MMGU Herald

Moscow pursues the global city-planning concept: architecture in part represents the city’s image and is an important criterion of the city’s development. The Capital’s Chief architect S. O. Kuznetsov in his interview to the Herald puts us wise to the reasoning behind such choice: urban architecture as part of the environment is shaping the society at large. City planners today stick to the principle of “citizen friendly” urban design. The urban fabric must be comfortable and easy-to-understand to its inhabitants. Part of the projects is unwrapping in formerly industrial zones, another part unfolds in the existing neighborhoods. The industrial zones allow for designing from ground zero, in line with the cutting-edge international standards. The renovation program projects must take account of the infrastructure already in place and spare the emblematic structures of the past. Upgrading the Moscow river embankments’ is currently on top of Moscow authorities’ priorities list. The notion of the Moscow river as the city’s main axis will help shape the citizens’ more positive view of the neighborhoods that are beyond the bounds of the city center, while greater and versatile recreational space along the river banks will boost people’s social inclusion into more active lifestyles.

Our times have inherited the legacy of the historical past. The stately lifestyle, the language, the culture, the mindset of the people in any country, no matter how indigenous it may seem, bear the indelible imprint of other cultures, languages and world outlooks. The same goes for cities: their history is not only present in the ancient manuscripts, in books, articles, but is perfectly obvious on the cities’ texture – in their architecture that goes down in history. In an interview dedicated to urban architecture professor F. Bucci of one of the major Italian Universities tells our Herald of a pertinent practical approach to deal with sites of the world historical and landscape heritage. Not only do historical architectural pieces need preservation, but they should also be adapted to the citizens’ exigencies in modern cities. The UNESCO Chair existing on the Mantova university campus interacts with scholars and practitioners. During this interaction on both local and international scale innovative system of urban improvement approaches and methodologies is being formed. This system will allow, while carrying out projects, to care of sustainable development of cities’ environment, maintain historical structures, as soon as the cities’ past is the guarantee of their prosperous future.

Moscow’s districts vary in size, population density and urban planning peculiarities. In order to reveal the impact of the above factors on problem areas of municipal improvements the Chair of City Economy and Housing Law at the Moscow Metropolitan Governance Yury Luzhkov University has proactively held a sociological research activity survey among several districts’ inhabitants. Based on the survey’s results soft spots in municipal improvements of certain districts were identified that at the time, according to the public, presented the most problems. Development and approval of new architectural and landscaping requirements to a comprehensive improvements program were deemed necessary, based on principles of efficient functionally substantiated use of urban space. The document should contain optimized indices of ecological, sanitary and hygienic standards, as well as a list of implements allowing to improve the esthetic expressiveness of urban territories. Such document will make it possible to make corrections in town-building plans of the city’s districts, to develop and execute landscaping projects that would be consistent with modern requirements and citizens’ demands.

One of our state’s strategic tasks today is to raise the urban environment quality standards. Apart from all other of its’ compounds also amenities to attend to. An important element of building a comfortable environment in a metropolis is technical assignment for design and survey works at landscape architectural sites, because it formulates the requirements and establishes the final product receivables. The municipal customer while formulating the technical assignment is expected to characterize with maximum detail and clearance both the project documentation and the site to be constructed. It is exactly that effort that the future effects of the designed solutions hinge on. The foundations of the future initiatives’ success of the city environment improvements are being laid at the stage of technical assignment formulation.

Organizations that make part of Moscow Government are now in possession of a new HR service, which provides them an edge over other employers in the labor market. The adaptation service for new employees is accessible in the remote mode and is particularly comfortable due to comprehensive assistance to customers at the implementation phase and beyond. The service is complete with both implements for employee’s adaptation (adaptation track) and instruments of support to his or her principle. Preparations are under way to launch a system of assessment instruments, which will make it possible to carry out adaptation efficiency monitoring. Works are in train to design track options for various categories of employees, such as those coming from other branches of power structures ready with civil service exposure, or those coming back to their jobs from a maternity leave. The new HR service ensures continued and ongoing uniform HR policy across the board within Moscow Government structures keeping up its image of a reliable and advanced employer in the labor market.

Contractual activities serve as one of the driving forces of Russia’s economic growth these days. Thus the volume of state corporate procurement in terms of value has reached 1/3 of the national GNP, while the annual procurement volume in Moscow alone totals 1 trillion rubles. Over 750.000 customers and suppliers have registered with procurement electronic platform, the suppliers being predominantly representatives of small and medium-size enterprises. Contractual system helps entrepreneurs find those interested in their products and services, while it allows state organizations to save budget resources. Since procurement legislation is subject to frequent upgrading, those within the procurement system stand in need of competent specialists proficient in all the ins and outs of the works. Moscow Metropolitan Governance Yury Luzhkov University is training such specialists, and for the training aids, cases and learning methodologies to be timely upgraded a Center for efficient procurement practices has been set up with the University’s Chair of State and Municipal Procurement Management. At the basis of the Center’s and the Chair’s educational methodologies and approaches lies the essential principle of life-long education.

Since time immemorial there existed a bond between architecture and ecology that arose from the dependence of human kind from the natural environment conditions. The “Man – Nature” relationship has always had a strong impact on the art. Since ancient times the ecological tradition has developed in architecture, reflecting the strive of a man to achieve the harmony with nature. In their works, architects repeated natural forms for the sake of visual beauty. Turning to nature favors pragmatic interests as well – an urban environment with natural elements included is more comfortable for the citizens. The process of greening architecture based on aesthetic and pragmatic approaches currently finds its evocation in novel ecologically sustainable structures. Buildings of this kind exert minimal impact on the environment and make it possible to provide citizens with comfortable living conditions.