| Résumé: |
This master's thesis examines the complex research issue of urban space which evolved during the Soviet Union, and which continues to change drastically since the birth of the Russian Federation. In particular, this work considers green public space in the city of Yekaterinburg, the fourth largest city in Russia, situated close to the Ural Mountains. The thesis investigated the development of two parks, one of which was created in the early 1930s under the Soviet Union and the other as a result of 2010s modern Russian urban planning. The research is of a qualitative nature, having implied semi-directive interviews and on-site observations in my research.
The findings of the thesis show how green public space is symbolic of the unprocessed grievances of the Soviet era and what was left behind from that time in Yekaterinburg. Simultaneously, the city has already faced new challenges and green public spaces in particular struggle for their survival. A complex constellation of actors such as real estate developers, the city administration, and local politicians are in an effective battle with the less assertive actor: the city's population. Perhaps surprisingly, Yekaterinburg’s residents do fight for the right to their city and to have access to sufficient and well-planned green spaces, despite such zones being few and far between.
The development of green public spaces in the capital of the Urals has turned bleak in recent years. Strong top-down planning of public spaces enacted by Moscow makes it difficult for the population to keep Soviet heritage alive whilst fighting for good quality new parks that take important environmental aspects into account. Often, decisions are made with only profit and not the general public or sustainability taken into account. |
Mémoire [4.1 Mo]