- The winning proposal for Zaryadye Park, Moscow's first new park in 50 years, proposes to introduce "wild urbanism" to the city centre. But what are the deeper implications of this wildness, and how might it be appropriated by Muscovites?

Big, brash, and full of energy, Moscow is a city that knows how to make an impression. But for all its attractions — world-class museums, clubs and rapidly transforming food scene, to name a few — its downsides are impossible to ignore. Traffic-clogged roads, overbearing architecture, unfriendly locals and unforgiving climate all take their toll on the visitor and resident alike. Little wonder that in November Moscow ranked 62nd out of 64 major cities in a global liveability index.

This week, The Calvert Journal considers Moscow’s prospects, consulting experts at the Moscow Urban Forum, looking in detail at two projects in the pipeline — VDNKh and Zaryadye Park — and checking out some neighbourhoods that are already going places.

- VDNKh was a shrine to Soviet achievements and visiting the exhibition space became something of a tradition: just like pilgrims, people travelled to the temple-like pavilions from all corners of the USSR bearing gifts. Built on a grand, monumental scale — like everything Soviet — VDNKh was a city within a city with its own local infrastructure. The exhibition grounds became home to some of the most important works of monumental art in the USSR: the famous Worker and Kolkhoz Woman by Vera Mukhina and Boris Iofan, the pavilion of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the Friendship of the People’s Fountain, whose 16 maidens immortalised the 16 republics of the USSR. Today, the 29 surviving pavilions of VDNKh are classified as historical monuments.
ZIL
ZIL - The factory's former House of Culture is now home to an experimental theatre collective. Rambler-Afisha, a rapidly growing media company, has also moved its offices to the ZIL area, setting a precedent for other creative businesses.
Kitay-Gorod
Kitay-Gorod - The name of the area literally means China Town, however there are few Peking ducks and lucky cats greeting you in local shops and cafes. 'Kitay' used to mean 'weaving' in medieval Russian, which partly explains the somewhat chaotic and sinuous layout of the area.

"For me, the architectural identity of the Stalinist period is not the same thing as the ideology associated with that period. It has a ceremonial function in projecting Moscow as a capital. Our architecture is part of our story and we need to preserve it". Sergey Kuznetsov, Moscow’s Chief Architect

“If as a city you can improve infrastructure to facilitate not only the journey to work but all other journeys it will improve the basic quality of life. It’s about making the city walkable and pedestrian-friendly”, Martijn Burger, Urban happiness expert

“When we talk about the architectural heritage of the Soviet era, it’s entire areas. A certain look of the city that was created during that time. We never quite learnt to preserve and maintain those buildings in the way that, say, Berlin did”, Grigory Revzin, Architectural critic

“The most important improvement is that we now have a social environment. We have social space and a discussion going on about parks and pedestrian areas”, Sergei Kapkov, Moscow’s Culture Minister