IZHEVSK CULTURAL QUARTER,

THE REVIVAL OF KALASHNIKOV CITY

Amira S.R. Ahmad – PHD scholarE-mail: Dr.arch.Amira@hotmail.comIzhevsk State University named after Mikhail Kalashnikov, Industrial and Civil Construction dept.

INTRODUCTIONOriginally Established as plant city, Izhevsk, for more than 300 years had the identity and image of Industrial city. Izhevsk has been experiencing the hardship of the striking post industrial period, economic and social crises of 1990s. Revitalization efforts by the city’s active society and professionals are trying to regain attention and importance for the city on national and international scales.

The contemporary tools for redrawing Izhevsk's image are culture, heritage, history and creativity.

Izhevsk  is the capital city of the Udmurt Republic, Russia, located along the Izh River in the Western Urals. It is the nineteenth largest city in Russia.

 The city is a major hub of industry, commerce, politics, culture, and education in the Volga Region.

It is famous for its defense, engineering, and metallurgy industries.

Izhevsk has the titles of the Armory Capital of Russia and the City of Labor Glory[1].

IZHEVSK

HISTORYThe Name of the city[2, p.23]: 1760-1918 - Izhevsk plant. 1918-1984 -Izhevsk. 1984-1987 -Ustinov (the city was renamed after the soviet marshal D. F. Ustinov  Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union 1976-1984).

1987- current Izhevsk.

The official foundation date of Izhevsk is 1970 year( the foundation date of  ironworks plant; Izhevsk plant ) [2, p.23].

Izhevsk was built as one of the Urals plant cities[2, p.22].

Arms factory foundation: In 1800, Emperor Paul I ordered to build an arms factory in Urals considering mounting threat from Napoleonic France. Siting was given to Andrew Deryabin, a mining engineer, chief of Goroblagodat, Perm, Kama and Bogoslov Plants. He saw several places in the Perm and Vyatka Governorates and drew a conclusion that the most suitable place for plant foundation was Izh Zavod (Izhevsk plant). It occurred to him to turn the ironworks into the armory [1].

Alexander I approved of Deryabin's project and arms factory building began on June 10, 1807. Thus 1807 is considered the year of Izhevsk's second birth [1].

Plants as institutions, significantly affected the urban planning and architecture of Izhevsk.

The main financial resource for the development of social and cultural life in Izhevsk was provided by plants. The administration of the plants controlled the city’s development[2, P-p.27-28].

THE SOVIET PERIOD The Soviet period saw significant growth in the size and importance of Izhevsk.

A new general plan was made for the city. Many local old wooden houses were replaced by stone buildings.

The monotonous typical housing quarters invaded the city.

It was believed that in a closed industrial city as Izhevsk, the most important was utilitarian functional needs and not Aesthetic values[2, p.28].

KALASHNIKOV Military industry remained the core of the local economy even after World War II , leading to Izhvesk being designated a closed city, inaccessible to foreigners. The city's Izhmash factory began manufacturing the AK-47 automatic rifle in 1948, and continues to produce modern variants of the design to this day. The rifle's designer, Mikhail Kalashnikov lived in Izhevsk until his death in 2013. In 1966, Izhmash began manufacturing the Izh brand of automobiles[1].

POSTINDUSTRIAL PERIOD In 1990s influence of factories and their administration on the city’s economy and development significantly decreased [2, p.28].

The prestigious status of plant worker devalued.

Many traditional plants and factories were closed and workers were dismissed.

Izhevsk was stricken by the same economic and political crises of the whole country.

As post industrial city Izhevsk is confronted with serious problems such as

• high unemployment ,• vast ecological damage[3]. • The mentality problem was remarked in studies about the old industrial areas, "in regions where industry played an important role, many people cannot imagine other paths of development” [4].

• In middle of a vicious circle of decline in industrial output, and loss of image and self esteem among the population. This, in turn, has led to a considerable exodus of primarily the highly qualified and young sections of the population, a group which are essential for the development of new economic structures ‘from within’[5].

Nevertheless, up till now Izhevsk Military industry remains the backbone of the local economy, with a number of enterprises operating in the city. By far the most important of these is Izhmash, which produces small arms and assault rifles popular both in Russia and abroad. The plant also produces motorcycles and automobiles under IZH brand name[1].

REVIVAL OF LOCAL IDENTITY In 1990, after the declaration of Udmurt as republic with Izhevsk its capital. a new constitution of Udmurt republic was issued [2, p.29].

National Udmurt politics and culture were revived.

Original Udmurt traditions, values and language were actively widespread among the society.

Other ethnic groups such as Tatar also revived their identity and culture.

Udmurt international musical band baranovichskie babushki

ELEMENTS OF IZHEVSK’S IDENTITY. In 2011 Izhevsk was celebrated and nominated as “the City of Labor Glory” , for its achievements in reinforcing the industrial capacity of Russia.

Izhevsk identity as The capital of Udmurt politics and culture [2, p.28].

A NEW CULTURAL QUARTER FOR IZHEVSK

Izhevsk cultural quarter site.

ABOUT THE PROJECT A proposal for a city museum and other potential cultural facilities in Izhevsk. This will be a cultural quarter located on the east and south waterfront of the Izh Pond, and will include the General’s House, the Ironworks, the Bodalev Brewery and Pump House, the Institute and the public realm between and around the sites (the Waterfront Cultural Quarter).

The General’s House. The house was designed by architect Ivan Kokovikhin and constructed between 1854 and 1857. It was the home of the commander of the Izhevsk arms factory, the General, who lived here with his family. Up until the early 20th Century the House passed between a number of Generals.

