Design Code of the urban Environment along the main Avenue of Yekaterinburg

Bulatova Evgeniya Konstantinovna ORCID: 0000-0003-4010-021X PhD in Architecture Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin 620076, Russia, Sverdlovskaya oblast', g. Ekaterinburg, ul. Mira, 17 bulatova_ek@bk.ru Other publications by this author

IntroductionRelevance.

The research is aimed at analyzing the current state of public territories in the city streets of Yekaterinburg from the standpoint of architectural subject-spatial aspects of the environment. The comfortable formation of urban space is relevant from the standpoint of developing promising recommendations in the architectural and urban planning sphere, as well as in the concept of urban space development in highly urbanized subjects of the Russian Federation.

The object of the study. Urban space along Yekaterinburg Avenue, comfortable for residents of Yekaterinburg, as well as visiting tourists from other regions and foreign students.

The subject of the study. Features of the current state of urban space along the central avenue and prospects for further modernization of urban territories.

Goal. To analyze the current state and evaluate the use of public space along Lenin Avenue in Yekaterinburg, as well as to provide recommendations for further development and formation of a comfortable territory.

Tasks 1. Analyze the current situation for a comfortable urban space of the selected part of Yekaterinburg Avenue with the identification of the architectural and social component and also taking into account the design code.

2. Assessment of the existing situation of public spaces and residential and public facilities of the avenue for their modernization and restoration.

3. Based on the analysis and evaluation of the considered part of the prospectus, to offer recommendations taking into account the design code and architectural subject-spatial aspects.

Research methods. The methodology of the work is a comparison of the infrastructure of Yekaterinburg, an analytical research process of studying the development of urban space and an assessment of the quality of the landscaping carried out within the boundaries of the study area: along Lenin Avenue from the main building of UrFU on Mira Street to Lunacharsky Street in Yekaterinburg.

Scientific novelty. For the first time, the analysis of the current state of Lenin Avenue was carried out, the missing positions in the design code of the Yekaterinburg landscaping concept were evaluated and the points of recommendations for further implementation in architectural subject-spatial characteristics were identified, taking into account sociological and economic factors.

The theoretical basis of the work is the "concept of the city for people", generalized by K.E. Vavulin based on the analysis of the works of leading domestic and foreign experts and theorists. A critical understanding of urban planning issues and the need to find a different attitude to urban planning and development were also embodied in the idea of a city for people ^[13]. The author of the doctrine of urban development, academician A.M. Lola, mentioned in the study that the peoples of Russia are "a key subject of habitat formation, settlement development and urban planning" ^[14]. That is, cities were presented as social and economic processes and, after the consequences of these formations, the corresponding consequences of urbanization. Foreign authors who wrote fundamental works on the study of cities from the sociological side were: G. Simmel, F. Tennis, M. Weber, K.V. Bucher and others who noted the importance of urban issues of urbanism and planning and the place of man in urban space. Among the theories and studies, it is worth highlighting: the theory of space production by A. Lefebvre, the concept of new urbanism by E. Amin and N. Trifta, the theory of perceived geography by K. Lynch and other authors. As well as a huge number of projects adopted in the regions and municipalities of the Russian Federation, as well as active discussions of this problem. 

 Criteria for the analysis of street improvementThe most effective and at the same time promising tool for the formation of a comfortable urban environment is the design code, which is a set of provisions governing the process of designing the urban environment, which extends to a wide range of parameters of urban space (stylistics and features of signage placement, distribution of objects of street improvement - urns, benches, lanterns, etc., the choice of materials paving of streets and road surface textures, etc.) ^[1].

The concept of the "Design Code" of the city officially appeared in Russia in 2014, when Artemy Lebedev's studio, commissioned by the Moscow Architecture Department, together with GlavAPU, developed a document that reflected the recommendations and conceptual rules for the placement of advertising and information structures of the historical center of Moscow. The "Design code" is a set of design rules, requirements and recommendations that can be used to create a stylistically unified, comfortable and safe urban environment or other physical space. These requirements for the system focus not only on the analysis of the unity of elements, but also on the consideration of the embeddability/inclusion of the system in the external environment when it interacts with it ^[2]. The experience of Yekaterinburg design code developers who created the project "The concept of landscaping and development of the territory around the Yekaterinburg city Pond" from 2021 is interesting ^[3].

In this project, we will highlight some points of the above-mentioned design code and architectural subject-spatial characteristics, which in the future we will need in determining the analytical method for the declared territory:

- eliminate "visual noise";

- to restore the facades of residential and public buildings facing the avenue;

- evaluate the overall design of small architectural forms;

- highlight the "image of the city";

- evaluate the lighting of the avenue at night;

- analyze landscaping;

- identify problem areas in the pavement;

- explore the availability of bike paths / bike parks;

- provide wide pedestrian spaces;

- identify urban flow conflicts;

- eliminate access problems for MGN;

- hide communications;

- to investigate the presence of anti-parking spheres;

- eliminate unnecessary "preoccupation";

- cleaning of graffiti and illegal application of inscriptions, etc.

