The webinar was attended by chief architect of Kazan Ilsiyar Tukhvatullina, deputy chief architect of Kazan Timur Kadyrov, head of the Architecture and Cultural Heritage Protection Department of Kazan Lea Solovieva, member of the Union of Architects of the Republic of Tatarstan, adviser to the Minister of Construction, Architecture and Housing and Communal Services of the Republic of Tatarstan Nikolay Vasiliev, adviser to the Mayor of Kazan on Architecture and Urban Planning, member of the Union of Architects of Russia and the United States, head of architecture of the Institute for City Development Tatyana Prokofieva, Deputy Chairman of the Republic of Tatarstan Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Svetlana Persova, sociologist, founder of the Tamga Institute for Urban Research and head of social and cultural research of the “Concept of sustainable development of the historical settlement of Kazan” project Marya Leontyeva, head of Planning Projects Department of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning Natalya Sharipova, and head of the analytical team of the CENTER Lab International Urban Laboratory Maria Sedletskaya.

“The historic settlement is small – it is 4% of the entire city, but it is a place where cultural heritage sites, cultural institutions, parks, squares, educational institutions, universities and the theatre are concentrated. The territory is extremely important as the representational core of the capital of the Republic,” explained Marya Leontyeva, sociologist, founder of the Tamga Institute for Urban Research and head of social and cultural research of the “Concept of sustainable development of the historical settlement of Kazan” project.

During the orientation webinar, finalists were told about the competition territory, development of transport framework, restrictions that the participants must take into account in terms of protecting cultural heritage, an urban analysis of the territory, climatic characteristics, and the concept of the historic settlement.

“I would like to single out the height parameters. The 17-meter mark did not appear by chance, as the site falls within the boundaries of a historic settlement of regional importance in the city of Kazan. The lake and site form a panorama of the historical settlement, which does not exceed 17 meters. Here, the main monument is the Zakabannaya Mosque, an object of cultural heritage of federal importance. There are protection zones to it, and the height is set at 14 meters. As the planning site is a little further away, it is 17 meters. 
I would like to add that the stage and its box may exceed 17 meters with justification, but the theatre is not only a stage, but also administrative premises and a foyer, etc., and we would therefore like all buildings that do not have height requirements to conform to 17 meters and be compatible with the historical settlement,” said Lea Solovieva, head of the Architecture and Cultural Heritage Protection Department of Kazan. 

The webinar participants were able to ask experts all their questions. 

“The project framework includes 146 parking spaces, and according to calculations, 178 spaces are required for improvement of the embankment and its active use. According to the design project and development plan, a multi-level parking lot in the area of the triangle is included. The question of its implementation is related to requisitioning private property and garages. There has been no decision on its construction yet,” said Timur Kadyrov, deputy chief architect of Kazan.