The Future City Game on Sretenka street was run on 10th September, 2010 as part of the first Russian design festival Sretenka Design Week. arranged within Moscow Design Days which is a government programme supporting 3 main city events in design sphere.
The event, organized in close partnership with Design Development Centre and under the support of Moscow government, took place in the theatre “Drama School”.
Please enjoy the photos from the game!
Please learn more about the game from the detailed report prepared by Vita Brakovska, the Future Cuty Game master
Here are the ideas developed by the teams during the Future City Game
The idea is based on forming and promoting Sretenka Street and neighbouring area as a platform for film industry needs. The competitive advantages and success factors of the project idea: 1) capitalization of historic heritage, 2) minimal investments, 3) opportunities for public – private partnership, 4) unique marketing niche, 5) implementation of “theory of small things” – little elegant actions on refining the environment, 6) cultivation of “New Life”, 7) live, growing, aesthetically flawless area – the best place for filming in the world! The idea was tested in the public space and most of respondents confirmed that they support idea and also would be interested to take part in shooting, even as walk-on people. The respondents took the idea very seriously and even gave some suggestions – to promote shooting of ancient scenes in the area.
The idea is based on use of roofs of Sretenka area houses as platform for entertainment and educational activities among kids and youth. Also development of a creative atmosphere on the roofs of Sretenka street houses would unite the residents. Houses – those are not just walls, but also people who are living there. The project would solve a challenge of having not enough playgrounds for recreation and walks as well as places to practice with child in Moscow centre. The team hopes that through planting activities on the roof of Sretenka area houses, the local residents will begin to create a common space and make friendship from flat to flat. The following implementation steps were identified within the project: 1) information of local residents and involving them in the accomplishment of their house starting from greening the roof of their own block; 2) engineering and architectural analysis of existing roofs of residential houses; 3) Co-operation with local authorities in greening the roofs and attracting sponsors for granting the best sites.
This project idea is developed in order to collect the garbage from local residents, recycle old things and turn them into new functional, design or art objects. Specially marked containers would be allocated in the area in order to collect specific things (not necessary for inhabitants), then the recycling process would be arranged in near located workshops and designers would give master classes or lectures to anyone in turning the garbage into design or art object. Also more public activities are planned, e.g. fair – sale of recycled objects, exhibitions in the galleries of garbage art works as well as street performances by Sretenka theatres.
The following beneficiaries were identified: 1) creative people who want to realize themselves in implementation of “brilliant" ideas, 2) local residents - the opportunity to spend free time usefully, to learn or teach new competences, 3) tourists - a unique place in Moscow to visit, 4) local authority - to solve challenges of recycling the garbage and bringing money into the area. The authors of the project plan to involve local people in the creative process and enhance the social responsibility to the problem of garbage and pollution. They call it ‘a small start of big things’ – probably the activities will be distributed like virus – activities would start in one – Sretenka Street, spreading in Moscow, Russia, Europe and all over the world.
The project idea is based on limitation of transport flow in the area (paid entry for cars) as well as on development of underground car parking facilities and promotion the use of bicycles, trailers, scooters. Development of water channel system is also as one of project elements and includes such various services on water like ‘Café on water’, water boating and attractions on water. Other direction to develop Sretenka as Eco block is greening the yards, facades, roofs and using art installations. In order to involve creative industries, the art objects functioning as containers would be used to collect the garbage. Also underground system can be created to collect rubbish and make it invisible on the streets. From business perspective, newly designed eco – offices could be located in the area which would make it not only as main eco-visible but also eco-operating area in Moscow.
S.Y.N.ergy – Social Yard Network project is solving the challenge of many inadequate and completely unused courtyards and outdoor spaces in Sretenka area by creating a socially - comfortable environment. The main activity would be to turn abandoned areas in communication – active spaces (yard ensembles). It would be done by creating individuality of each yard, connecting the yards with walkways as well as by creating an internal navigation system. Some more elements of interaction could be playground for kids, “Hanging Gardens”, summer stage and “Moscow Yard”. The economic effect will be based on small business activities in the area, as well as festivals and other cultural events initiated in the yards. Also this would encourage local residents to contribute in development and colouring their own yards.
On 11 September after the meeting with the european experts, the ideas were presented to the general public including the city influencers, professionals, tenants, officials, local people and just those who are interested in the city development and urban planning.
During the game the personal contacts were developed among members of each team and the Customer was suggested as the contact point for exchanging the contact information between all the participants of the game.
