NeoDacha

2013 MOSCOW Anton Ivanov

HISTORY AND CULTURE OF DACHA PHENOMENON IN MOSCOW AGGLOMERATION

passport Research was realised in Thinning studio, Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design 2010/11 year.

Studio leaders: Joseph Grima, Jiang Jun, Advisor: Ekaterina Golovatyuk, Coordinator: Sergey Kulikov

content INTRODUCTION NUMBERS HISTORY INVENTORY TALES

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Autonomus zones of Freedom Inventory This project conceptualizing typology of private territories, so-called “dacha”. They are located near every city in Russia.

Geographicaly research concentrates on the border territory between the largest and the most extensive megopolis in Europe and the largest periphery in the world. As B. B. Rodoman and V. L. Kagan observe “Russia plays the role of the inner periphery”.

In this paper, an approach to the description of rare manifestations of the private landscape during the Soviet and post-Soviet history is based on the study of Freedom as expression. It is the most important characteristic of dacha, as the territory expressing freedom in varying degrees: freedom from the regime of the Party, freedom from urban forms, freedom from overcrowding apartments, free from any restrictions.

meaning dacha is a second house for city dweller, building on a plot, located outside the city. Used for seasonal living with different purposes. etymology word “dacha” emerged in the beginning of XVIII century from verb “to give” (davat’ on russian), as a word describing given land as a honor for members of a nobility class in St Petersburg. First appeared after victory in Swedish war in 1710.

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Palekh box, dacha scene, 1999

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NUMB

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area of ​​study Area of research is limited to the zone located between two ring roads. MKAD and following ring road - so-called “Betonka.”

planned

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Unpredictable semi-urban semi-rural transition state of “before the city” is concentrated there. This is extremely unique conditions, which can’t be compared to any western suburbs, nor with the European urban sprawls.

Dacha’s typology is a manifestation and vivid expression of that condition.

Studied area has developed over time as mirrored, unplanned Moscow. Exact opposite to the totalitarian post-socialist structure of the Russian capital.

unplanned

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countryside For many Russian citizens dacha is associated with the ability to break out - a social, cultural, spatial constraints imposed by the city. Dacha as a second home, always remains a product of the city, being located anywhere in the Moscow region, Russian or European province.

These terms and conditions form a unique reality around the cities of Russia. Unique reality has its name - “zagorod”. It is an urban area, free from the city, a sponge, ready to absorb the spread of urban freedom.

Unregulated development of zagorod resulted in unplanned structure of Moscow nearest countryside.

“In Russia, the city has a well-defined border. In addition to its implications for the development of the city and its life, it was the reason for the existence of “out of the city.” Historically, there is a clear parallel with a medieval European city, where people could live inside or outside the city walls. And, just like in the distant past, this does not only apply to physical reality in the same way as it applies to the mentality. Zagorod is something less formal, this is a parallel life that is different from the city.

And nothing could express this more clearly than the architecture: the contrast between the Soviet multi-storey box, and private house built by won resources is more than obvious ... Actually ... aesthetic of zagorod is the beauty of reality beyond logic, finely perceived surreal, but at the same time preachers of the “Russian soul”.

Bourgeois culture - architecture as part of it - has neither the rigidity of Taylorism or surreal qualities of “accident”: her beauty too is carefully thought out, it is due to personal choice, not a “one true” ideology or a coincidence.

Tragically, with the emergence of the capitalist cornucopia distinctive properties of zagorod are disappearing.

Indeed, to enjoy the creature comforts, we have to sell the soul.“ Bart Goldhoorn. From the Editor, Project Russia 21 “Countryside”

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“Autumn Poem” Vinogradov, Dubosarskiy, 1996

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proportion In Russia dacha’s have always been dependent on the urban population. In 2010, according to the State Statistics Committee, about 100 million people lived in cities.

About third of them have dacha1. Capital and Moscow Region is the most densely populated districts of the Russian Federation.

Moscow Region, like other regions of the country is divided into seven categories. Cottages can only be built on the lands of settlements and agricultural lands.

Potentially dacha’s could occupy half of the region.

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At the moment dacha’s occupy only 7% - 327.300 ha, an area equial in size to three time Moscow2. In line with the global trend of rural population decay in the last hundred years, the rural population of Moscow Region decreased five times (from 34% to 6%) relative to the total population of Moscow and Moscow region, while the population of Moscow by the same period increased more than 6 times.

