The first meeting of the Expert Council on Architecture and Urban Planning was held at the National Centre RUSSIA

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The inaugural meeting of the "Expert Council on Architecture and Urban Planning at the National Centre RUSSIA" was held on 18 December 2025 at the National Centre RUSSIA. The new advisory body is intended to develop principles for shaping an architectural and visual code that reflects the country’s cultural sovereignty and national identity. During the meeting, the leadership and organisational structure of the new advisory body were defined, including the Chair of the Council, the Board, and Expert Groups; strategic goals and objectives were set; and presentations by leading experts in architecture and urban planning were heard.

"As noted by the President of Russia, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, architectural heritage is not only our memory, but also a key resource for spiritual and economic development. The initiative of the professional community and the support of the business sector — those who are shaping the appearance of our cities today — have led to the creation of this unified expert platform. This Council has been established with specific objectives: to shape the image of our era, strengthen cultural identity, and contribute to social development through a high-quality urban environment. Here, the efforts of the state, architects, experts, investors, and regions will be brought together. However, for these intentions to become reality, a solid legal framework is required. This will necessitate the systematic improvement of the entire body of legislation in the field of architecture and urban planning," said the Deputy Head of the Presidential Directorate for Social Projects, Alexei Zharich.

He noted that the task of shaping a harmonious architectural environment is of strategic importance for the state.

The Head of the Directorate for State Visual Communications Control at the National Centre RUSSIA and Secretary of the Expert Council, Andrei Melentyev, presented the organisational model of the new Expert Council: "The Council is structured as a two-tier system. The Board serves as a permanent governing body, while Expert Groups are established to work on specific projects across various areas. The Board includes representatives of federal and regional authorities, including the State Duma and the Government of the Russian Federation, experts from the National Centre RUSSIA, and specialists from relevant public associations. Overall coordination of all activities is carried out by the Chair of the Expert Council."

The President of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Arts, Professor, Rector of the Moscow Architectural Institute (MARCHI), and Chair of the Expert Council, Dmitry Shvidkovsky, said in his address that architecture is a key conduit of the meanings of an era.

"Architecture is often described as frozen music. I would say that architecture is politics in stone. Buildings and cities, especially memorial and park ensembles, convey with great precision and candour the characteristics of the time in which they were created, the essence of unfolding events — those most fundamental elements that shape both life and thought in an era and remain in the people’s memory for centuries. Throughout Russia’s millennia-long history, architecture and its most significant works have expressed essential ideas: concepts of statehood, the national character of the people, and visions of the future. Such were the structures of the Vladimir school with their "speaking" sculpture; the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye, which embodied the idea of the Muscovite Tsardom as "Moscow — the Third Rome"; the new architecture of Saint Petersburg, which sought not only to reach but to surpass Europe; and, in the twentieth century, the monuments of Constructivism and Soviet Classicism, which became symbols of a fundamentally different society. Our time must acquire its own architectural image, one that will pass on to future generations a visible memory of our remarkable era," he said.

As part of defining the goals and objectives, as well as the work plan for 2026, a statement was delivered by Vladislav Preobrazhensky, Executive Director of the Investment Promotion Foundation "Moscow Investors Club" and Chair of the Board of the Council. He outlined a phased work plan for the Council for the upcoming period.

"At the first stage, members of the Council plan to formulate a list of universal meanings that will form the basis for the technical brief for further visualisation within the architectural and urban planning code of Russia. This set of meanings must be organic and understandable to broad segments of the population, reflect the country’s values and achievements, and convey its development vector," Vladislav Preobrazhensky said.

He also noted that Russia’s new regions, which are currently undergoing active transformation and development, could serve as pilot sites for applying the new architectural and urban planning code.

"The next stage in the work of the Expert Council on Architecture and Urban Planning at the National Centre RUSSIA will be the development of a draft law that will закрепить the architectural code as an element of the sovereignty of the Russian Federation," Vladislav Preobrazhensky added.