The experts and the representatives of the Customer admitted that during the game the Customer has received 50 formulated ideas where 5 of them includes more detailed information on formulated challenge, solution, elements of creativeness and innovation as well as very initial implementation model. This information will be used as recommendations for local authorities for use in development planning processes.
Some of participants expressed their interest to take part in development of the ideas which may be a good platform for new social initiatives in Sretenka area.
The idea “Sretenka Hollywood” as a winner idea might be developed through representatives of cinema industry and Moscow administration (similar idea was successfully done already in Latvia).
The representative of Design Development Centre confirmed the plans of organization to look through all developed ideas and put efforts in development some of the most realistic and interesting for Sretenka area and its residents as well as local businesses and creative industries.
Future City Game master
NGO «Knowledge and innovation society»
Vita has specialized in innovation issues on national, regional and local level with a strong interest in designing and testing the regional innovation system tools through the simulation games as well as work with youth leaders. Since 2000 she has worked in public sector and now continuing to realize her potential in NGO “Knowledge and Innovation Society” by developing the knowledge economy in Latvia. Vita has completed professional MBA program “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” (2010). Her professional passion is to design and facilitate trainings to encourage society to start innovative entrepreneurship in Latvia.
Her ambition is to share her competence in order to prove that “we are not the future; we are the present of our country”. Find more on www.zinis.lv.
MACE International
 Philip is an executive director of Mace International,the company that buit the London Eye, UK pavilion at Shanghai World Expo, British Museum Great Court, London’s City Hall, The Bridge Academy etc. Philip has been with Mace since the company was formed 20 years ago, having previously spent 12 years with Arup Associates.
Philip has handled a large variety of projects in over 30 countries, both as hands-on commercial manager and as operations director. In a consultative role he has advised clients such as BBC World Services, British Airports Authority, Westminster Council and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Currently he is responsible for Mace’s five year Framework Contract with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), under which Mace provides design and construction services to the FCO in support of it’s programme of embassy renewals worldwide, delivering 10 new embassy builds in locations such as Harare, Algiers, Warsaw, Manila and Madrid.
Martin Stockley Associates
BSc (Hons) King’s College University of London
Chairman Places Matter! North West Design Review Panel
CABE Space Strategic Enabling Panel Member
CABE Crossrail Design Review Panel Member Formerly
CABE Schools Design Review Panel Member
MADE (Midlands) Design Review Panel Member
English Heritage and CABE Urban Panel Member
Bath Urban Regeneration Panel Member
 Martin has worked in Civil and Structural Engineering for over thirty years on a great range of projects. In February 1997 he set up Martin Stockley Associates in Manchester later adding a further studio in London. Martin cares passionately about the quality of both the buildings and the public realm and infrastructure of cities, towns and rural areas. This stems from a knowledge that engineering can be much more than a means of achieving functional aims. His early work in major civil engineering taught him that far from trying to control the forces of nature, engineering is better aimed at working with nature.
English Heritage
 Clive Fletcher has worked in planning for 14 years. He began career began as a building conservation officer with a diverse workload ranging from giving advice on alterations to historic buildings through to large regeneration schemes. He joined English Heritage in 2001 as a Historic Areas Advisor, and has worked on numerous large development projects as well as contributing to many national programs on subjects such as street design and heritage led regeneration. He has degrees in History of Architecture, Conservation, and Urban Design. Learn more about the English Heritage and its work all over UK!
 Part of a new generation of Latvian architects, Ieva Zibarte graduated with a BSc and Diploma in Architecture from Riga Technical University. She also attained an MSc in Social Sciences from the University of Latvia. Since graduating she has been writing about architecture and design in Diena, the biggest Latvian daily, and has been published many times and appeared as guest editor in Latvijas Architektura magazine. Previously, Ms.Zibarte worked abroad as a foreign correspondent in London, covering major new international works and movements in the field of arts. More recently, she has combined her roles with that of editor of the Latvian Architecture website www.a4d.lv. At present, Ieva Zibarte teaches contemporary architecture and design at the Latvian Art Academy and is a curator of publications and exhibitions programme at the Arhitekturas veicinasanas fonds (Architecture Fund).
To get more information about the Future City Game please contact Natalia.Mayer@britishcouncil.ru or Lidia.Khesed@britishcouncil.ru
Co-organisers of the Future City Game:
NGO “Centre design” develops the innovations in the design, creates partnership among designers, producers and investors, supports different design projects, protects the copyright and works on the project of the Russian design museum
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