1 According to our estimates, 33 million of dacha plots in Russia “- the director of the Federal Registration Service, Sergei Vasiliev 2 P. Polian, T. Nefedov, A. Treyvish. The town and village in European Russia: a hundred years of change: monographic collection. - Moscow: OGI, 2001 (Series OIG / Open Democracy). - 560 p.

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numbers taken from demoscope.ru

by MosGosStat for 2009

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HISTO

TORY

The development of dachas always sensitively reflects the cultural and historical changes in Russian society.

Acting as independent pendulum it detects the slightest change in the course of history, reflecting them in the landscape.

Below are two large documents, detailed chronicle of dacha history and timeline. They lock the process of development on the background of the dynamics of political, cultural, sociological, and simply the inevitable changes.

Growth of the urban population goes parallel with the development of countryside cultural life. Many poets, filmmakers, artists, and perhaps even politicians at all times feel intriguing burst of creative energy behind the universal idea of ​​space, “the dacha”.

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Gated community, Novorizhskay highway, Moscow Region photo by Joseph Grima 2011

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1710 First prototypes of Dachas. Given land distribution begins on the road between Petergophe and St Petersburg after victory in Swedish war.

I PERIOD (1837- 1917) middle class land use: seasonal / constant living, no agriculture society: “who just does not want the summer to the country now? starting with the small shopkeeper, clerk, porter, and to a rich banker, the office director and man of pleasure inclusive - all with the onset of the first spring days, just dreaming about how to spend the summer outside of the “dust” of the city, in the country, the “Clean Air” emerging middle class. land plot: 12 sotok -1 ha 1837 A railroad connection between St Petersburg with Pavlovsk and Carskoe Selo is built. From this point dacha becomes more and more familiar for all social layers, not only for aristocrats. Since 1850 it becomes a common thing to rent a dacha for summertime, for recreational and economical purpose - renting a flat in the city is very expensive. During 1850 dacha continue to be an indicator of a recent emerging new urban population layer middle class.

1849 “Sentimental Journey by Ivan Chernoknizhnikov through dachas of the St. Petersburg“ poetry by Druzhinin 1850 Land providers for dachas were not only private landowners , since 1850 government issue a law which allow a procedure of introducing a government land to a private property, with the help of inherited lease contract, so called “chinsh lands”, ten years later they emerged in Moscow region. New owners were released from land and property taxes for 20 years.

Dachniki, beginning of XX century

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1851 1 November.

Nikolaevskay railroad between St. Petersburg and Moscow start operating.

1853 Continuity of railroads in Russia is 1038 km, by that time it’s just 1.5 % of world railroad wire.(12% by 2010) 1861 Peasant liberation. For part of the peasant population, who are located in dense country areas, their own house and plot turned into a property that gives new rights and opportunities. They begin to be sub rented by urbanites during summer.

1862 Opening of Yaroslavskay railroad station. After stop the train route at Arhangelsk in 1898, new railroad station was added in 1904, project was done by architect Shehtel’.

1862- 64 Opening of Kazanskay railroad station. New building by Shusev was done during 1913 – 1940.

1865 455 land owners near St Petersburg (prototypes of contemporary developers), most of them own approximately middle plots – less than 11 hektars. From five to ten buildings were constructed on one plot for rent.

1868 Opening of Kurskay train station, new building was added in 1972 1870 Opening of Belorusskiy train station, new building was added by architect Strucov in 1910

1877 1385 dacha owners near St Petersburg 1879 3391 dacha owners near St Petersburg 1889 Dvoryane owned 86 % of big plots near largest cities 1894 “Who just does not want during the summer to the countryside now? starting with the small shopkeeper, clerk, porter, and to a rich bank er, the office director and man of pleasure inclusive - all with the onset of the first spring days, just dreaming about how to spend the summer outside of the “dust” of the city, in the country, the “Clean Air” Comment by Unknown overdriven with work architect.

By the mid of 1903 In Moscow region dachas plots emerged in 18 states (Guberniya) in 52 places, together they brought 75000 rubles per year 1904 population census - 82 000 live in Moscow region (first time applied division), 66 000 of them are “peasants”.

1904 “Dachniki” play by Maxim Gorky “You know, I will write a series of dramas. It is a fact. One - way of life of the intelligentsia. A lot of people without ideals and suddenly!

- among them one - with the ideal! Anger, crash, howl, roar! “ form Archives of Maxim Gorky.

1905 - 07 A lot of dachas became empty due to riot actions.

1896 may Moscow government accept new land law. Land was rent by public sale on 99 years. Besides paying taxes and lease, tenant had to realize a proposed project in three years. Every 12 years taxes could be changed, but increasing of price couldn’t be more than 5% of existing price.

