The process of urbanization in the Far East region of Russia in the beginning of the 20th century

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The process of urbanization in the Far East region of Russia in the beginning of the 20th century

Abstract

A new stage of development of the Far East of Russia begins as the part of the program of rapid industrialization and increasing the country's defense since the 1930s. In parallel with large industrial companies workers' settlements and cities were based in the Far East. The dynamics of formation and growth of new cities (Birobidzhan, Magadan, Komsomolsk-on- Amur) are displayed in the article. The specificity of urban design in terms of territorial remoteness of the region is submitted.

Keywords: socialist city, general plan, urbanization

Абстракт

Процесс урбанизации Дальневосточного региона в начале XX века

urbanization industrialization planning

Мылова Ю.А. ТОГУ, г. Хабаровск, Россия

Introduction

During the Soviet period the concept of the new city was formulated, and the realisation of which in varying degrees determined the character of the formation of about 70% of Russian cities. There were certain patterns in the trends of that type of urban development, the study of which revealed the problems of modern life. The exploring of Russian Far Eastern cities helped to solve the problem of balanced development of the region as a whole, which seemed an issue of particular importance of national scale. Rethinking the Soviet urban planning approach made possible to determine the positive and negative aspects that affected the continuing development of the cities, as well as the formation social and comfortable urban environment. That fact actualized urban development assessment of planning structure of socialist cities in the Far Eastern region in the context of the historical development of the phase.

1.Formation of the planning structure of Komsomolsk-on-Amur

1. The appearing of Komsomolsk-on-Amur began in the period of the formation of the largest industrial centers of the Soviet Union in the early 1930s. The formation of Komsomolsk solved three important problems: military, economic and geopolitic. Great human efforts were required for grandiose plans for arrangement of the territory, preparation of building materials, buildings plants and factories, and appearing a new Soviet city. For this purpose Komsomol Central Committee organized mobilization of Komsomol groups from different cities of the Union. Over 6000 people came to the territory of the future city in May 1932 [11]. There were not comfortable conditions for people in that time. Construction of temporary houses was necessary part of the initial period of construction. The linear structure of the settlements was formed along the river in the first stage of building that "the logic of the situation was caused by: a practical necessity and an opportunity" [5]. Isolation from existing transportation routes led to the underdevelopment of mechanization and logistics. Lack of administrative and technical staff on the territory of construction did not contribute to the required volume of work. However, despite the difficulties, preparation of local building materials, the construction of temhousing was accelerating. Intensive Active preparations were held for the achievement of the main purpose - building factories.

In June 1933 the company Proektverf made the project of the shipbuilding factory and plan of the settlement near it. Dating back to 1935 the project of settlement near Amur shipyard designed by architect N.M. Protopopov-Bylev was a typical example of the Soviet city in 1930. Following the ideas of Soviet urban planning, the author added specific elements to the project: regular planning, the opening quarter, wide streets and avenues, large areas. Plans for building an aircraft factory designed by the company Giprogor since 1933 [7] were destroyed in 1934, because of floods and transfer construction plant far from flood zones near the Amur river. Thus, the constructions of the first sections of the factory was built only in June 1934. Simultaneously the construction of the settlement was being built. Houses were built more systematically because architects took into account the mistakes that were made during the first building stage that were connected with the flooding territories.

The formation of residential areas near industrial enterprises that can be considered as the main city-forming factors led to the concentration of population at two places that were far enough from each other. However, the government of the city determined the possibility of the development of the settlement, that could grow as the whole urban organism. Thus for a long time there was not general scheme of the development, as evidenced by a number of archival documents. Only in May 1937 the preliminary scheme of allocated areas was realized by architect B.V. Danchich, that marked the "beginning of the planned building of the city" [12].

After the finishing of the geodetic survey the team from the company Gorstroy- project with its cheaf architect B.V. Danchich was able to organize the first work - the general plan of the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and the team presented its final variant in September 25, 1939. Architectural-planning decision by the general plan was based on the concept of creating two large residential areas on the right and left side from the floodplain of the Silinka river, where the central city park of culture and recreation was planned on the basis of the existing green area. The most important reason for this differentiation of the territories was the location of manufacturing enterprises in the structure of the settlement, that was the largest center of the population of workers.

