TRANSFORMATION OF THE URBAN SPACE OF ARKHANGELSK

Abstract

The emergence of a city, the creation of its infrastructure, and the population growth depend on many factors, but of decisive importance are the main city-forming functions. With time, the value of such functions changes, they can disappear. This primarily concerns industrial cities. If there are no other sources for growth, the urban space begins to transform under the influence of the closure of industrial enterprises, reduction of the population. This is often expressed in contraction and degradation of the city areas being released from their functions. This is a problem for many cities around the world in the context of the changing economic paradigm and transition to a post-industrial economy. Arkhangelsk is an example of a city that was gradually involved in performing various functions from its foundation, but the main growth of its urban space began with the development of the timber industry complex. The modern reduction of available forest resources led to the closure of numerous enterprises of the timber industry, which threatens the existence of villages created around these enterprises. The author conducted a retrospective analysis of the urban space formation and transformation in Arkhangelsk, identified the main areas that have lost their former functions and are degrading. The quality of the environment was assessed by the cost of housing in the city districts, its territorial disproportions in peripheral and central areas were identified. A study of the population dynamics showed a partial contraction of urban space, manifested in the gradual loss of population in former timber mill settlements, especially those located on islands. The city is losing territories that became its part due to Soviet industrialization. The author analyzes the prospects for the development of the urban space basing on the study of the general plan of Arkhangelsk.