This law spawned big growth of dachas during 1896 – 1910 1898 New dachas typology emerge, like the one on Losinoostrovskay station. Houses here are for year – round living.

New dachas become a real prototypes of contemporary urban evolution (Hovard’s ideas of garden cities). New group of urban society emerge – “poselyane” in opposition to “dachniki” (seasonal dacha owners, who refused to pay bills for infrastructure of green towns), they live in dacha towns with population of 1000 – 5000, but they didn’t developed well due to their unclear property definitions and no founding. Transport and infrastructure were poorly developed, but it was a gold age of dachas, a lot of people lived here permanently.

1899 Opening of Savelovskay train station 1900 Opening of Kievskay railroad station, in 1913 - 17 years was made monumental station rennovation by architects I I Rerberg, V K Oltarzhevskogo, V G Shuhova.

1900 Opening of Rizhskay railroad station 1900 Opening of Paveleckay railroad station 1901 – 1903 “Cherry orchard” by Anton Chekhov dacha types from the middle of XIX century

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II PERIOD (1917 -1934) Proletariat shelter land use: seasonal / constant living, society: proletariat society - workers 1/6, employers 3/6, party members 2/6. land plot: 12 sotok 1917 Dacha settlements are almost empty due to February revolution 1915 – 1922 Crisis. First World War, Civil war in Russia 1918 Moscow becomes a capital of new government.

1918 Entire housing stock is divided in equal parts and given to people - 8 m2 per human of all ages. 10 m2 per one man with baby up to 2 years and 5m2 per children from 2 to 12 years. If human lived in better conditions he had to "selfcompress".

During the civil war 1917- 1923 situation in areas adjacent to the city was going be a mess - the peasants and locals occupied empty houses, the government was withdrawing personal property.

1929 January 14 Date of formation of Moscow Region in its modern boundaries.

1929 First handbook atlas for dachas. 10 railroad directions, 288 dacha villages 1930 “Dacha is pure Russian word in tight meaning of this word” Big Soviet Encyclopedia 1931 Soviet Union is merging propaganda with leisure in the new format of spending free time – “work in a new way means leisure in a new way”.

1931 – 33 Terrible famine, 5 million people die in Soviet Union 1931 “Moscow summer” novel by Konstantin Paustovskiy

seasonal rent were from 70 to 1000 rubles.

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1922 24 may report including all the municipalized dachas.

1923 more than 5000 dachas were municipalized, 5001 personal dacha were registered and 2918 applications were admired 1923 Moscow Municipal housing consists of 725 (12.8%) dachas in a very bad conditions where capital repair needed, 1771 (31,1%) dachas were in half destroyed conditions, and 2531 (31.1%) dachas were in good conditions.

1923 building of Sokol village started. By the end it consists of 250 comfortable year round living houses for soviet intelligentsia.

1926 April 2 A member of Moscow dachas TREST publicly recognize that his organization have no chance in competing with private dacha market sector. Vechernyay Moskva newspaper 1929 TREST (organization for administrative control on dachas) take in control more than 3100 dachas in Moscow region, acting the same way St Petersburg TREST had more than 3500 dachas by 1926 1929 Almost all the dachas near big cities were municipalized.

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1 “Green City” urban vision for new city, based on strong connection to nature, 2 community newspaper “Delegatka”, issue about workers settlement “Sokol”

1934 TRESTs were canceled and a new local dacha administration organizations emerging – “dachniy hozyaystva” , Dacha establishments

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1934 Moscow dachas Found could contain 165000 occupants – 5% of Moscow population (3300000). Comparable numbers for Moscow region – Rest houses contained 86000, pioneer camps – 35000, kindergarten rest facilities – 28500.

1934 December.

Nikita Hrushev (head of Moscow partkom) reported that from 6400 members of dachniy cooperation only 455 (7%) are workers class.

1934 Dachas become a temporary living, refuge, for people, where Soviet government didn’t get by that time. 59% of dachas are in private property 28% are owned by peasants and Kolhoz. Only 11% are owned by cooperative members. 274 places where dacha were hosted - 55 new settlements, 219 old settlements. Prices for seasonal rent were from 70 to 1000 rubles.

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NKVD workers practicing gardening on Stalin’s dacha

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III PERIOD (1934 – 1949) “sadovodstva” – gardens land use: emerging of agriculture gardens and nomenclature elite dachas society: mostly everebody. land plot: 3-4 sotok for gardens, 12 sotok – 1 hectare for nomenclature dacha 1934 suicide of Stalin's wife Alliluyeva Nadezhda Sergeyevna in 1932 provoked Stalin to move on "nearest dacha" in Kuncevo. Stalin's lifestyle changed rapidly, this movement provoked even bigger changes in the scale of USSR - nomenclatures members followed the Stalin's example and started movement to countryside.