The First Deputy Head of the Committee and Chief Architect of the Moscow Region, Alexandra Kuzmina, noted: "Russia is a multinational and multicultural country that brings together territories from different climatic zones, shaped by a wide range of natural and historical factors. Therefore, when we discuss unifying meanings and symbols, we must speak specifically about the coexistence and preservation of this diversity and local identity. In the search for recognisable symbols and patterns, it is very easy — and dangerous — to slip into attempts to brand territory, lose a sense of scale, and move towards shaping the urban environment through small means. An architect is a deeply educated and thoughtful professional — give them the opportunity to bring literature back into architecture and to answer the question of what influenced the formation of an image," she said.

Director of the Department for Comprehensive Development of Territories of the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation, Maria Sinichich, noted: "The future of the architectural identity of Russian cities depends on how effectively we move away from standardised solutions in favour of context-based, ensemble-driven formation of the urban environment. The task of the Ministry of Construction of Russia is to stimulate such approaches through methodological support for Russia’s regions and regulatory frameworks, under which the architectural appearance becomes the result of the systemic development of territories, including the development of urban and rural infrastructure, master planning, and the Comprehensive Development of Territories."

The Executive Director of the Association of Developers of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Adel Saifullina, drew attention to the importance of regional cultural diversity.

"The diversity of national cultures and architectural styles is not merely an aesthetic feature, but a living, breathing foundation of the unique architectural and visual landscape of our country," Adel Saifullina noted. "Today, we see in this not only cultural value, but also a powerful platform for shaping symbolism at the regional level — from elements of national ornament in the façades of public buildings to urban improvement concepts inspired by traditional ways of life. Respect for cultural identity in architecture is not a tribute to the past, but an investment in the future, creating spaces in which every resident feels a sense of belonging, pride, and inspiration."

The Head of the Association of Developers of the Krasnodar Region and the Republic of Adygea, Oleg Kolmychek, spoke about the key role of combining regional character and national traditions in transforming the architectural and urban planning appearance of cities, towns, and villages across Russia’s regions: "The harmonious combination of regional character and national traditions is the foundation on which Russia’s contemporary architectural and urban planning space must be built. The development and implementation of a unified architectural and urban planning code will, on the one hand, help preserve the ethnocultural distinctiveness of the regions, and on the other, set high standards of quality, functionality, and aesthetics."

Oleg Kolmychek added that the code will make it possible to "raise" even the most modest settlements and villages to a level consistent with leading regions, without erasing their individuality, but rather emphasising and strengthening it.

Professor of the International Academy of Architecture, Head of the "Architecture" track at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, and President of the Yakov Chernikhov Foundation, Andrei Chernikhov, noted that throughout its history Russia has remained a multinational and multicultural country. Its architecture has continuously reworked Byzantine, Eastern, and Western European influences, shaping independent — and at times more refined — interpretations.

"Across different eras — from the empire to the USSR and modern Russia — borrowed styles were invariably refracted through the prism of local traditions, climate, materials, and a diverse cultural environment," he emphasised.

As Andrei Chernikhov noted, it was precisely this process that led to the emergence of unique architectural movements — from stone architecture with its distinctive silhouettes to Russian Baroque and metropolitan Classicism. In the nineteenth century, eclecticism gave rise to the Russian-Byzantine and Russian Neoclassical styles, while Russian Modern enriched European Art Nouveau with national motifs.

"Avant-garde and Constructivism acquired a profound intellectual context here, while Stalinist architecture combined classical forms with the power of Socialist Realism, creating expressive symbols of a superpower," he added.

The discussion was attended by representatives of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Construction of Russia, DOM.RF, the Moscow Architectural Institute (MARCHI), and the National Research University Higher School of Economics, as well as self-regulatory organisations and members of the expert community.

The inaugural meeting marked the beginning of systematic work on shaping Russia’s architectural code, intended to become the foundation for urban development and the formation of a harmonious and meaningful image of the country over the long term.

The outcomes of the discussion formed the basis of the Expert Council’s work plan for 2026. The activities will be organised in the format of an open professional dialogue aimed at synthesising historical continuity and contemporary achievements in urban planning in order to strengthen civic identity.