MIND THE GAP: reborn of an ex-diamond mine by Valentina Smirenina

MIND THE GAP

Politecnico di Milano School of Architecture and Society Master Degree program â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mind the Gapâ&#x20AC;? Master Degree Thesis Research Results and Project. Thesis Author: Valentina Smirenina Matricola number 797587 Academic Year 2014 - 2015 Thesis Supervisor: Remo Dorigati Assistant Professor: Gian Luca Brunetti

First edition, December 2015 Printed: PRINT&GO, Milan, Italy Edition 4 copies Second edition, March 2016 Printed: PRINT&GO, Milan, Italy Edition 4 copies

POLITECNICO DI MILANO School of Architecture and Society Course of Architecture

MIND THE GAP

reborn of an ex-diamond mine

Supervisor: Remo Dorigati w professor: Gian Luca Brunetti Thesis Author: Valentina Smirenina ID number: 797587

Academic Year 2014-2015

CONTENTS Abstract English Russian Italian

3 4 5

CHAPTER I. Reminiscences of the Past 1.1. Refused Places 1.2. From Use to Abuse

9 11 23

CHAPTER II. Dante’s Hell or Holy Grail? 2.1. Diamond World 2.2. “Lucky” Mine 2.3. Siberian Character 2.4. Living Siberia 2.5. “Holy Grail” in Siberia

33 35 41 49 73 85

CHAPTER III. “Mind the gap“ 3.1. Manifesto 3.2. Environmental Strategy 3.3. Functional Zoning 3.4. Infrastructure System *Fairy tale of a diamnod mine-city 3.5. Single Unit 3.6. Piazza 3.7. Mine-city *Photographs of the maquettes

87 89 97 103 119 134 137 155 161 162

Appendix List of Figures Bibliography Acknowledgment

167 169 179 180

Abstract

Nature has always been very generous towards humanity. There are many expressions about her “gifts” and “presents” to people. Among all of them, there are natural resources. Through many years, people learned how to use the gifts of nature and Nature herself. In time, the “use” of nature turned to “abuse”. Urban development, cultural growth, industrialization and many other causes stimulated people to explore the nature and find possibilities for humanity to use. People started digging into the ground, cutting down rain forests and draining water... All these actions left great scars on the face of Nature. With the industrial revolution came one of the biggest problems for nature management – mining. Mine industry left craters that look like enormous wounds on the body of Earth. They not only change landscape, but also may change the geomagnetic characteristics of the space surrounding them. Most often, these artificial landscapes are not watched back and after the production is closed, these great man-made craters remain without any maintenance. One of the largest mines in the world are the diamond open pits. The deepest one in the world has 2 kilometers in diameter and 640 meters depth. It seems like the Dante’s Hell in reality. It locates in Siberia, Yakutia, and called Udachnaja. Environmental conditions are very tough and severe, but people still live in this area and have a certain good quality of life. In fact, people from ancient times used to live in Siberia and respect nature. As a result of a research, there is a an idea that “Dante’s Hell” could be turned into “Holy Grail”. The ex-diamond crater could be turned into a settlement that would coexist with Nature and consider the specific climatic conditions. This idea is based on the cultural, ethnical, environmental, architectural and urban researches of this remote region.

Абстракт

Природа всегда была щедрой к людям. Существует множество выражений и фраз, связанных с ее дарами человеку. Среди них особое значение имеют при-родные ресурсы. В течение столетий люди изучали, как можно пользоваться да-рами природы. Но, к сожалению, использова-ние природы перешло в «злоупотребление». Развитие городов, культурный рост населения, индустриализация и многие другие причины подвигли людей на освоение природы и ее богатств. Люди начали «врываться» в землю, вырубать леса, осушать водоемы… Все эти действия не прошли бесследно и оставили шрамы на лике Природы. Индустриальная революция в народном хозяйстве определила активное развитие горнодобывающей промышленности, которая способна оставлять на по-верхности Земли кратеры, похожие на огромные раны. Кроме изменения в ланд-шафте, они способны менять геомагнитные характеристики местности и про-странства вокруг. В большинстве случаев, после завершения работ на таких ме-сторождениях, горнодобывающие карьеры так и остаются зияющими кратерами, сотворенными человеком. Наиболее глубокие кратеры в земле остаются на месте «алмазных трубок». Самый глубокий алмазодобывающий карьер имеет 2 км в диаметре и 640 м в глу-бину. Эта алмазная трубка находится в Якутии и называется «Удачная». Внешне трубка напоминает кратер из «Ада» Данте. Природные условия Якутии очень сложные и жесткие. Но люди исторически селились в этих сложных климатических условиях, живя из поколения в поколение в согласии с природой. Эта работа посвящена изучению вопроса о будущем алмазной трубки «Удачная» в Якутии. Главный вопрос стоит в том, возможно ли превратить «Дан-товский Ад» в «Священный Грааль». В связи с этим, диссертация предлагает проект по созданию поселения в карьере «Удачная», с учетом климатических, этнических и технических условий. Проект базируется на архитектурных, градостроительных и культурно-исторических исследованиях территории.

