Krasnoyarsk 400th Anniversary Park

For a too long time we have built concrete boxes while being worried about roof above the head and solution of acute problems. The time has come to think that our children should see green grass and flowers not only out of town or in the Natural History books, but also from the flat windows.

"For some time parks in Russia have not been designed at all," Lyudmila Myakota, chief architect of Stimex-Design Co., LTD., says. "That means that our cities prefer to manage with just park zones founded already in the 50-60ss. But as time went they became decrepit, detruncated by advancing from all sides newly-erected buildings. Whereas town planners concentrated their attention only on building of blocks of flats and roads and forgot about greenery planting and beautification. Now, finally, the realization came that urban environment standards are rising - there is a tendency from occasional discrete compositions to organized viewing of common city environment. STIMEX GROUP has been working in this sphere for many years already. Now we are working out several projects connected with creation and modernization of infrastructure of urban park zones. I think the mightiest one is design of Krasnoyarsk 400th Anniversary Park, that already received confirmation of city mayor Pyotr Pimashkov. This unique multifunctional park is to become not only an image decoration, but the heart of cultural life of the city. It will be situated in Vzletka district between Aviatorov Street and Oktyabrskaya Street."

The main functional areas of the park are circle-shaped as if they are beaded on a central axis. Their names reflect their meaning: Youth Square, Unanimity Square, Generation Square. The idea of the squares triad (passing from one into another) belongs to national architect of Russia Areg Demirkhanov. Youth Square is for the young people and for energetic rest. Generation Square is quiet and mostly for walking. It verges on a religious and temple area where erection of St. Nicholas the Miracle Man Cathedral is planned. Unanimity Square is located in the centre on a higher level and will become the main connecting dominant of the park. These three squares will supplement each other without rival and will become an embodiment of continuity and unanimity of different generations. According to the creative group's concept the park is to personify unanimity not only of rest places, but also of spiritual life, political trends, various possibilities that Krasnoyarskiy Region possesses.

The western side of the central Unanimity Square will be occupied with a modern building of public leisure centre which will accommodate Krasnoyarsk City History Museum. Thus, Krasnoyarsk 400th Anniversary Park will also present educational function.

One of the brightest decorations of the squares in the park will be a 'necklace' of fountains 'beaded' on central path axis. They are dancing and singing fountains on Youth Square, totally unusual fountain on Unanimity Square framing and decorating the central stage and, last but not least, classical fountain Centuries Rivers that harmoniously fits in the architecture of Generation Square. These fountains will let Krasnoyarsk citizens and visitors enjoy the play of water streams and in the evening - unique light and laser shows.

"The idea of the park found its continuation in creative collaboration with collective of STIMEX GROUP, with Vladimir Vopilov's team," Areg Sarkissovich says. "And, undoubtedly, thanks to active support of the project by Head of Sovietskiy District Vladimir Murysin. According to the plan of this joint creative team this will be not just a city park or garden, but something larger: a sort of focus of culture where all the art genres will be displayed. The park is to become a place for real pilgrimage of art representatives where everyone can find way to apply his talent and group of like-minded people. This is the basic idea of the park. On specially designed grounds artists will exhibit their works, musicians will give concerts in the open air, and poets will read their poetry. In the future, as I see it, the paths of the park will witness real creative battles. And all these will take place in the very heart of future new administrative and business centre of Krasnoyarsk.

Our city is extremely lucky. It is surrounded by Siberian nature of unique beauty. Care about this beauty has become the base of design of new rest area for the citizens. This park should harmoniously fit in the existing urban infrastructure. And, surely, it will become the most comfortable and beautiful park in Siberia! Design that we created and upheld is a preliminary outline, a sort of clue for new ideas. It is also a ground for citizens' artistic explorations. We call Krasnoyarsk citizens - professional artists, architects, designers and just inhabitants of the city - for collaboration. It is possible that some attractive ideas of Krasnoyarsk citizens will be used in the general concept of the park. By the way, businessmen who invest money in anticipation of long-term outlook can also be interested in participation in this project."

More than a Park

"Many Russian cities that are going to celebrate anniversary create their anniversary parks," Elena Giyevskaya, Manager of Stimex-Design Co., LTD., says. "They are Kazan 1000th Anniversary Park, Omsk 300th Anniversary Park, St.-Petersburg 300th Anniversary Park. And of course there are no two parks alike. Thus, in Omsk they are planning to place a park with attractions and sports and sanitary areas along the territory of 35 hectares. Our park will bear a transformer function. It has to change its appearance quickly depending on the tasks posed, but at the same time has to preserve the general idea. Our anniversary park will be vivid, many-sided and multifunctional; there is the uniqueness of the design solution. This will be not a park, a garden or a square, but all these in one. So, at the same time it will be a place for rest and a place for public city actions. I should remark here that at the moment in Krasnoyarsk there is no well organized open-air ground for such occasions. Undoubtedly such large and multifunctional park needs corresponding management and specialists to maintain its activity and to provide for carrying out big city events, children fests and concerts, to organize the visitors' leisure time and to watch its infrastructure. And this will in its turn cause organization of new working places for citizens and taxes paid to city budget."

