URBAN DESIGN IN NORTHERN TERRITORIES

Urban design in northern territories has its particularities due to this territory’s climatical conditions, speci�cs of local econo-my, lower population density. Thats why it could be interesting to learn more about urban planning in these territories, and to compare speci�cs of built environment in two neighbour coun-tries - Norway and Russia - di�erent countries with di�erent his-tories, but still having quite much in common. Three cities were taken as examples: Kirkenes form Norwegian side and Nikel and Zapolyarnyj from the Russian. These places have quite much in common - really close location, industrial mining economics, almost the same size, population and climate...

Lyakhov Vyacheslav

AHO; Norway 2013

- Waterline- Border- Roads- Urban Area- Industrial Area- Garage Area- Airport- Open pit mine- Tailings Area- Water Dumpings Area

Being founded at about the same time - early or middle XX century, with similar aims (ore mining), geographically close to each other and as a result - with common climate, this cities still have visible difference in their planning. If Kirkenes was first a settlement with a single church and several houses and with years it grew more and more, then Nikel and Zapolyarnyj were planned and designed as a big mining settlements, and didnt have much changes in their planning since that time, so at “birth” they looked almost the same as we see them now. Thats why it could be interesting to compare their urban design styles.

Portrait of the cities

Zapolyarnyj

NikelNikel

KirkenesKirkenes

1920s - 1944.

1944 - 1960s.

Nikel

1970s - 1980s

1990s - our days

1950s - 1960s.Estimation and early years.

1970s - 1980s.

Zapolyarnyj

1990s - present time

1890s - 1940s

1945 - 1950s

Kirkenes

1990s - our days

- Waterline- Border- Roads- Urban Area- Industrial Area- Garage Area- Airport- Open pit mine- Tailings Area- Water Dumpings Area

NikelZapolyarnyj

Nikel

Zapolyarnyj

Kirkenes

Kirkenes

Structure of the cities in positioning Industrial zones, urban areas and open pit mines

-open pit mine

- industrial zone

- urban area

- connecting roads

Distance between industrial zone and urban area

6,4 km.

1,65 km.

0,63 km.

Zapolyarnyj has a very recogni-seable and concentrated style of Urban design. It is clearly squared, with several main roads, meeting in the center. Its impression is protective and closed, concentrated inside itself.

Shape of Nikel seems to be more prolonged, decentri�ed. One long main road, out of which other streets go out and come in.

Kirkenes has spread mostly by sides. With a bigger area, but smaller size, with 2-3 �ore person-al separated houses, all this made the lowest population density in Urban area of the city.

- Border- Roads- Urban Area- Industrial Area- Garage Area- Airport- Open pit mine- Tailings Area- Water Dumpings Area

September November january march may june

SW

NWW

S

NEN

SE

E

Average wind directions Nikel & Zapolyarnyj

*According to the Center of Physico-Technical problems of the Northern Energetics under Russian Academy of Sciences

In this area South-East wind is blowing for 60-80% of the time.*

This means, that the Urban area of the cities, including residential sites are protected form the toxic winds, as they stand aside. But polutive wind goes to the North-West towards the Norwegian Border.

Forest Death Area

Outer Visible Damage Zone

Inner Visible Damage Zone

Dead forests and scorched earth around cities

Visible zones of forest death and survival areas

Source: The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme

Abnormal emissions from the processing factories destroy the nature nearby and also a�ect Norwegian territories, and such cities as Kirkenes and Svanvik.

Zapolyarnyj- Roads- Residential houses- Greening areas- Water

Dead forests and scorched earth around the cities.

The Nature barely survives near the cities, but inside there are intense greenings zones that are created and are kept to make a friendlier and healthier atmopsphere in the urban areas of these places. That makes them sort of green oasis in a chemi-cally scorched land.

Nikel

- Roads- Residential houses- Greening areas- Water

Inside the cities there are trees, bushes, grass lowns, �owers beds and other sorts of greenings, thay are being kept in urban areas of these cities to turn them into green garden zones, isolated form the pollutive surroundings