News

December 22 marks ten years since the founding of the Strategic Development Agency “CENTER”—a company that has significantly shaped modern standards of urbanism and urban consulting in Russia.

Over the past decade, the “CENTER” team has delivered approximately 150 projects across 65 regions and 92 cities, including master plans, urban environment studies, nationwide and international competitions in territorial development, architecture and design, expert events, and educational programs.

The Agency’s credo is to create innovative solutions. It has driven numerous landmark initiatives in the industry:

– The first open international urban development competition outside Moscow (redevelopment of the Kaban Lakes embankments in Kazan)
– Participation in launching and analyzing the first “Environment for Life” Forum in 2016
– The first interdisciplinary study of Moscow’s industrial zones
– The first national competition and study on small towns and historic settlements
– Launch of the first Russian Youth Architectural Biennale
– Development of a methodology for assessing the quality of rural environments
– Creation of methodological principles for master plans as tools for integrated urban development

The Agency’s approach has always included a full assessment of a city’s potential — human capital, tangible and intangible heritage — and the alignment of socio-economic and spatial initiatives. Notable examples include the master plans of Derbent and the Astrakhan Agglomeration.

This anniversary year marks new major projects: the master plan for the Chechen Republic and the competition for master plans of three industrial cities in the Krasnoyarsk Region.

Founded in 2014 by experts Sergey Georgievsky and Ketevan Khelaya, the Agency sought not just to generate profit, but to create a private development institute contributing to the industry. Transparency became its central value. “CENTER” annually invests part of its profits in independent research addressing pressing issues in Russian cities. Among these studies:
– “Moscow RE: Industrial”
– “10 Best Practices in Housing Construction”
– “Historic Settlements and Small Towns”

The Agency promotes open data, urging clients and partners to share analytical findings with the professional community.

Another key principle is fostering competition through transparent methods and open contests. This strengthens the field, supports young teams, and enhances collaboration among established firms.

“CENTER” often tackles complex sites neglected by others — this has become its mission: enabling places to realize their potential by identifying new cultural, economic, and social growth areas.

The company has significantly advanced the agenda for improving public spaces. Through contests and research — from Moscow’s “My District” program to studies of the urban spaces of Arctic cities — “CENTER” helps identify and scale best practices.

The Agency’s future lies in projects for regions with distinctive contexts — such as the Far North or North Caucasus — and in developing sustainable models for cities facing new challenges: monofunctionality, identity crises, extreme climates, and more.

It was “CENTER” that first emphasized the need for tailored approaches to public spaces in the Arctic. The Agency developed principles for harsh-climate public spaces during work on the “Park of Future Generations” in Yakutsk and later proposed new formats for housing, social facilities, and public spaces across northern cities.

“CENTER” will continue fostering collaboration with experts in Russia and abroad to promote advanced knowledge and best practices for city transformation nationwide.

Designing life with you, every day!