"Self-repayment of places for rest is a tendency in the world's park management. Based on foreign experience park is one of the most self-repaying facilities in urban environment. It can bring good income to the city exchequer," Vladimir Vopilov, General Manager of STIMEX GROUP, says. "Parks maintain, supply and develop themselves. Look at, say, the Eifel Tower: in the first part of the XXth century Paris received almost 1/3 part of the annual budget from visitors of this sight. At the presentation of the project the Head of the city Pyotr Pimashkov first of all asked if the design was cost efficient, so that the costs for park maintenance should not be burden on city budget. The management of the park will also take up the task of financial self-sufficiency. The project makes provision for creation of a system of attractions, active rest areas and citizens' leisure activities. By estimate, about twenty entertainment programmes will work in the park and they will bring stable income. Of course, the project will be impossible without some budget investments at the beginning, ant it should not be. But the concept of the park, its basic idea in the first place presupposes 100% profitability. At least because there are a number of technical novelties planned in the park with the purpose to attract people.

For instance, an unquestionable decoration of the main central area of the park - Unanimity Square - will become special dynamic illumination built-in into cubes and covered with firm polymeric glass. Modern linear bendable luminaires take little energy, are waterproof and protected from acts of vandalism. In planning the illumination system it was taken into consideration that the park would have several light modes: festive and standard (for every day). We worked out special programmes, according to them the illumination can change colour and light up by segments or work in the mode of colour musical plant. With the help of a special control panel it is possible to mix the whole light system of the park. There have never been in Russia parks equipped with such fabulously beautiful illumination system before. Imagine how spectacular it will look during performances! It will be the best open-air stage in the city. We think even Moscow stars will want to get on it. One more novelty is membrane systems. They are special modern tent constructions made of strong polymeric materials. The same material was used in building the famous now Watercube in Beijing. In the night time thanks to illumination colour of the material will change and thus create unique colour romantic atmosphere. It will be possible to organize subject exhibitions, picture galleries under these tents, to exhibit hand-made articles by artists, and to make various events and spectacular children fests. The area of the park will be fenced with a striking forged fence that will have its own blazonry connected with Krasnoyarsk 400th anniversary. The choice of the forged fence is nonrandom. It is classics, it will never lose its urgency with the time. And here Areg Demirkhanov is totally right when he calls us not to go far from what is proved by the thousand-year history of architecture."

Stark Beauty

The sculptural compositions of the park will be made by Krasnoyarsk sculptor Konstantin Zinich. His works have already become popular with Krasnoyarsk citizens and are now sights shown during excursions and point for taking photos during wedding processions. Among his works there is monument to Commander Ryazanov, sculptural composition in Pushkin Square, subject composition "Children of War" and many other interesting images. His monument to Siberian Soldiers on Volokolamskoye Highroad in Moscow was granted Golden Diploma in the Vth International Festival "Architecture of Eastern Siberia".

"The central image of Krasnoyarsk 400th Anniversary Park is sculptural monumental composition of classic style in representing a 24-meter high column. On the column there is a bronze sculpture of a girl "Young Siberia". At the bottom of the column there is a sculptural composition of several figures that symbolize virtues," Konstantin Zinich says. "According to the idea the column sculpture with a girl should tower above the whole park area and should be seen from afar. Along the perimeter of Unanimity Square we are planning to place six bronze sculptural compositions representing basic historic stages of Krasnoyarsk City development. We want not only to give aesthetic enjoyment to park visitors, but also add an educational zest for growing up generation of Krasnoyarsk citizens and guests. And the fountain Centuries Rivers in the centre of Generation Square dos not only add to the historical orientation of the whole park, but also gives some philosophic and romantic shade to atmosphere of the park."

Project of Krasnoyarsk 400th Anniversary Park absorbed lots of ideas, this is a dynamically developing product of effective cooperation of a large creative group. But, as all really great ideas, it exists in real time and each of us can now add to it a small part of his participation: somebody will put in his labour or creativity, somebody - money. And the park with this preliminary name should become a really people's and favourite place in Krasnoyarsk, so that all citizens and guests of our city could find in it something new and interesting for themselves!