Problems of Preservation of Architectural Heritage in the Areas of Industrial Development of Siberia

Abstract

The article deals with the main factors that contributed to the socio-economic transformation in the Eastern territories of Russia in the twentieth and early 21st century. It also reaches to determine the origins of ideas for the relocation of the country's industrial centers to the hinterland along with establishing a new type of a Siberian city. The influence of the industrialization process on the radical reconstruction of historically developed Siberian cities is shown. The evolution of architects’ views on the historical and cultural heritage of the Eastern regions of the country is also presented. Significant losses in the architecture of the Siberian old-residents' settlements have happened due to the process of inundation in the areas where hydroelectric power stations were built in the 1950-s. Furthermore, the article reveals some problems caused by the new stage of industrialization that began in the 21st century and have entailed the threat of disappearance of the last identity hubs of the Siberian region. The principles and methods of preserving the architectural heritage in the areas of industrial development of Siberia advanced by the author are given in the present study as well. Keywords—industry; industrialization; architectural heritage; Siberia; reconstruction of cities; culture of Siberian old-residents; methods of preservation of architectural heritage