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CENTER Agency took part in an initiative of major importance for interpreting and presenting the history of Russian statehood — the competition for the best concept for the Oleg the Wise Historical and Cultural Park. Sergey Georgievskiy, co-founder of CENTER Agency, moderated the final jury meeting and the awards ceremony.

The competition resulted in a new model for creating a year-round visitor destination in Staraya Ladoga, one of Russia’s oldest settlements, offering an immersive experience of the 9th and 10th centuries.

The competition was held with the support of DOM.RF and the Government of the Leningrad Region. According to Yegor Mishcheryakov, Vice Governor of the Leningrad Region, the initiative is “a landmark event and an opportunity to establish a unified cultural identity for the area. The finalists faced a challenging task: to work sensitively within a protected landscape, reveal the archaeological heritage of Staraya Ladoga, and create a distinctive destination for families and visitors from across Northwestern Russia. All of these elements had to be brought together within a single concept, and the teams succeeded in doing so.”

The winning proposal was submitted by the Samara-based consortium TM + link.bureau + Syaylev studio.

The team proposes creating a historical and cultural park on the banks of the Volkhov River, featuring land art installations designed to convey the significance of the events that helped shape the development of the early Russian state. According to one historical account, Prince Rurik began his rule in Staraya Ladoga, while a burial mound on the outskirts of the village is traditionally believed to be the grave of Oleg the Wise.

The eight-hectare site will include a museum, lecture hall, workshop pavilions, a bookshop, glamping facilities, piers, a children’s playground, a café, and even an apiary. A wide range of visitor scenarios has been developed for the park, including festivals, fairs, exhibitions, guided tours, sports activities, birdwatching, and recreational walks.

Functionally, the park is divided into several thematic zones: the grove, spring, hills, meadow, river, field, and ancient settlement. The concept team emphasises that the architectural interventions have been designed to preserve the existing landscape as much as possible.

With a total project cost exceeding RUB 900 million, the park is also expected to generate revenue sufficient to cover its operating expenses.

“As the operator of the competition for the best architectural and urban planning concept for a tourism destination in Staraya Ladoga, we were particularly pleased to contribute to the initiative to create the Oleg the Wise Park as well. Together, these projects have the potential to become key drivers in transforming a village with an extraordinarily rich historical legacy, but currently rather limited infrastructure, into a destination of national — and potentially even international — significance,” said Sergey Georgievskiy, co-founder of CENTER Agency.

Photo: DOM.RF