Andrey Kalinin on the Evolution of Urban Block Architecture at the "70 Years of Creation" Exhibition
On August 15, the "Architecture of the Urban Block" session took place at the Museum of Moscow as part of the program accompanying the 70 Years of Creation exhibition. Andrey Kalinin, co-founder of akvk+partners, presented How the City Changes — and How We Change with It, tracing the evolution of urban structure from the historic city to contemporary polycentric models.
Andrey outlined three stages in the development of the urban environment. The historic city was organized around the market square, the church, and the town hall: compact, walkable, and centered on a clear civic core. The modernist model emerged in response to industrialization. Mass housing, functional separation, and the prioritization of car movement addressed many of the challenges of rapid urban growth, but also resulted in monofunctional districts and increased dependence on transportation. Contemporary urban models are once again drawing on the principles of the historic city, but within today’s regulatory framework and a polycentric structure. Multiple civic centers, access to schools, parks, and everyday services, active street frontages, networks of public spaces, and green-blue infrastructure create a more interconnected urban system.
Identity was another key theme of the presentation. Unlike the principles behind standardized residential districts, the contemporary urban block needs to respond to its local context — the specific conditions of the site, the existing urban fabric, and the character of the place.
The urban block is therefore understood as part of a larger urban structure, designed to accommodate different patterns of use. For residents, it forms part of their everyday environment; for the wider city, it becomes a space embedded in the broader urban network. This means that design needs to balance the interests of different groups. Connectivity and identity, active ground floors, and public spaces should provide residents with convenience and a sense of belonging, while also giving other city users access to services and public spaces and creating a recognizable sense of place.
This approach makes it possible to build adaptability into the urban environment from the outset — creating places that can respond to changing patterns of use and remain relevant over time.
Andrey outlined three stages in the development of the urban environment. The historic city was organized around the market square, the church, and the town hall: compact, walkable, and centered on a clear civic core. The modernist model emerged in response to industrialization. Mass housing, functional separation, and the prioritization of car movement addressed many of the challenges of rapid urban growth, but also resulted in monofunctional districts and increased dependence on transportation. Contemporary urban models are once again drawing on the principles of the historic city, but within today’s regulatory framework and a polycentric structure. Multiple civic centers, access to schools, parks, and everyday services, active street frontages, networks of public spaces, and green-blue infrastructure create a more interconnected urban system.
Identity was another key theme of the presentation. Unlike the principles behind standardized residential districts, the contemporary urban block needs to respond to its local context — the specific conditions of the site, the existing urban fabric, and the character of the place.
The urban block is therefore understood as part of a larger urban structure, designed to accommodate different patterns of use. For residents, it forms part of their everyday environment; for the wider city, it becomes a space embedded in the broader urban network. This means that design needs to balance the interests of different groups. Connectivity and identity, active ground floors, and public spaces should provide residents with convenience and a sense of belonging, while also giving other city users access to services and public spaces and creating a recognizable sense of place.
This approach makes it possible to build adaptability into the urban environment from the outset — creating places that can respond to changing patterns of use and remain relevant over time.
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