1934 – 36 Nomenclature dacha’s building boom 1935 Dacha atlas handbook. 10 railroad directions. 313 dacha villages.

1936 – 37 Famine 1936 Stalin constitution. Term of private property emerge, but it works only after defining the socialist property from private property, what always was a big dilemma.

1937 168 cooperative dacha villages, only 85 of them had ready for living dachas, overall amount of houses – 378 dachas.

1937 Law by Soviet government which put on hold the cooperation companies in big cities. But 50 % of cooperatives survive after this law, but they become more departmental, other words controllable by the state. During 1937 - 38 all the dachas (cooperative or private) were repressed.

Stalin’s dacha

1939 “Architecture and building of dachas” project album by G. M. Bobov 1941 “Four Hearts” movie by Konstantin Yudin. Was shown only in 1944.

1941 – 1945 Great Patriotic War Almost all the Moscow population moved to dachas or gardens on outskirts, because of products shortage in the city. People were encouraged in organizing personal subsidiary plots on territories near Moscow. Land under crop by factories and facilities grew from 1.4 ml of hectares in the beginning of war to 5 ml of hectares by the end of war.

1942 1\3 of Moscow population had personal subsidiary plots (gardens) or were engaged in collective farming 1943 2\5 of Moscow population had personal subsidiary plots (gardens) or were engaged in collective farming 1944 1\2 of Moscow population had personal subsidiary plots (gardens) or were engaged in collective farming

Ernst May Plan of Moscow deurbanisation by introducing new small villages around.

Urban vision predicting chaotic arrangement of dacha settlements

“Stalin and Gorkiy on dacha”, Gerasimov A.M., 1930-ies

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V PERIOD (1949-1991) “shest’ sotok” land use: seasonal, agriculture society: all the social layers except nomenclatures members land plot: 6 – 8 sotok 1949 law about collective and individual gardening and horticultural workers and employees.

Gardens typology ("sadovodstva") first emerged. Plots up to 600 m2 for city district, or up to 1200 m2 Plots out of city.

1950 CK (Party Center Committee) dacha Found included 13 villages which hosted 271 dachas and 1569 rooms occupied by 950 families.

1940 - 50 Hierarchy: personal dachas for government party members (for year round living) Leading employees of governmental community had right for summer dachas, others, workers from administration could have only room or two per family in village.

1953 Stalin died/ Hrushev become a new First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee.

Hrushev Thaw starting. Families who get their lucky 6 sotok is called not less than “dachniki”.

But dacha regime is strict by that time: only temporary construction not more than 6 square meters by area is permitted on the plot of 00.4 – 00.6 ha 1956 Hundreds thousands of people were liberated from prisons. All of them start to pretend to their old dachas.

1957 Law about the development of housing construction in Russia. Dacha cooperatives (DSK) emerge 1957 - 60 a lot of DIY books about dacha construction are issued.

1958 Law defining that people earlier excluded from cooperative and going in as a new members, hadn't rights to pretend on their old property, if this property was used by other party member lawfully.

1958 “General’skay dacha” poetry by Nikolay Zabolockiy 1958 “Dachnik – accuser” novel by Samuil Marshak 1960 Law Regarding the Individual building dachas (Prohibition the individual dachas) 1961 Abolition of dacha building out of any collective (fight with individualism) 1961 September 18, issued a decree form USSR Council of Ministers "On the Abolition of consolidation of the workers and employees for their use of land allocated for collective gardens". Land users of this kind are now needed to be only garden associations of workers and employees .

In Moscow Region “dachniki” own 20000 ha

“Im Flug nach Moskau...” photo by Erich Einhorn. ARTIA, 1959

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standart dacha house from article “House of dacha type”, Architecture and Construction magazine, 1955

standart dacha house from article “House of dacha type”, Architecture and Construction magazine, 1955

“avos’ka”

house “shale” with solyariy, DIY constructor, 1980-ies

construction scheme of wooden foundation, from magazine “sobriety and culture”

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Venedikt Erofeev. “Moscow Stations”. From the Series “Russian Literature”, Dubossarsky Vinogradov, 1996

prefabricated dacha, model, architect Goryacheva O.

prefabricated dacha, plan, architect Goryacheva O.

