Urban Change Week to open the V International Spatial Development Forum

Over the years, the Forum has become a central platform for discussing key issues of St. Petersburg urban areas transformation and St. Petersburg metropolitan area development.

This Forum is headed with “Urban Renaissance: transfer from the cities' past to the future” theme.

 The development of technologies, rapid changes, the transformation of the life style of citizens and new requirements for environmental friendliness and quality of life pose difficult questions for historical cities. The forum participants will try to answer the question of how to preserve the heritage: architectural, historical, cultural, but at the same time, under the conditions of restrictions, transform the infrastructure, make the city comfortable for life, progressive and conducive to human development. As part of the agenda, participants will focus their attention on the analysis of current trends, as well as the identification of prospects and solutions for the development and transformation of historical cities.

Issues on the synthesis of history and modernity are particularly acute for St. Petersburg: the rich heritage and city spirit where the future created, the vanguard of meanings, politics and culture, set the tone for all incredible and promising inventions. Man-oriented solutions to the development of historical cities, focusing not so on the tasks of preserving the heritage and reconstruction of buildings, but on the development of human potential and the sustainability of the city.

“The state of the urban environment is one of the most important factors determining the well-being of the city, its attractiveness,” stresses Valery Moskalenko, Chairman of the Committee for Economic Policy and Strategic Planning of St. Petersburg, – “Only comfortable city may attract the modern citizen. St. Petersburg is actively growing. In 2018, there was a record amount of housing facilities provided – 3.95 million square meters and the population has reached 5.38 million people. Therefore, St. Petersburg socio-economic policy is aimed precisely at improving the urban environment quality, creating favorable conditions for human life and ensuring high standards of living that best meet the expectations of residents and guests of the city, but preserving the historical personality of St. Petersburg”.