Abstract

La natura è stata molto generosa con l’umanità, e al riguardo ci sono molte espressioni sui suoi “doni” e “regali”. Tra questi, ci sono le risorse naturali. Durante i secoli, le persone hanno imparato ad usare i doni della natura, e la natura stessa. Con il tempo, l’uso della natura diventò un abuso... Lo sviluppo urbano, la crescita culturale, l’industrializzazione e molte altre cause hanno stimolato la gente ad esplorare la natura e le possibilità nascoste al suo interno. La gente iniziò a scavare la terra, abbattere le foreste pluviali e inquinare le acque. Tutte azioni che hanno lasciato grandi cicatrici sul volto della Natura. Con la rivoluzione industriale è anche iniziato uno dei maggiori problemi per la gestione della natura - quello minerario. L’industria mineraria lascia crateri che sembrano enormi ferite sul corpo della Terra. Essi non solo cambiano il paesaggio, ma causano anche modifiche nelle caratteristiche geomagnetiche dello spazio loro circostante. Molto spesso, questi paesaggi artificiali non sono più considerati una volta consumate tutte le risorse, ed i grandi crateri artificiali rimangono senza alcuna manutenzione. Tra i crateri più profondi del mondo, troviamo le miniere di diamanti. Il cratere di diamante più profonda del mondo misura 2 km di diametro e 640 metri di profondità. Quasi una rappresentazione dal vivo dell’Inferno di Dante. Si localizza in Siberia, Yakutia, e viene chiamato Udachnaja. Le condizioni ambientali sono molto dure e severe, ma nonostante ciò, la gente vive ancora in queste zone, riuscendo a sostenere una buona qualità di vita. Se andiamo a vedere documenti storici, troviamo popolazioni che fin dall’antichità vivevano in Siberia nel rispetto della natura. Come risultato di una ricerca, c’è un’idea che un inferno “dantesco” possa essere trasformato in un’opportunità di rinnovate risorse. Un’idea che il cratere abbandonato di diamanti potrebbe trasformarsi in un insediamento che dovrebbe coesistere con la natura e prendere in considerazione le condizioni specifiche del clima. Questa idea concettuale si basa sul piano culturale, etnico, ambientale, architettonico e urbanistico di questa regione così remota.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.â&#x20AC;? J.R.R. Tolkien

Fig. 1.1, Keelung city, Taiwan

CHAPTER I

REMINISCENCE OF PAST

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fantasy, abandoned by reason, produces impossible monsters; united with it, she is the mother of the arts and the origin of marvels.â&#x20AC;? Francisco de Goya

CHAPTER ABOUT the problem of the refused

places, nature abuse and mining industry that leaves artificial landscape and causes environmental, geomagnetical and ethical problems.

CHAPTER KEY WORDS:

time, abondoned places, history, ghost places, refused places, mining, industry, artificial landscape, nature, management, abuse, humanity, ecology, memory, environment.

Fig. 1.2 I.M. Cooling Tower, Belgium

1.1. REFUSED PLACES “Time’s the thief of memory” Stephen King

It is in people’s nature to create. This helps them to live and makes their life easier. In ancient times they were creating to survive. Nowadays people create for economy, politics, esthetics, comfort and so on. But there is also the other side of the medal. When a place is no loger needed, it becomes a refused object. Some of these places, once beautiful and prosperous, inhabited and full of life turned into ghost places. They were deserted because of different reasons: economical, political, social, ecological and other. However, abondoned places didn’t lost their charm and character.These places still attract people to visit them. Scale and typology of these places vary: houses, mills, hotels, amusement parks, farms, railways and even the whole cities, like Detroit in USA (fig. 1.5, fig. 1.6), Hashima Island in Japan (fig. 1.7), Pripyat in Ukraine and Craco in Italy (fig. 1.8). There are a lot of refused areas that relate to industry, like I. M. Cooling Tower in Belgium (fig. 1.2). One type of industry that leaves significant refused places is mining. There are so many thriller stories about the abandoned mines. Sadly, these stories have a true side. Mines are very likely to be abandoned due to the different causes. Reason, that depend on human is money. After a mine is no longer profitable, company closes it. In most cases it remains as it is, because it takes extra amount of budget to “undo” the mine. Nowadays people talk so much of the “reuse” and “recycle”, but in somehow they forgot about “refuse”. Not all of the abondoned places are possible to revive or to make safe for visitors due to some ecological and security reasons. However, there are still places that can get their second chance of life. Partially it depends on the willingness of people to reborn it. Preservation of a place gives the possibility to preserve the memory. 11