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“Dacha” movie afisha

1962 Law stating that dachas build or constructed by “not labor” profits had to be demolished.

1963 House owner (primarily peasants) couldn’t set prices for rent higher than 3. 60 rub \ m2 in Moscow and St Petersburg region

The distribution of land Principe was the same in both organizations – local “Ispolkom”(Region Government) give land to factory or institution, and administration distribute land through the collective. Owners of dachas are controlled by the regulations of cooperative. For example after dacha receipt owner couldn’t leave the donor organization for five years, but after that dacha owner earned it in “constant usage”.

1964 Hrushev overthrow. “Thaw” ended, period of stagnation begins with Brezhnev.

“Sadovie” plots movement revived instead of Dacha movement. One floor constructions with floor area of 25 square meters is permitted.

1978 “Gaffer” novel by Yuriy Trifonof

1967 3870 Moscow and Moscow region enterprises asked government to support them with land for “Sadovie” plots with overall amount of 38000 gektars.

1982 Brezhnev died

1967 “Dachnay district” novel by Andrey Bitov 1970 “Moscow – Petushki” poem by Venedikt Eropheev From 1970 to 1984 number of dacha’s in USSR doubled

1980 15% of village houses in Moscow region were unofficially in the ownership of Moscow population.

1985 – 1991 Gorbachev. Floor Area of dacha houses were permitted up to 50 square meters with addition of terraces of any kind.

1985 Government supports dacha movement (in afraid of food shortage). From 1700000 to 1800000 new “sadovie” plots had to be given in the period from 1986 to 2000.

1974 “Dacha” movie director Konstantin Voinov

1987 More than 4.7 millions of Russians were owners of “sadovie” plots and only 55000 were owners of dachas.

Late USSR Dacha rules. Organization of “sadovodstva” were two types – comradeships and cooperatives. Comradeships had to be organized under the control of local union organizations, cooperatives had wider choice of founder organizations.

1989 Law allowed citizens to buy village houses, but not land.

1990 Council of ministers had 1014 dachas and 2 recreational complexes overall volume 55000 m2

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VI PERIOD 1991 – 2011 liberation land use: seasonal, agriculture, year round society: everybody land plot: 00,4 ha – 20 ha 1991 – 94 “provincialization” of Moscow, due to high cost for flats people began moving out to Moscow region for living on their dachas all year long.

1991 Law about Land reform. Denationalization of land, private land use emerged. Land reformations was only a limited property right, since the land was excluded from the civil law and a moratorium on the sale, donation or other transaction with the land (except dachas and garden plots) for 10 years was set.(moratorium was canceled in 1994) 1992 State regulations of prices is canceled. The result is an elimination of the deficit of consumer goods. Hyperinflation and instant impoverishment of population is a consequence.

1993 Law by Boris Elcin about land reformation set the basics of land market in Russia.

1993 New Russian constitution was set.

1994 The most expensive and valuable directions are Minskay and Kievskay highway.

1994 "Burnt by the Sun" movie by Nikita Mikhalkov. Oscar award for the best foreign movie.

1998 august 17 Defolt and economic crisis 1998 Cost for month rent is from 200 to 2000 dollars before the devaluation of ruble.

1999 Dacha gain the recognition by government - the gardener day was approved.

1999 Union of Gardeners of Russia established.

2001 New land code is set.

2001 The proportion of different forms of land ownership in Russian landscape: Owned by citizens 6.2% Owned by legal entities 1.4% State and municipal property 92.4% 2002 Development of General plan in the period of 2002 – 2010 for sustainable grow of Moscow Region is approved.

2003 Law "On the Turnover of Agricultural Land." Opened arable lands to the Suburban housing market.

2004 Law permit “to transfer land from one category to another”. 90% of agricultural lands of Moscow Region belong to new owners. For Example firm ZNAK (translated as “Sign”) was established in 2002 by private will of Uralsib director Nikolay Cvetkov, company controls from 100 000 ha up to 300 000 ha of Moscow Region arable lands. Another big player is Absolyt bank company, which have a daughter company “Boevoe Bratstvo” (translated as Fight Brotherhood led by the head of Moscow Region Boris Gromov) officially supporting veterans of local wars and conflicts, have control over 30% of all arable lands in MR ( over 600 000 ha) 2006 Law “dacha amnesty” The law allows all citizens to formalize land ownership on dachas. Tool for privatization of dacha plot given by government.

2006 “Zhest’” movie by Denis Neimand. Thriller representing horrible fantasies about future of 6 sotkas settlements.

2007 Law "On approval of territorial planning schemes of the Moscow region - the main provisions of the Urban Development” territory subdivisions and perspectives were approved by genplan for Moscow Region till 2020.

