Позитивные изменения. Города будущего. Тематический выпуск, 2022 / Positive changes. The cities of the future. Special issue, 2022 - Редакция журнала «Позитивные изменения»

уникальная модель — не бывает универсального подхода к городской застройке. Однако, существуют и общие проблемы, и тут городам есть чему поучиться друг у друга. Например, плотность — один из важнейших критериев снижения энергопотребления и создания удобного, приятного для прогулок города».

Будет ли город будущего, экогород способствовать проявлению гражданской активности? Что для этого необходимо?

Норман Фостер, британский архитектор и дизайнер, лауреат Притцкеровской премии:

«Надо смотреть на поселения как на комбинацию инфраструктуры — маршруты, общественные пространства, коммуникации, транспорт — потому что экологичный город сегодня и в будущем — это прежде всего сильное гражданское общество. Речь идет о пешеходном движении: люди важнее машин. Речь идет о плотности. Города с высокой плотностью населения потребляют меньше энергии и являются более дружелюбными. Речь также идет о смешанном использовании: традиционный город никогда не разделялся на спальные районы, рабочие районы, культурные районы. Все это сочеталось вместе в одно прекрасное целое. Сегодня мы должны заново открыть для себя эту красоту».

We don't know what lies ahead, but we believe in a better future. Those who are already implementing innovative architectural solutions today are the ones who find it the easiest to look into the future in search of answers to the question "What conditions will the humankind live in?" The Positive Changes Journal editors have compiled the opinions of the leaders and founders of world-renowned architectural firms whose projects are already changing the face of the cities of today. The architects expound on how to combine the environment and urbanism, conserve the planet's resources and make the city adjust to the concept of an ideal way of life.

Yulia Vyatkina

Editor, Positive Changes Journal

Whenever somebody talks about cities of the future, they say those will be eco-cities. What is an eco-city as you understand it?

Balkrishna Doshi, Indian architect, founder of Vastu Shilpa Consultants, Pritzker Prize winner, worked under Le Corbusier:

"A truly sustainable city is a city where the least human energy and time is spent in getting things done. Then people have time for reflection and can once again act like human beings, not the robots they have been forced to become."

What is the concept of "non-extractive architecture"? Is it possible to respect nature in architecture?

Joseph Grima, co-founder of the Italian design studio Space Caviar and architect, creative director of Design Academy Eindhoven and art critic:

"The architecture of the future must prioritise conserving the earth’s resources if humans are to overcome the evolutionary crisis that they currently face. Getting better at getting better will not on its own be sufficient. In the face of our accelerating technological supremacy, we can no longer afford to simply ask how much it is possible to extract from our habitat; we are now compelled to ask how much it is reasonable to extract. <…> Non-extractive architecture must fully consider the costs not just for the individual and for society, but also future societies who will live with the consequences of the choices of today’s technologically empowered humans."

Will we get a healthy city by addressing environmental problems?

Ma Yansong, founder of China's most famous architectural firm, MAD Architects, a professor at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture:

"Modern cities right now are too much about efficiency and capital power. It is just about environment, pollution, traffic. Every city has to deal with them, but it doesn’t mean that if you solve them you have a "good city". You and I have a healthy body, but it doesn’t mean that we are mentally healthy… We talk about environment, energy saving and sustainability but I think it’s too much about technology. You have better air conditioning, better glass, better solar panels, but it doesn’t mean those who are working in this building want to stay there forever! They still want to escape every weekend and still go to the countryside because they still feel they aren’t connected with nature. That is the basics, the fundamental reason why we are starting to talk about nature now. If we say we want to be close to nature, why can’t we let the temperature be one degree less or more in your room, in the office?"

Can environmental sustainability be achieved without sacrificing living standards?

Bjarke Ingels, Danish architect, founder and creative partner of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG):

"It has been proven that, beyond a doubt, we have the capacity as the human race to cause massive impact at a planetary scale. That also means that with great power comes great responsibility… Now we have to find smart ways of making our cities resilient. Hedonistic sustainability is the idea that you can actually be sustainable but increase the quality of life while doing so. The same goes with resilience. You have to find smart ways of providing all these necessary safety measures, but do it in a way that advances the human project and creates a wonderful framework for human life."