One of the factors of influence on the formation of the architectural and planning solution was project of Large Amur railway, that passing to the borders of the city with the necessity to come to the bridge over the river Amur and move to the direction of Sovietskaya Gavan. Location of the transport system should be logically projected in the general plan of the city for communication between main areas and the whole development of Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

Housing construction was expected to build with large compact blocks, concentrated in the left-bank and right-bank areas of the city. "In accordance with the new urban concept principles of social organization of the territory were developed: the spatial construction of residential groups or large social blocks with internal courtyards and gardens as major social and city planning cells" [8]. The project included construction of the residential areas of the city with four five-storey buildings. Scheme of the formation of main highways was based on the principle of rational connection of main industrial and administrative districts of the city.

Komsomolsk was considered a symbol of the new state, a focus of the socialist life and culture. Its planning structure was the same as the leading capital cities of the Union. The composition of the master plan had a highly visible streets to the direction of the Amur, that linking the whole urban area to the shoreline. From the side of the river everybody could see the flourishing socialist city.

2.Formation of architecture and planning structure of Birobidzhan

The city Birobidzhan appeared on the site of the railway station Tikhonkaya in 1931. Its geographical location near the watershed of the river Bira (affluent of the river Amur) and Ikura near the Trans-Siberian railway helped to solve transport problem, linking the city with the most important areas, leading to the Amur on the one hand and the central regions of the country on the other. Also, the city was developed as an industrial site. Light and woodworking industry became city-forming factors for the Birobidzhan. However, the city got the status of the administrative and cultural center, which became a crucial step in the policy of resettlement of Jews to the unsettled territories of the Far East.

The main purpose of the resettlement of Jewish workers was the subsequent consolidation of the population and the creation of the Jewish Autonomous Region, which was on the basis of government regulations in the 1928-1931 [2]. Large-scale migration provided a huge amount of people that employed in manufacturing. Thus, a sufficiently high qualification of stuff existed in accordance with the resettlement program. Anyway there was a bad quality of living conditions, that actualized the problem of the construction of temporary housing in the initial stage of Birobidzhan. The most important task was to design a work zones of the city. However, there was not the lack of geological data for the determining the main directions of initial planning, and therefore it had temporary conditions.

By June 1932 the settlement had spontaneously formed structure, about 60% of which consisted from the undeveloped territories [10]. The streets had a random direction, caused by the linear development along the river and the railway. The area of the city was characterized by the total length of 8 km and a width of about 1 km. Formed scheme actually blocked the further development of the city due to the stiffness of territory between the river and the railroad, which led to the inefficient using of zones of the city and transport system. The situation was complicated by the necessity of expensive excavation for leveling terrain and the erection of permanent structures in deep soil freezing. In this aspect, it considered the subsequent development of Birobidzhan with the expansion of the territory by placing the main residential areas on the right bank of the river Bira. This option decreased the amount of money for solutions of the large areas of land fund. The main disadvantage was a separation of the city into two planning areas with the help of the river. In that case the right-bank part was separated from the railway. That problem was solved by the plan of the construction of two bridges across the river Bira and the construction of the railway for serving the industrial enterprises on the right bank of the river [1].

Meanwhile, there were other difficulties of the constructions. The most important transport routes were difficult for moving because of the bad roads and the wetlands. Sharp fluctuations of the water level could lead to the constant risk of flooding, but the low horizons prevented navigation. There was still the question of the studying of geological parameters of area. In the context of unresolved problems the deadline of the project documentation and project of the development of the city was postponed.

Work on the master plan of Birobidzhan with the expectation of the number of the population of 44-thousand people completed only in 1933. Group of architects led by G. Mayer offered the idea of the project. According to it the city territories are covered both banks of the river Bira, and residential area was mainly on the right bank, while the housing on the left-bank is located in the central part. It is expected that during the process of the gradual development of Birobidzhan the value of the left bank would be lost.

Location of the residential area between industrial zones was logical from the point of the access of workers to enterprises. Choosing a place for the factory area was dictated by the necessity of engaging of railway transport in the production. Industrial zone covered an area of north-western part of the city - the main industrial area, that was located between the railway line and the floodplain of Bira; in the south-east the second industrial area was located down of the river between the port and the train line; the third industrial district was on the right bank - near the mountain Big Sopka. This scheme concluded the organization plan of link directions between the main areas of the city.