2010 “Dacha amnesty” law is prolonged till 2015.

2010 September Law "Amendments in legislative acts in part to clarify the legal regime of the garden, gardening and dacha plots" will be three types of suburban housing – dacha houses (possible to build only on urban lands inside the city borders) and two types of garden plots: “sadovoy” and “ogorodniy” plots, where only temporary structures and agriculture activities are possible. This law provides big question for existing of cottage settlements, hosted on arable lands and makes a possibility for emerging new bigger corruption schemes on land market and inadequate grow of prices as a consequence and problems with infrastructure for settlements on arable lands after 2015 year, the moment when the permission by new law will be required.

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INVEN 40

NTORY 41

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Autonomous Zones of Freedom inventory Inventory - is the work of rules, classifying affiliation of any member of the family “dacha� to a certain typolog.

The basic typology of spaces that reflect a certain state of manifestation of freedom and personal representation in different eras collected in the inventory.

Dacha could be seen through the history as a sense of freedom citizens broadcast into space. How does this feeling transformed in a variety of spatial approvals of the urbanites. How it inevitably and irrevocably transformed the concept of the urban landscape and the landscape itself in Russia?

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Given Freedom name: Given Freedom period: 1917- now area: 0,1 - 1 ha tools of freedom: comfortable awareness of the status isolation and proximity to the highest authorities.

Dachas were selected and given to nomenclature or intelligence members. State dachas were big and comfortable. Ideal ceremony of living only was interrupted by the fact that all the interior details were numbered by little labels and put on the list. Owners here changed unexpectedly and constantly. And in one day luxury scenography could go to totally different group of “actors�.

Cultivated Freedom name: Cultivated Freedom period: 1941-1949 area: 0,03 - 0,04 ha tools of freedom: gardening, growing and harvesting of the fruits, berries and vegetable crops

Agriculture use of land for city dwellers emerged during World War II as a reasonable tool to fight with shortage.

In 1949 this type of urban land use was officially approved by law. Freedom emerged as land development tool.

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Hand-Made Freedom name: Given Freedom period: 1949 - now area: 0,06 - 0,12 ha tools of freedom: Testing ground for self-expression and self-identification of the Soviet population. Ingenious workshops of all kind of hobbies and passions.

After Stalin died, the “Ogorods” typology developed in Garden Comradeships. At first during Hrushev permitted structures were only 25 m2, not higher than 3 meters.

Than during Brezhnev time it was given 50 m2, two storey, with possible adding of terraces. Plot always consist of 0,06 ha, that’s why that type of dachas called “shest’ sotok” what mean six ares.

Since it was first manifestation of private property, still it was a collective communes. It was unofficial competition between families in gardening, DIY architecture, animal husbandry and in wilderness of hobby choice by strictly available communist means. Now rests of them are free from agriculture use and collective atmosphere and open to all kind of global market features. It is the last arena for the battle between socialist collectivity and market individuality.

Rural Freedom name: Rural Freedom period: 1989 - now area: 0,08 - 0,12 ha tools of freedom: Chance for rural mimicry with safety support of urban manners and details.

Some Moscovites prefer rural conditions. Former village mutates into an urban settlement, using rural conditions as a desirable trend. First to emerge is CCTV, then asphalt road with flower borders. Here, former peasants are happy to rejoin the motherland after a long urban separation.

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Anarchy censored

name: Given Freedom period: 1991 - 2001 area: 0,6 - 0,5 ha tools of freedom: the embodiment of any spatial imagination.

On territories of former dachas emerged concrete structures limited only by the owner’s fantasy and amount of money. A specific feature is that the owner was responsible for every aspect of the project: these structures were made without architects or engineers, without any professional consultant help. As such they were the pure expression of the owner’s aspirations.

Gated Freedom name: Gated Freedom period: 2001 - now area: 0,1 - 10 ha tools of freedom: reality show dream scenography comes true

These fenced worlds represents the average understanding of perfect living according to the Moscow population. The enclosed zone is characterized by classic details from an archicad objects library, secured from the territories of the outside world. This is utopian luxury – one enters the green fence at a cost of several millions.

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Freedom suite on sale name: Freeddom suite on sale period: 2003 - now area: 0,02 - 1 ha tools of freedom: ready made market envelopes of reduced average freedom

The most common and least expensive way to became a dacha owner is to buy a land with infrastructure like gas and electricity included and buy a ready for use project. Comfortable conditions of natural freedom are packed in endless envelopes of ready-made houses, like chips in supermarket.

