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Sergei Georgievskii, Co-founder of the Agency for Strategic Development “CENTER,” took part in a discussion dedicated to перспективные urban development projects in Anadyr. The teleconference, which connected the capital of Chukotka with architects and urbanists from across Russia, was held as part of the competition “Arctic. Reboot”, aimed at providing the city with a new quality of living environment, including modern housing, public spaces, and new tourist attractions.

During the event, potential participants were briefed on the key features that must be taken into account in their competition proposals. As a member of the expert jury, Sergei Georgievskii emphasized the importance of the aesthetic component.

“Probably among all Arctic cities, Anadyr is the most challenging to design. That is why one must be very bold and daring to take part in this competition. Yet it is precisely in that boldness that talent should reveal itself. I have been to Anadyr several times, and once I ended up staying longer than planned because flights were canceled. At that moment, I experienced what treeless natural zones mean not as a term, but as a reality in which people live every day — people who need a more diverse and less monotonous environment,” the urbanist noted.

Among other challenges facing competition participants, Sergei Georgievskii highlighted complex engineering and geological conditions, remoteness, a small population, low investment attractiveness, the polar night, and bureaucratic barriers to implementing innovative solutions in the Far North. However, he sees significant opportunities in overcoming such difficulties:

“Architects and designers who are able to propose solutions in such challenging conditions will secure their professional future for decades within the framework of Russia’s Arctic development agenda,” Sergei Georgievskii emphasized.

The competition includes three nominations:

• A project for a new district on the territory of the Sandy Spit (western part of Anadyr), featuring modern housing, social infrastructure, public spaces, redevelopment of the Anadyr Estuary embankment, and new tourist attractions.

• A development concept for the Chukchi village of Tavayvaam, including comfortable low- and mid-rise housing with commercial infrastructure, children’s and sports facilities, parking areas with heated walkways from residential buildings, and tourist facilities reflecting the culture of Indigenous peoples.

• A concept for an ethnographic cluster near the village of Tavayvaam, providing full immersion in the culture and nature of Chukotka.

During the discussion, Deputy Head of Anadyr Sergei Brychaev called for special attention to recreational infrastructure. Yevgeniya Murinets, a member of the Expert Council of the Ministry of Construction of Russia on the formation of a comfortable urban environment, and communications expert in small towns Maria Savicheva emphasized the importance of dialogue with city residents. Kirill Ilyichev, a member of the Union of Moscow Architects, highlighted the need to create a unique architectural identity. Meanwhile, Andrey Bulgakov, Head of the Capital Construction Department of the Chukotka Autonomous Area, separately addressed the factor of high seismic activity.

Representatives of the competition organizers and профильные authorities answered all participants’ questions regarding the specifics of the territory and the technical brief.

Submissions will be accepted until mid-March, and the results will be announced at the end of the month. Full details about the competition are available on the official website: arctic-arch.ru.

Photo: Andrey Stepanov / Lori Photo Bank