Assessment of landscaping

Now we will analyze and evaluate each individual characteristic in order and evaluate the improvement of the territory of the avenue facing the main building of the Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin - Lenin Avenue. 

Firstly, the presence of "visual noise", outside the points of attraction of the avenue (Fig. 1). On the central avenue of the city there are premises of representatives of a more developed and large-scale business that has the ability to pay for expensive advertising structures, but some representatives of small businesses do not correspond to this paradigm, paying for signs that do not correspond to the design code ^[3]. Undoubtedly, it is necessary to study and take into account the experience of other cities and countries in the development of design codes and try to match it ^[4]. All this leads to the fact that permanent residents of the city do not linger on the avenue (Fig. 2 a, b), it is only a transit highway. It can be noted that students and applicants, to a lesser extent working people, are mainly sent to the points of attraction of the avenue. In this regard, there is a "dying out" of small businesses located on central Avenue.

Fig. 1. Lenin Avenue from the main building of UrFU on Mira Street to Lunacharsky Street in Yekaterinburg (Yandex Maps satellite map). Points of attraction: 1 - headquarters of the Central Military District; 2 – a group of colleges; 3 - Yekaterinburg Suvorov Military School; 4 – UrFU building complex; 5 – UrFU boiling point; 6 – State Supervision

Fig. 2. A, B - Buildings with "visual noise" along the ave. Lenin, Yekaterinburg (photo: Bulatova E.K.)

Secondly, we note that in Yekaterinburg on Lenin Avenue there is a "layering" of architectural styles: Stalinist Empire and constructivism prevail, in a small number of "Khrushchev" and Modern Art Nouveau. At the same time, many facades of buildings, including objects of historical and cultural significance, need to be restored (Fig. 3a). For this, the necessary discussion is underway ^[15], and many buildings have been brought (or are being brought) into proper condition (Fig. 3b). Which, undoubtedly, will be one of the factors in attracting the necessary flow of tourists and foreign students. In addition to making this feature of the city ("multi-profile") an advantage, a detailed study of the requirements for the so-called "accompanying infrastructure" or for MAFS (small architectural forms), such as (lighting, outdoor furniture, urns, flowerpots, etc.) is necessary. The norms of signage placement should also belong to the group of MAFS, their styles and colors that would correspond to the general architectural style. 

Fig. 3. Buildings along the ave. Lenin, Yekaterinburg: A - Building requiring restoration; B - building being restored (photo: Bulatova E.K.)

Thirdly, in Yekaterinburg and in the middle Urals as a whole, the "image of the city / region" is formed mainly with newly built factories and manufactories ^[5], but the modern requirements of tourists and students are not limited only to the "edge of factories". It is necessary to popularize, for example, the "education" that UrFU can offer, allocate a sufficient number of grants for foreign students who wish to receive higher education at the university, thus creating an international point of attraction for students and specialists in Yekaterinburg.

Fourth, the problem of lighting the avenue is acute, at night, taking into account the fact that the schedule of classes for masters and graduate students, as well as for applicants of preparatory courses, may be in the evening. According to the integrated rating compiled by the Urbanika Institute of Territorial Planning ^[6], Yekaterinburg was ranked 19th out of 100 Russian cities in terms of street illumination ^[7]. So, in some parts of Lenin Ave., lighting is either completely absent, or lampposts are observed in small numbers, especially in the kurdonery of educational institutions and in the squares along the avenue near the knowledge of UrFU.  This fact creates a danger when moving around the city in the evening, especially during the period of ice. The way out of this situation is the allocation of funds for equipping street lighting lines: lampposts and small lamps along the sidewalk.

Fifth, let's move on to the analysis of landscaping. The green spaces on Lenin Ave. consist of woody vegetation, shrubs and herbaceous and flowering plants. Basically, the plants are concentrated in two squares located along the avenue in question. In the other parts of the study area, there is a shortage of trees and shrubs (Fig. 4 a, b). Herbaceous and flowering plants are located mainly in flowerpots, less often in flower beds, but mostly annual plantings take place ^[8]. Based on the current trend of perennial herbaceous and floral plants: we can recommend the planting of nominal perennial grasses and 3-5-year-old medium and large-sized trees and shrubs, with the installation of a trunk grate ^[9], in those parts of the avenue where it is necessary.

Fig. 4. Landscaping along the ave. Lenin: A – an excellent example of landscaping (photo: Bulatova E.K.); B – annual flowering plants (panorama Yandex Maps).

Sixth, let's move on to pedestrian spaces and to the sidewalk. We will leave without complaints about the quality of the sections in the pavement, they are periodically reconstructed and the paving slabs are brought into proper shape, which will not interfere with both pedestrians and cyclists (scooters). There is not a single isolated bike path along the entire length of the avenue under study, cyclists have to ride either on pedestrian sidewalks or on highways. Taking into account the large width of the sidewalk, without creating conflicts of urban flows ^[10] (pedestrians and bicycle transport), it is possible to distinguish a place for bicycle (scooter) infrastructure and pedestrian flows on the sidewalk. Bicycle parking is not so common, it is recommended to attach them to the buildings of UrFU and colleges.