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MAPS

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Map of dacha territories in the area. Divided between Zones of Given Freedom and Hand - Made Freedom in proportion 1 : 20 accordingly.

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Map of village territories in the area. Zones of Rural Freedom and Prefabricated Freedom are located there.

One third of the villages are still occupied by native population

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Map of cottage territories in the area. They represent the landscape of Zones of Gated Freedom

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Map of urban landscape in the area. Still strict separation between city and rural zones in its area is very questionable. Dacha settlements could be met between urban prefabricated atoll’s could be meet between forest.

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Total landscape.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

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infrastructure The central location of Moscow is emphasized by the organization of surrounding areas. Main highways cut them like a cake. Desirability of pieces varies greatly, depending on the environment, infrastructure support, spectacular scenery, history and filling neighborhood.

While in Moscow focused highest population density, the territory surrounding the city experiencing the highest degree of mutations density. It is a confrontation between rural and urban, between modern market request and collective remaining’s.

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BETONKA

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betonka Road network is poorly developed in Moscow Region, as long as the roads were used only for the movement of goods between cities, less for passenger’s traffic. Other purpose was a Cold War military danger of nuclear war.

“Betonka” literally means made of concrete. Betonka road encircle Moscow in 20 - 30 km radius and originally was built to move the missile troops in case of war, so the cover prudently made of concrete slabs, instead of the soft asphalt. Now it is mostly used by cars and cargo traffic going through central Russia.

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TRANSPORT

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contradiction In Soviet times, the train was the primary mode of transportation. The collective movement was packed in tight economy class trains and wagons. Therefore train was a collective transport conveyor, working in linear manne connected by flow of people between pre-established points outside and inside the city.

Predetermination of the journey was brilliantly reflected in the poem “Moscow - Petushki� by Benedict Erofeev.

The protagonist moves freely through prescribed route, which is the title of the book. The work was written in 1969.

map of suburban train network in Moscow region

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It is noteworthy that at the same time in America appear movie Easy Rider. The story is based on the free journey of two friends on a motorcycle through the endless desert grid of paved roads.

The simultaneous occurrence of these two works demonstrates the radical difference in the movement concept between two Cold War superpowers. In both cases, the choice of infrastructure for the movement of people is a reflection of the government. It is the contrast between the totalitarian planned Soviet economy and market economy of the American republic.

This is a contrast between train poem and road movie.

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INGENUITY

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photo by Alexey Naroditskiy, 2011

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Ikarus - 280, city bus, produced by Hungary company Ikarus in 1973 2000, imported by USSR

photo by Alexey Naroditskiy, 2011

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bus settlement Avtobusniki Gardener’s Association was founded in 1989. To understand the specifics of the settlement, we must remember that the reality of the end of the 70s and 80s was characterized by the complete absence of the goods on the official market of the USSR. With the exception made for the few representatives of the Party and close to the top. In this position, it was near impossible to find materials for the construction of dacha.

They can only be obtained by using barter, accidental finding them or by assigning itself a part of the collective property.

Findings were rare and from the owners of dachas required inventive ingenuity to transform the «object trouve» into a functional piece of the house or to the house itself. The main feature of these assemblages was their exceptional functionality.

Here bus framework has become a perfect element of the shelter. Window frames are assembled in greenhouses.

The Sutyagin 13-storeywooden house in Arkhangelsk, Russia.

DIY skyscraper

The fundamental basis of soviet DIY lies in the unlimited choice of material for the synthesis of new features.

Everything goes in use when there is a total absence of things. This is a unique culture of using, or rather reusing the existing. The lack of materials for construction has led to a staggering freedom of choice and adaptation of material available, albeit for a different functional purpose. Such a realization of the “necessity” of affordable removes all the conventions and limitations in the traditional practice of aesthetic style, exposing a clean, functional essence of the collected space.

DIY is an integral feature of late Soviet dacha culture.

The ingenuity process of constructing was one of the few ways for free expression of personality in that limited personal space. Standard equipment of late soviet dacha consists of raised beds and greenhouses, onestory kitchen with an extension or a free-standing small workshop and home, appeared in the late eighties with the second floor and a terrace.

In the early 90s progressive DIY evolves into a new phase of development of the phenomenon, which marked the abandonment of professional involvement , architects, engineers, and designers in the project .

Which resulted in the first wave of brick palaces built and often unfinished caused by disappearance of wild money.

photo by Alexey Naroditskiy, 2011

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COLONIZATION

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resource Gardener’s Association under the power line was founded in 1965. Areas for further agricultural development under the transmission lines were issued to employees of nearby factories and builders of lines. In the 60th Soviet ideology supposed work with land as one of the main components for concept of free time of urbanite.

