Ideology, Culture and Authority in Post-Luzhkov Moscow

Abstract

What is the Zaryadye Park from a historical view? What are the meanings of this place? How does Zaryadyefit in with the ideological, political, economic, aesthetic and cultural contexts of today’s Moscow? Is it an iconic project or a typical redevelopment?

We could compare Zaryadye Park with VDNH as a project which embodies an authority. Thegrandeur of the park erases all previous transformations of the city from memory. Conversely, it is an integration project which presents a Russian identity. It is a place where citizens may find part of their personal history.

This discussion is part of twelve months of fieldwork, carried out by Michał Murawski in collaboration with students at Vysokovksy Graduate School of Urbanism. Experts debate not only the architectural and urban aspects of Zaryadye Park, but also its plural meanings in the context of Sergey Sobyanin’s Moscow.