Urban community center was formed on the left bank of the river near Big Sopka with the communication of city-streets. The first designated area of highway led to the railway station, the second connected the central area with the main industrial areas in the north-west of the city. The using of the construction of administrative and cultural institutions in areas of elevated terrain with a focus on residential neighborhoods was important from the point of view of the tasks of the socialist urban development. Particular importance was given to the creation of the Park of Culture with the releasing of the waterfront territories of Bira. It has mentioned that the location of the park between residential and industrial areas was particularly favorable for recreational purposes.

Thus, planning decision of the development of Birobidzhan was conducted "in full compliance with sanitary and technical, cultural and social conditions of construction of new cities of the socialist type" [9]. The basic principles of zoning and the organization of convenient transport facilities were also made. There were different methods of the formation of the effective model of the Soviet city in the project.

3.Foundation and development of Magadan

The industrial development of Kolyma in 1930 in the XXth century began with prospecting expedition headed by Y.A. Bilibin [4]. New fields of gold, tin, coal led to the formation of the trust of industrial and construction of road "Dalstroy", which later became the only organization that controlled the development of the Magadan land and building of industrial and residential buildings in the designated area. National Trust was established as a paramilitary organization that was focused on the using of sub-involuntary prison labor. At the same time the expedition Dalstroi headed by Berzin E.P. was formed in Moscow in 1931. Сі- vilian workers also wanted to participate in in the development of distant lands.

Following the direction of industrial development of the territory, new settlements were appeared near the mines upper reaches of the Kolyma River. A key event was the formation of Eastern-Evenki (Nagaevsksaya) cult-base, construction of which began in 1928. The settlement Nagaevo was subsequently formed around it. Because of the most comfortable conditions government administrative center, whose construction was built near Nagaevskaya base and motor base and most part of residential buildings were located in the valley of the river, that formed a settlement Magadan. The appearance of the administrative center was to promote the development of Kolyma lands, in connection with which, in November 1931 the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) adopted the Resolution "About Colyma", which noted: "It is necessary to build the city in the area of mines, and for this plan it accordingly " [6]. Following this, there was a long-term plan of building the city.

With the opening of navigation in 1932 in Magadan more than 2.5 thousand people arrived and construction was being building in full force. During the first stage the material for the construction of factories and houses was mainly the wood. Construction was not sufficient because of the lack the necessary equipment and sufficient number of workers. The main part of workers were prisoners and the problem of the low qualification of workers was still existed. The using of some technical equipment had not been possible because of hard climatic conditions.

Nagaevo Bay was the only possible place of necessary delivery for the industrial development of the territory, since January 1931 the issue of indoor-port construction had been appeared, and on geodetic surveys of the bay had been completed by January 1933, as well as a preliminary scheme of design port facilities was developed. Despite the fact that the builders of the city had to face some difficulties (e.g., development of rocky breeds coastline), by the fall of 1933 they achieved success. Dalstroi report in 1933 indicated that the population of the settlement Nagaevo-Magadan was about 3 thousand people. Residential fund was presented as the settlement of 10 mud, 83 wood, 104 timbered houses and barracks, partially equipped with central heating and running water. The government was going to give status of the city to the settlement, which primarily meant future development of Magadan not only as industrial, but also as the cultural and administrative center of the district.

In the absence of a unified master plan the construction of residential areas had led to a gradual growth and the following union of settlements Magadan and Nagaevo. In July 1935 the Order of building the city of Magadan was appeared, which followed the surveying works on the territory of the city. In April 1936, the plan of the development of Magadan was designed, according to it in 1936-1937 in Magadan a number of capital structures (including the first multi-storey brick houses) had being built that worked on the improvement of the central streets, namely, lighting and arrangement of wooden sidewalks, rebuilding the road in the bay Gertner. Some mistakes that connected to the chaotic buiding in the districts of the city led to the question of re-planning improvement of existing buildings and streamline further construction. From the interview with D.A. Mezhibovskiy in the newspaper "Soviet Kolyma" dated January 18, 1938: "We are planning new Magadan". There was a clear functional zoning with the main Stalin street, along which was a park on the new scheme. There were two urban areas of the device, the construction of large public buildings, including museums, theaters. The project was characterized by an integrated approach to the development of residential neighborhoods. Perspective development areas were proposed along the river Magadanka that was caused by geological researches.