The Ironworks. The Ironworks is a Federal listed building and monument of industrial architecture. It is the main four-story building of the Izhevsk Plant, the first multi-storey industrial building in Russia designed by the architect, Semion Dudin and the adjacent industrial area. The building which dates back to the early 19th Century, was designed as a key structure in the city. The tower that marks the entrance to the Ironworks has become an emblem of the city.

The Bodalev Brewery and Pump House, is a collection of buildings that have fallen into disrepair and disuse. They were purpose-built brewery and mead-making facilities dating back to 1882.

The Institute, This building was constructed in 1940. The Institute was the Izhevsk plant’s school for technical personnel. Many prominent workers and engineers graduated from here. It was a place for creative minds and creative ideas.

The public realm: The waterfront is made up of a collection of neglected buildings set on and around a hill, a run-down fairground and a busy road network set back from the Izh Pond. The waterfront is under-utilised and has the potential to be so much more. Successful landscaping together with the restoration of the historic buildings and the Izh Pond is the key to achieving success.

AIMS AND GOALS Making the city more culturally competitive and a model for development by creating world-class, extraordinary museums and venues.

Creating a sense of identity for the city of Izhevsk by increasing access to Izhevsk’s history through storytelling and encouraging locals to contribute their stories,

Promoting the creative industries in the city by providing spaces for idea generation

Making a once closed city open, by improving communication and connections between people within the city and with those who have left [6, p.4].

MAKING A ONCE CLOSED CITY OPEN

FUTURE FACILITIESThe importance of developing mixed-use venues with both recreational and commercial activities. As part of a cultural quarter, the four sites should be places where people can hang out and want to meet their friends and family.

Across the Waterfront Cultural Quarter the following facilities have been highlighted as key to this mix:

• Permanent galleries • Flexible exhibition space capable of hosting in-house and outhouse temporary exhibitions;

• Spaces for creative industries (such as craft and design).

• New production warehouses • Technical facilities • Cultural centre for social groups such as clubs

• Retail offers (gift and book shops) • Catering offers (cafés, restaurants) • Storage space• Venue hire spaces for private events (such as weddings and parties), for corporate events (such as conferences and product launches) and for public events (such as film screenings, lectures, conferences, debates)

• Expert centre• Auditorium

• Education spaces (including flexible spaces for schools and workshops, research)

• Historical monuments and • External spaces (such as the rear courtyard at the Ironworks and the Summer Garden at the rear of the General’s House).

• Virtual Presence A virtual is the key to developing the Waterfront Cultural Quarter. Good attraction websites should work in harmony with the physical sites and expand the place’s presence beyond that which is possible within the constraints of the physical collections and programs.

MANAGEMENT The most successful cultural quarters are managed through partnership, (often led by a local or city authority in their role as landowner).

Partnership can be crucial in bringing a range of expertise and interests together for a common purpose. Local (or civic) authorities might have a lead partnership with a property / investment company that has a strong financial interest in the area.

PROJECT’S PROGRAM It is anticipated that the Waterfront Cultural Quarter will be complete within seven to ten years from the start of the planning phase of the General’s House.

NEXT STEPSTo achieve the timescales set out there are a series of aspects that need to be resolved. The next steps the Team needs to take to move the project forward are:

1. Agree and define the project: • Agree vision, mission, aims and objectives • Agree outcomes • Agree core values. 2. Commence project scoping: • Audience research and profiling, including collating any existing research and commissioning any additional work

• Develop narrative, including outlining key content areas, begin research and development of storyline, identifying key messages

• Acquiring collections • Undertake spatial analysis • Agree ancillary activities for the sites, including educational and commercial aspects.

3. Site planning: • Prepare brief • Appoint architectural teams. 4. Develop and agree funding strategy: • Sponsorship • Grants • Donations • Commercial loans. 5. Financial feasibility testing: • Capital expenditure modeling • Operational planning • Staffing • Feasibility testing.

6. Project Programming: • Identify and agree timescales. 7. Full design development and planning: • Visitor flow and circulation • Determine space by function usage • 3D design development • Build visitor experience and interpretation.

Master planning • Project Master plan • Market Analysis • Business Planning. 2. Scheme Design 3. Detail Design 4. Production Information and Procurement 5. Production and Installation 6. Commissioning and Completion

CONCLUSIONThe journey of Izhevsk, the plant city, from living for hundreds of years as military closed city, were people’s regional and national identities were ignored, to the introduction of contemporary Izhevsk as cultural creative hub. Izhevsk as city and active society decided to be open up to the whole world. Izhevsk cultural quarter is on of the remarkable efforts to establish national and international open conversation. Izhevsk is telling its story “The Kalashnikov city the history of man

and machine”

REFERENCES1. Izhevsk //en.wikipedia.org. URL:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izhevsk (reference date: 29.03.2015).

2. Agafonov K.O., Garting V.O. & others. Izhevsk museum: concept // V.O. Potanin fund; Izhevsk, 2014.

3. Lintz ,Gerd & Müller,Bernhard & Schmude,Karl. The future of industrial cities and regions in central and eastern Europe// Elsevier; Geoforum 38, 2007,22 January 2013. P 512-519.

4. Ernits, raigo .possibilities for self-sustaining development in postsocialist Single-company industrial settlements: Estonian cases//mtk.ut.ee.Euroopa Liiduga liitumise mõju Eesti majanduspoliitikale; Berlin, 29 January 2002,25 January 2013.

5. Águeda , Beatriz Fernández. Urban planning in industrial cities:the reversibility of decay// oa.upm.es, 2009,2 February 2013.

6. A New Cultural Quarter for Izhevsk//workshop report, Izhevsk, 2013.