Background
On 6 October 2010, a Future City Game devoted to the redevelopment of one of the central city districts took place within the framework of the laboratory ‘Museum and design: socio-cultural projects in cities’.
The game was organised by the British Council and the Perm Design Centre.
Objectives
Museum Mile is situated between Ordjonikidze Street, one of the central Perm streets that runs past the River Kama and a railway station. Like its older sister in New York, the Museum Mile will be a cultural centre, attractive to local people and tourists. The oldest museum in Perm is situated in the historical part of the district, where there is also an art gallery and a museum for wooden sculpture. Soon, there is to be a museum for modern art in the district, built next to the riverside station, and some artwork will be installed at the other and of Museum Mile, close to the railway station.
The Future City Game was devoted to the following questions:
- What is a museum in the modern context? What are the specifications of the Museum Mile infrastructure?
- How should Museum Mile be built to meet local needs?
- Which business and creative initiatives could be put into practice during the project?
Winning idea
Museum Mile: territory for edutainment
The aim of the project is to create a new multi-level event platform in the historical part of the city: from Ordjonokidze Street to Sobornaya Square. The first step is the building of an open-air event-space - a group of several light platforms connected by bridges. The event-space will be used as an exhibition centre, historical museum and a platform for leisure activities.
The second aim of the project is to improve the city streets: to enlarge the roads, to build new parking spaces, to reconstruct historical buildings, and to organise theme tours around Perm.
The third step is to create an Art-embankment with concert stages and workshops.
The project will increase the city’s territory and give more opportunities to children and their parents, to tourists and local residents.
Winning ideas from the other teams
Museum Mile: starting
Aims of the project:
- to preserve historical traditions: reconstruction of the old railway station, Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, research Perm geology;
- to form a creative centre in the city: platforms for workshops, trampoline street, underground tunnel, cinema and Sunday markets;
- innovation on the environment: environment-friendly transport, air pollution sensors.
Project resources: discounts; working places; business development.
Perm interactive museum: from the Perm period to the Perm district
The interactive museum is an educational complex divided into zones:
- Historical zone: ‘Perm – the principal town of the province’ model; Perm archeological map; historical exhibition; Museum Mile taxi tours; photos of Perm; videos.
- ‘Vox populi’: festivals, performances for local residents;
- Children’s zone: intellectual games on ecology, local history, culture and geography;
- Leisure activities: cafes, souvenir shops.
Museum Mile: innovations in architecture
The project will use the European experience in the creative economy and design in Perm. A few galleries will be built in Perm; the city plan will be changed through landscape design, including a bridge over the River Kama, creating a new transport system.
Museum Mile: escape from a dead-end
59 festivals in 59 regions. The existing concert halls do not meet modern standards. The new halls will be built on land from the old industrial zones (such as the Rempultmash factory). A Perm historical museum, a museum of fine arts, an interactive centre and a river-mall store would also be built. The embankment of Kama River would be used for recreation with, cafes and shops. Two banks of the Kama would be combined with a new multilevel bridge to traffic problems.
European experts on the creative economy took part in the Future City Game:
Toby Hyam
Toby Hyam is Managing Director of Creative Space Management, a company established in 2005 to deliver innovative Facilities Management services to UK creative industries and knowledge sectors. The company manage Round Foundry Media Centre in Leeds, and Electric Works in Sheffield, and from July 1st 2009, the Advanced Manufacturing Park Technology Centre in South Yorkshire.
Том Fleming
Dr Tom Fleming is a leading international thinker and strategist on the creative economy, city-making and arts and cultural policy. As director of Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy, he works with national, regional and local governments, plus multiple NGOs, to introduce positive and innovative change.
For more detailed information, please contact Natalia Mayer or Evgenia Gerasimova.
