a study conducted by the Agency CENTER. Its aim was to identify features for the creation of a youth center in Anadyr. In addition to analyzing the city planning situation and undertaking marketing research, at the request of the Youth Support Fund, experts studied the residents’ demands and experience of creating similar centers around the world.
Maria SedletskayaLeading Analyst at Agency for Strategic Development CENTER
To justify the creation of a new site – its location, function, and format of events – we as-sessed the socio-economic situation in Anadyr urban district, organized a series of meetings with active representatives of local communities and key territorial actors, and conducted a survey among schoolchildren and students. To form the mission and manifesto of the Youth Center, we differentiated the requests of the target audience into three age groups that affect the usage scenarios, and the functional and service content of the site: 14–17 years old, 18–24 years old, 25–35 years old. We are confident that the "Chukotka youth asset" is the basis for the development of the region’s creative potential today.
As a result, ideas were received for creating an open transformable space, specialized spaces, for example, for a printing house, a media center with an interactive map of Russia, a recording studio, photo and video studios, conducting of e-sports competitions, arranging portable greenhouses (growbox); holding a graffiti festival, etc. Based on the findings, expert analysts have formed the ideology of ANGAR as an all-season public innovation space creating the conditions for the free development of young people.
Sergei GeorgievskiiCEO of the Agency for Strategic Development CENTER
We have defined the mission of the public space being created as "creating conditions for the socialization of young people, their integration into the processes occurring outside the geographical space of the town and the formation of social responsibility." Thus, ANGAR should create an environment that will allow young people not only to satisfy various lei-sure requests but also to realize themselves in those activities that will be in demand in the future. Therefore, the concept of cultural programming took into account the trends of cross-disciplinary exchange of competencies, support for youth entrepreneurship, development of creativity and skills in the field of art, development of creative residences and promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
The mission of the place extends to an external audience and serves as the basis for a phased scaling of the role of the Youth Center, from the level of the urban district and Chukotka Autonomous Region to the Far Eastern and international scale. Brand events form a calendar grid, depending on the season, while simultaneously loading a weekly schedule.
An abandoned building on Otke Street in Anadyr was chosen as a platform for the future public space. The result of its redevelopment will be a more efficient use of the production area and its integration with surrounding facilities. The originality of the decision to transform this building is preservation of its industrial aesthetics and modification through design.
Alexander PoroshkinHead of MAParchitects Architectural Bureau
When working on the project of the all-season youth center, it was extremely important for us to preserve the authenticity of the site, its technical “past”, making the so-called “third place” for the residents of Chukotka – a platform where they can come to have fun with friends, listen to a lecture, develop their communication skills, realize creative plans and significantly diversify their leisure. Besides its main function, the future ANGAR center will also act as an event space that converts the energy and enthusiasm of young people into useful initiatives.
The new architectural look is based on the combination of the “cold” snow-white facade and the “warm, cozy” interior: natural wood textures, soft surfaces from bright textile furniture materials. Based on the idea of the contrast of Chukchi nature, the architects of MAParchitects Bureau suggested implementing the principle of contrast on the exterior of the center. In the white volume of the building, which is visually supported by an illumination resembling the northern lights, the entrance group is clearly distinguished. It is made in a contrasting red color scheme causing associations with warmth and a sense of security and should become a kind of “beacon” clearly visible in foggy and snowy weather.
Proposals for interior decoration are aimed at maximizing the functionality of the space and allow implementing 4 main usage scenarios: Chillout, Lecture, Fair and Party. The first format assumes a pleasant relaxed atmosphere with calm music that will allow visitors to do their work, prepare for study and meet friends. During educational events an amphitheater can be used to accommodate all comers and furniture can be moved back to the walls and rows of chairs exposed. To use the “Fair” scenario, participants will have access to space for placing mobile kiosks on the first floor or on the street, and during parties or theatrical performances they can direct the light to the stage in a special way muffling it in the main hall.