Fig. 1.3 El Hotel del Salto, Colombia Was abondoned In 1990s because of the contamination of the river from 1970s. In 2013 was reopened as a Tequendama Falls Museum.

Fig. 1.4 Abondoned mill, Sorrento, Italia Was abondoned because of the construction of the Tasso square, that separated the mill from the sea in 1866.

Fig. 1.5 The abandoned Fisher Body 21 building, Detroit, USA Detroit was build as an industrial city and nowadays is one of the world famous examples of ghost cities. In the 1950s after the industrial restructuring and loss of jobs in the auto industry, city lost a significant part of population. With time this tendency was just increasing.

Fig. 1.6. Abandoned Church, Detroit, USA

Fig. 1.7 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Battleshipâ&#x20AC;? Island Nagasaki Japan City was created as an artificial island to host mining facilities. The undersea coal mining was here in the period from 1887 till 1974. After the resource was finished, city turned to a ghost place.

Fig. 1.8 Craco, Italia It was abandoned because of the possible landslides and earthquakes that already had happen in the past. The mountain that host the city could collapse any moment.

Fig. 1.9 Machu Pikchu, Peru One of the most famous ghost cities of the history. Both the creation and the death of this city remain as a big mystery even nowadays, leaving just theories and legends.

Fig. 1.10 Ta-Prohm-Temple.-Angkor Wat in Cambodia-Cambodia It was abandoned after the fall of Khmer Empire and remain deserted and neglected for centures. Nowadays it is a big attraction for tourists

Fig. 1.11 Asuncion, Paraguay Tree grows in an abandoned industrial tower.

Fig. 1.12 Fishing village, Gouqi island, Zhoushan Archipelago, China Villageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s occupation was mainly fishing, what is primary industry. After the economical growth in China and the development of the secondary and tertialy industries, economical base of Zhoushan Archipelago was diversified. Therefore, some of the fishing villages were abandoned.

Fig. 1.13 Aral Sea Was an endorheic sea, laying between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It started steadly shrinking since 1960s, because of the Soviet irrigation project. In 2009 the south east part of the lake dry out completely.

1.2. FROM USE TO ABUSE “Man is a complex being: he makes deserts bloom - and lakes die” Gil Stern

Nature is very generous. Throughout the history people were enjoying her “gifts”. But what was a “use” of nature thousands years ago unfortunatelly became an “abuse” with time. Nature management became an issue of economy, politics and ethics. Nowadays the consumption of the nature is enormous. In order to reach certain level in production, construction, urbanization or any other cultural and economical fields people started to turn nature into money. They learned how to change environmental conditions of a place for their own profit. For example, Aral sea (fig. 1.13, 1.14) almost dryed out because the rivers that fed the sea were used in the irrigation project during the Soviet Union period. Another very crucial aspect of nature abuse is clearance of rain forests (fig.1.15). Along with the urban development and cultural growth people started to explore the possibilities of Earth’s entrails. Industrial development pushed people to start digging into the ground and search for precious goods. One of the biggest problems of nature management is mining. It has the most severe post-use conditions. Of course, all the technical specifics depend on the mining type. The largest operating mine in the world is a copper open pit Chuquicamata in Chile (fig.1.16). It is 3 kilometers long and 850 meters deep. It is a completely artificial landscape. One of the well known marvels in the world, “Big Hole” (fig. 1.17) in Africa is an old diamond mine. After the resources were finished, it was partially filled with the debris and underground waters turned this place to a 40 meters deep artificial lake.

Fig. 1.14 Aral Sea After the southestern part of the lake dryed out, the new Aralkum Desert born on its place. It is extremely polluted and also causes ecological and health issues.

Fig. 1.15 Amazon Rain Forests Demolishing of the rain forests is one of the modern ethical, political and economical problems of the world.

Fig. 1.16 Chuquicamata, Chile The biggest open pit copper mine in the world. Still functioning.

