The Study of Interfaces as a Method for Urban Renewal: a proposal for Vladivostok’s Downtown Waterfront

Abstract

Vladivostok is a port settled in a strategic territory at the Russian Far East, facing the Pacific Ocean and connecting Eurasia with East Asian countries, mainly China, Korea and Japan. This dual character, being a Eastern European city located in Asia, coupled with the circumstances of its historical development, has defined a particular character expressed in its culture, architecture and urban landscape, as well as in its relation with the sea. Nested on a hilly topography on the edge of the Muravyoy-Amurski peninsula, the city overlooks an impressive seascape, combined with views of mountains and islands. With these characteristics it is paradoxical that Vladivostok has little public area where people can enjoy contact with the sea, since most waterfront areas are occupied by industrial plots, parking lots, abandoned areas or misused beaches, that coexist with a small group of interconnected public spaces, particularly in the downtown area.

This paper discusses a proposal for the recovery of these areas from an academic and practical perspective. In order to enhance both the resilience to potential hazards and the development of public space for improving social and environmental conditions in the city, we propose a methodology that focuses on identifying urban interfaces, which are the areas of major exchange between different systems, and use them as catalysers for improving the surrounding areas.To this end, firstly, the paper explores the evolution of the city’s relation with the sea and identifies its morphology, spatial configuration, and expressions of mental landscape. Secondly, using GIS techniques, it defines the major interfaces, which are the areas of exchange between different systems, and use them as catalyzers for improving the surrounding areas. Finally, it proposes a model for the renovation of Vladivostok’s waterfront areas, by means of an integrated network of public spaces that would substantially increase the offer of public areas and improve the relation between the city and the sea from a social, economic and environmental perspective.