Seventh, for the access of the MGN on the route along the avenue, a pavement with tactile tiles has been created (or is being reconstructed) in places adjacent to pedestrian crossings, according to the principle of universal design (Fig. 5 a, b). We see one problem spot on the investigated site, at the intersection of ave. Lenin and St. East, where since Soviet times there has been an underground passage across the street, where there are either channels or curbs laid on their sides, there is neither a ramp with a slope of 5% nor an elevator for MGN. So, in the dissertation of Smykovsky A.V. from 2003, we find the statement that "the construction of off-street pedestrian crossings allows solving the problems of traffic congestion of streets and highways of cities, road safety, ecology and others" ^[11], and the first SNiP regulating the Accessibility of buildings and structures for low-mobility groups of the population came out in 2001 ^[12]. This creates an unfriendly urban environment and narrows the movement space of people with limited mobility. In this regard, it is worth paying attention to the underpasses, having built either decent ramps or elevators there (which is less possible), or (which is most likely) to upgrade the underpass into a street surface pedestrian crossing and give priority to pedestrians, not motorists.

 Fig. 5. Infrastructure for MGN on pr. Lenin:

A – wheelchair rides on the sidewalk (photo by Bulatova E.K.);

B – tactile tile on a pedestrian crossing (panorama of Yandex Maps).

Eighth, let's move on to communications, we did not find them throughout the entire route, but if they had taken place, then communications and electric brushes must be visually hidden, made invisible. Parking areas are definitely needed, especially in front of UrFU buildings and colleges, and in those areas where the pedestrian sidewalk adjoins the passage of cars. On Lenin Ave., an additional sidewalk fence is being created, which in this case is not appropriate here, and may, in the case of a traffic accident, cause additional injuries to pedestrians and car passengers (Fig. 6). Graffiti is a serious problem for city authorities and management companies. Unfortunately, this type of wall paintings very often "decorates" buildings of houses, fences (Fig. 7 a, b). It is necessary to clean the facades of residential and public buildings and MAFov from graffiti and illegal inscriptions with a special means of graffiti or similar, which, in addition to cleaning, have vandal-proof and hydrophobic properties.

Fig. 6. Extra fencing of the pedestrian sidewalk in the UrFU square (panorama of Yandex Maps)

Fig. 7. Graffiti and illegal inscription in Yekaterinburg: A – flowerbed on Lenin Ave.; B – illegal inscriptions on the facade of a residential building in the style of the Stalinist Empire on ave. Lenin (photo: Bulatova E.K.)

Recommendations for the "design code" of YekaterinburgBased on all of the above, we can conclude that Yekaterinburg needs an augmented "design code" that regulates the location and features of objects of a comfortable urban environment - a design code, not only for creating a comfortable embankment ^[3], but also for the entire urban environment as a whole.

In connection with the listed problems and taking into account the presence of the Design Code, which should contain the following requirements:

- establishment of requirements and features of street lighting;

- formation of the principles of effective zoning of the urban area, primarily with regard to parking space issues;

- establishment of standards for the provision of urban space with urns, restoration and modernization of existing urns and garbage cans;

- introduction of a system of penalties for non-compliance with the requirements of the design code.

Conclusions of the study:To improve the organization of the public space of Lenin Avenue, it is proposed:

1. Exclude the presence of "visual noise" outside the points of attraction (UrFU buildings and colleges);

2. To restore the facades of residential and public buildings facing the avenue, including objects of historical and cultural heritage;

3. To give in general terms a unified design to small architectural forms;

4. Highlight an additional "image of the city";

5. Creating a full-fledged lighting line in a single style, along the entire avenue;

6. Organize linear landscaping along the roadway and pedestrian zone, plant perennial herbaceous plants;

7. Create a separate path for bike infrastructure, additional bike parking;

8. Allocate a surface street pedestrian crossing on Lenin Avenue instead of an underground one, with priority for pedestrians;

9. Exclude sidewalk fencing, which is not appropriate in this case.

It is also worth noting the economic efficiency of the proposed improvements: improving the quality of the considered part of the urban environment of Yekaterinburg will create more favorable conditions for small business (catering, tourism, souvenirs, stationery, etc.), which will affect the level of well-being and employment of the city's population, which in general will improve the quality of life of citizens and will contribute to solving urgent tasks socially-economic development of the city. The costs of urban space design are not irrevocable, but represent rational investments (investments) with specific deadlines and volumes of achieving socio-economic effect.

Inefficient use was also revealed, unsatisfactory for the comfortable movement of pedestrians, cyclists and MGN. The public space of the streets is not landscaped, there are partially no landscaping and lighting zones.

  Conclusion. In conclusion, I would like to say that the need for a design code in Russian cities is due to a huge number of factors (from the rules of placement and content of information structures to a single design of street furniture). Unfortunately, to date, the design code developed in Yekaterinburg regulates only the placement of signage, embankments, territories around the city pond. However, this document should cover a much larger number of aspects related to a comfortable urban environment, which in turn will satisfy not only the aesthetic needs of the city, but also form an infrastructure for internal and external tourists, as well as create a favorable environment for students and applicants.