What the country will look like tomorrow: Alexandra Kuzmina talks about the work of the Council on Architecture at the National Centre RUSSIA

Architecture is an art form that people interact with constantly: it is impossible to distance yourself from it or simply ignore it. That is why it is important not merely to design new buildings, but to shape the country's future appearance. This is one of the tasks of the Expert Council on Architecture and Urban Planning at the National Centre RUSSIA. Alexandra Kuzmina, Deputy Chair of the Expert Council, Head of the "Architecture and Education" Working Group and Chief Architect of the Moscow Region, discussed its work and landmark projects.

"In one of his speeches, the President noted that architecture is an art form that has a particularly profound impact on people. That is why the establishment of such a Council is a landmark development for the country. The state recognises the significance and influence of architecture and urban planning on the image of Russia's future and on the people who will grow and develop within it," Alexandra Kuzmina noted.

According to her, architecture has a unique influence on people because it is constantly present in their everyday lives. It not only shapes aesthetic taste, but also becomes a means of conveying a particular image and set of values.

Alexandra Kuzmina described one of the Council's strengths as its ability to bring experts into work on specific projects: "The National Centre and the Expert Council established under it make it possible to involve the country's leading experts regardless of where a project is located. In this way, we can raise the quality of architecture and urban planning across all territories of the country, which is especially important when working in the regions."

As a telling example, the expert cited work on a site in Blagoveshchensk. Future development there must not only meet modern standards for the quality and comfort of the urban environment and provide residents with the necessary services and amenities, but also play a special role in shaping identity and architectural ideology.

 "The distinctive feature of this territory is its location: only about 700 metres across the Amur separate it from China. This gives the project an additional scale of perception and allows it to communicate the meanings and values of the territory beyond Russia," Alexandra Kuzmina emphasised.

According to her, architectural contests organised on the principles of openness, impartiality and professionalism help achieve this. They produce different results in different territories, highlighting the diversity of our multinational and multicultural country, which encompasses different climatic zones shaped by a range of natural, cultural and historical factors.