Despite the fact that Magadan had approved its status of the city by the end of 1935, the official status of the city was given only in July 1939, when according to the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Kolyma District was established [3]. 30657 people lived in Magadan according to the census of July 1939. Necessity of houses increased in accordance with the sharp increase in population, the problem of human living space led to a decline in living standards, which was farther from the central part of the country and was not characterized high level of the quality. That situation required the introduction of non-standard solutions. One of them was a high-speed method of construction of two-storey wooden houses from blocks that were prepared in advance by the architect I.G. Bachinskiy Following this procedure one building was built in the period of seven shifts.

After the repression of 1937-1938 the change of leadership had changed the town-planning approach that led to the development of a new plan. On January 16 1939 the bureau of the city architect was created, which was made for the reorganization of urban space. Focusing on the prospective increase in population, the architect Mezhibovsky offered gradual merger of cities Magadan and Nagaevo into a single urban structure, forming a commercial and residential area. There was not a strict separation between the quarters intended for civilian workers and camp areas. Architect Mironov and economist Butyagin continued the work of Mezhibovskiy, focusing on the economic background of Magadan, as well as taking into account the peculiarities of staying temporary residents.

According to the new general plan of city development involved the construction of several 4-5 storey houses, design of the streets and engineer providing of residential buildings, construction of permanent buildings for public using. Architectural and planning department of the State Committee of Defense Dalstroi with a chief architect N. Davydov led control over construction activities. On the basis of the master plan in 1939 the architectural and planning structure of Magadan was formed. Main streets: Kolyma Highway (now - Lenin avenue extending from the Nagaevo bay to the valley of the Magadanki river) and Stalin Street (now - Karl Marx Avenue from the hills to the Kolyma Highway) - formed the historic center of modern city. Building of Magadan was associated with tens of thousands of prisoners and thousands of civilian workers in the permafrost, however, it was according to the basic urban planning theories of the Soviet period.

Conclusion

According to the concept of Soviet urban planning of 1930 in the XX century new cities had formed following the best techniques of planning, characterized sensible approach of functional zoning, the successful organization of the composite structure and the dominant role of the industrial enterprise in the city planning. The establishment of the cities in the Far East region of Russia had defined the Universe specificity. On the one hand the construction of cities in the previously undeveloped spaces got opportunities for realization of new projects. It was an extremely important the choosing of new place for the establishment of a new settlement that determined the dynamics of its future development. There was a variety of natural materials in each individual project of soviet city. On another hand, conditions justified the territorial remoteness of the region, led to the number of factors, largely complicated because of the construction, resulting in the emergence of urban planning mistakes of the city. However, a variety of design solutions in socialist cities put the task of creating an environment for the comfortable existence of Soviet citizens, and at the same time it was rational in economic and urban sense.

The researching of new Soviet cities of the Far Eastern region of Russia and revealing the formation of the planning structure in the historical context make possible to avoid mistakes in the process of contemporary strategic planning. Cities of the Far East have high potential that was originated in the time of the Soviet Union, and consideration of aspects of the spatial development of the best ways to determine their continued existence is still existed. Formation of a healthy architectural and spatial environment is one of the main criterion for further economic, social and cultural prosperity for cities of the socialist type in Russia.

References

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2. Explanatory note to the conceptual design plan of the city Birobidzhan / head G. Mayer, senior engineer A.S. Salvin - Moscow: GIPROGOR, 1933. - 282 p.

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9. Protocols, resolutions and correspondence about the planning and construction of the city Birobidzhan - State Archive of the Jewish Autonomous Region. Fund 3. Inventory 1. Case 144.1931-1933. - 102 p.

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11. Report on the work of the Far Eastern Regional Committee of CPSU (b). Report on admission, placement and employment of 6000 Komsomol members mobilized the CC CPSU (b) and the Young Communist League - State Archives of Khabarovsk Territory. Fund P-2. Inventory 1. Case 356. 1932. - 53 p.

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