One Russian and two international consortia will develop Master Plans for Derbent
On July 30, the first selection stage of the Open International Competition for the Development of a Master Plan for Derbent Urban District, Republic of Dagestan was completed. The jury, chaired by Head of the Republic of Dagestan Vladimir Vasiliev, selected three finalists, who will develop their versions of the Master Plan for Derbent and conceptions for the development of the town’s embankment. The finalists are consortia made up of Russian and foreign experts.
Vladimir VasilievHead of the Republic of Dagestan
Derbent is our country’s most ancient town. We need to make it into an accessible place for tourist pilgrimage. This project has a very human origin: love for one’s people. That is the most important element in completing such a global task. We have started down this difficult road to the solution of unprecedentedly complex issues, and hope that the design for Derbent as the town of the future with the richest history is a success. Gathered here today are people who are thinking about the decade ahead of us, and it is important to us that the residents of Dagestan and Russia see just how much it is possible to achieve if we responsibly approach the solution of serious socially useful issues
The Master Plans on which the finalists will work will outline strategies for the development of Derbent in the medium term. Despite all the difficulty of the task standing before the competitors, it elicited active responses from architects in many countries around the world: 144 entrants registered for the competition, representing 183 companies from 31 countries, some of whom united in consortia. Twenty-six competitors submitted proposals, created in accordance with the conditions, to the Competition’s Organizing Committee. There were 13 individual entries, and 13 entries from multinational consortia representing 51 participants. The consortia include representatives from 10 countries and all continents apart from Antarctica.
Khizri AbakarovHead of Derbent Urban District
The Master Plan for Derbent is an important document which will give us an understanding of the direction that the development of Derbent will take over the upcoming decade. It is necessary for the resolution of the town’s complex problems and the prevention of certain management mistakes that could arise in the municipality. I am grateful to all the experts who took part in the preparation of the Competition documents, and to the residents of Der-bent, who actively joined in the work. Today’s competition is a unique experience for Russia. For the first time in our country, an open international competition for the development of a master plan for a town is taking place, and we are ready to share this experience with other cities of Russia in the future. I wish all the competitors good luck!
The Competition’s multi-disciplinary jury includes representatives of the Government of the Republic of Dagestan, the administration of Derbent, and the business community, and also recognized experts in the fields of economics, tourism, urban studies, architecture, and the preservation of cultural heritage. The international curator of the Competition is a world-famous urbanist, architect, and expert in sustainable development Edouard Moreau. Thanks to his experiences working in different countries, he is sure to strengthen the competence of the jury with his expertise in the development of cities and public spaces around the world.
Edouard MoreauInternational curator of the competition, founder of Orchestra Design studio
I am very happy to take part in the Competition for the development of a Master Plan for Derbent. Most of all because it is a town with a rich history and culture, with a magnificent location and environment. I see colossal potential for the town: now is the ideal time to take the next step in the plan for the town’s development, and make it bright, modern, economically viable, and people-oriented, with connections to nature and opportunities for the future of the town, and for youth.
At the meeting of the jury, the experts reviewed all the materials submitted by the competitors as part of their proposals: portfolios of relevant projects and essays outlining the key ideas the competitors plan to implement should they be chosen for the Competition final. At a meeting the previous day, the members of the Public Committee also took part in the evaluation of entries. Authoritative representatives of the community of the Republic of Dagestan in the fields of culture, politics, sport, and religion, together with the head of Derbent Urban District and representatives of Competition operator Agency for Strategic Development CENTER, reviewed the 26 entries submitted for the Competition, discussed them, and gave their recommendations for the short list, which were taken into account by the jury in its decision on the finalists.
After the vote of the jury, the finalists were:
- Consortium under the leadership of IND Architects (Russia). Consortium members: ADEPT (Denmark), SWA (USA), Knight Frank (Russia), RussiaDiscovery (Russia);
- Consortium under the leadership of the Genplan Institute of Moscow (Russia). Consortium members: Ginzburg Architects (Russia), SKTS (Russia);
- Consortium under the leadership of MADMA (Netherlands). Consortium members: RTDA (Russia).
Sergei GeorgievskiiCEO of the Agency for Strategic Development CENTER
Starting today, the finalists have begun the competition task. According to the competition rules, they must submit their proposals for the master plan for Derbent and their concepts for the development of the embankment to the Organizing Committee by November 11 of this year. The teams have at their disposal the support of the Government of the Republic of Dagestan, the Administration of Derbent, and the Public Committee, and also the preparatory analysis of CENTER Agency’s comprehensive study of the urban district’s potential for development, which was included in the basis for the competition task. In accordance with the research, the Master Plans must be based on the model of the Vibrant Town, a town which is able to adapt to challenges and develop itself in the face of perpetually-changing internal and external environments. We are sure that the teams chosen by the jury have sufficient experience and competence to present us with concepts which can solve this difficult, but very important, issue. This competition is important not only for Derbent and the Republic of Dagestan but for the entire architectural community and specialists in the fields of the strategic development of territories and urban planning.
The finalists will work on their plans until November. At the end of August, as part of an establishing seminar, they will visit Derbent in order to get acquainted with the design territory and meet with local experts and members of the Public Committee, to get answers to important questions in the development of their concepts. The final meeting of the jury chaired by Head of the Republic of Dagestan Vladimir Vasiliev, with the announcement of the winner, will take place on November 19.