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Concept in itself was very sustainable. Every space of huge country was under some additional use, permanent or temporary. Enthusiasm born from propaganda work, was a good resource for the development of one-six part of Earth. There were a lot of examples: student works on agriculture fields during summer holidays, touristic adventures as a part of geography science research, works on construction of distant objects in Siberia just as a valuable part of young person “portfolio� for future and so on. Urban people free time was used for developing territories in nearest countryside. There was no question of property or private use.

Since 40th in the USSR ordinary citizens were given small pieces of land, which was forbidden to do anything except to grow horticultural and vegetable crops. Then through the history they developed as normal dachas with plot, house and other buildings. Only unofficial status of given garden remained.

garden comradeship under the pylons photo by Anton Ivanov, 2011

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unnoficial This settlement look like informal piece of paradise.

May be it will soon be surrounded by the city and the history of the settlement Sokol, constructed in twenties repeated.

cabinet of garden comradeship cooperative chairman photos by Anton Ivanov, 2011

Moral Code of communism builders

“In 1965 there were only 100 gardens, now there are 1706 dachas. In Soviet time plot was given to cultivate the right attitude to the Land among youbg people. Through land attitude i divide people in two categories slackers and workers. Now dacha had no clear foundation in Law system, Law of “Dacha amnesty” doesn’t work.

Many of first owners remained here. plots were given not only for builders, also there are oficcers from rocket army, workers of NPO “Istok” (radio research institute). We revitalised the land under powerlines into paradise” Vorobiev Georgiy Trofimovich, chairman of the cooperative from its foundation in 1965

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Now this is a self-contained town with a population of about a thousand people, most of whom live here permanently. Settlement has its own administration, headed by the mayor, store, church, the construction market.

The paradox of this and similar settlements is that they are not on any official map, and accordingly they are not included in any of the plans for the development of urban areas. They exist as a ghost cities in reality. Or maybe it is the real cities exist in some sort of post-soviet legislative ghost reality.

local dacha house with a plot, photos by Anton Ivanov, 2011

“Dacha is everything for me. We bought this house and plot 7 years ago. I always live there all year long with my grandson. Instead of kindergarden he visit local Children development center. I feel freedom here, everything i have here, i made by my own hands.�

Elena Igorievna, Arseniy, locals

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DREAM GEOGRAPHY

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dream geography Commuting citizens - is the main character of zagorod life. Seasonal population of the Moscow Region (summer dachniki) is approximately four million people. Being in a state of “freedom” out of the city at their dachas, fantasies of Soviet citizens still remained within the borders of the Soviet empire, controled be the Iron Curtain.

With the advent of international tourism in Russia, after the events of 1991 boundaries of the imagination expanded to the global scale. The dream of unlimited travel has become a feasible reality. Tourism has become a new form of pop culture. In the area of new remote housing tourism is undergoing an unexpected development, acting at the cover of new elite housing construction new Europe and America rebuilding currently in Moscow Region.

Under this scenario, the construction of freedom can not be done without an architect. He is desperately looking for new images of luxury and prestige, exploring one and then the other point on the map of Europe. A trip on the Moscow area turns into a crazy touristic attraction: here are Little Italy, Monaco, Belgium, Benelux, Baden Baden. And everything is at a distance of forty, fifty kilometers from Moscow. Geography dreams realized in the immediate vicinity.

Only the context of Moscow Region prevents the full realization of the perfect illusion. Unfortunately powdered mass of concrete are squeezed between smelly cowshed and threaded post Soviet horticultural cottages.

The modern reality of countryside luxury Moscow is a species of palm trees in mixed with factory chimneys.

Recently, the “western”, created by the architectural manner has become one of the main features of successful image on the real estate market of cottage settlements. Luxury templates reproduce the Western aristocratic life in reality. This loading process of architectural exercises of past eras, emblems rich life of the past. Only a half hour trip from Moscow and you can feel yourself a European in the privileged environment.

Geography is broken, a new freedom - is the availability of all, what the client wants.

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Moscow region map of Europe Monakovo

Vita Ve

Agalarov estate Monteville Sherwood

Little Italy Pavlovskiy les Bosconi Sovereign

Moscow

Benelux Europe Barviha hills Barviha village Barviha club

Deauville village

Belgian suburb la Promenade

Belgian village Badens hills

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Prime ville

Cote d'Azur

erde

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Douvile luxury settlement photos by Aleksandr Tokarev, 2011

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