Fig. 1.17 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Holeâ&#x20AC;? diamond mine, South Africa After the resource was finished, the open pit mine was closed and partially covered with the debris. Underground waters turned it into an artificial lake.

right photo Fig. 1.18 Diamond mine Mir and the Mirnij city around it, Yakutia, Russia Inactive diamond mine sincce 2004. Mir mine was discovered in 1955 by soviet geological expedition. It is 525 meters deep and has 1200 meters in diameter. It was the fourth deepest open pit diamond mine in the world and the second largest excavated hole in the ground.

left photo Fig. 1.19 Diamond mine Udachnaja, Yakutia, Russia

As shown before, mining industries could leave enormous wounds on the body of Earth. They not only change the landscape, but also could change environmental characteristics of the space. (fig. 1.18, 1.19) Becuse of the scale, these places are difficult to maintain after the end of operations. For this reason, spaces of ex-production become unwanted and refused. The most difficult environmental problems that leads to ecological issues are created by diamond mines. The diamantiferous kimberlite pipes locate in Africa, Canada and Siberia. Becasue of the rough climate and environment conditions, mines in Canada and Siberia turn into the ground wounds and remain as huge man-made craters. Deep level of permafrost, wind, underground waters and landslides are destroying open pits with time. They turn into big ingulf craters. They grab and tear the ground masses around towards the bottom. Furthermore, diamond mines usually have dud areas with no aircraft allowed over the open pit, becasue of the airflows geomagnetic changes that they create.

Fig. 1.20 Diavik diamond mine, Canada Mine consists of 4 kimberlite pipes. The area was surveyed in 1992 and construction began in 2001. In March 2010, underground mining started to work at the mine. The transition from open pit to underground mining was completed in September 2012.

Fig. 1.21, People next to the mine Udachnaja, Yakutia, Russia

Fig. 2.1 Collage. Siberian diamond mine perception

CHAPTER II

DANTE’S HELL OR HOLY GRAIL?

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” John Muir, Our National Parks

CHAPTER ABOUT

the volcanic kimberlite pipes and production of diamonds in the Siberian diamond mine called Udachnaja, specifics of the environment, nature and climate in Yakutia and how it affects the life style, traditional dwellings and customs of local people.

CHAPTER KEY WORDS: volcanic pipes,

kimberlit, diamond, climate, mine, industry, Siberia, Yakutia, climate, environment, traditions, housing, society, customs, taiga, nature, human, scale, culture, flora, life style, balagan, urasa, zemlyanka.

Fig. 2.2 Diamond in Kimberlite.

2.1. “DIAMOND“ WORLD “Man shapes himself through decisions that shape his environment“ Rene Dubos

Diamond deposits could be of two types: fundamental and alluvial. Initially people were finding diamonds accidentaly and mainly in the alluvial deposits that they were called “wet pits“. They contain about 15% of the diamond resources. The other 85% concentrated in the kimberlite (fig. 2.2) and lamproite tubes, that people used to call “dry pits“, after miners found diamonds far off the rivers. Only after that minecrafts of diamond were searched purposely. The first “dry pit“ was discovered and founded in 1870 in South Africa and was called Jagersfontein mine. It is famous for the first biggest found diamond by its time, Excelsior diamond and Jubilee (Reitz) diamond, the 6th largest diamond in the world. These are the two of the ten biggest diamonds ever discovered. This pit was the biggest hand-excavated hole in the world, slightly bigger then the “Big Hole“ kimberlite tube, that was discovered in 1873. Jagersfontein mine was 19,65 hectares and 200 meters deep. The open pit stopped operating in 1909 and the close pit was functioning until its final closure in 1971. Currently the mine area is closed for public. Even though, the most well known diamond mines first appeared in Africa, the first original diamond deposits were discovered and operated in India. But the amount of production there was not so big. The first major diamond center and one of the most productive diamond mines in the world was Kollur Mine. It operated between 16th and 19th centuries. There were discovered the most celebrated Kohinoor diamond, “Tavernier Diamond”, Regent Diamond and many other famous diamonds.

Fig. 2.4 Sketch of a kimberlite pipe structure

Fig. 2.3 Geologic provinces of the world (USGS) Shield Platform Orogen Basin Large igneous province Extended crust Oceanic crust: 0â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20 Ma 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;65 Ma >65 Ma

original land surface

tuff cone

sandstone red beds

kimberlite

shales

quartzite gnesis& schist magma

Original deposits of the diamonds are kimberlites and lamproites. They related with the cratons (fig. 2.3), old and stable part of the continental lithosphere. Characteristical composition of them is ancient crystaline basement rock, that could be covered with younger sedimentary rock. Cratons have thick crust and lithospheric roots that extend for several hundred kilometers into the Earth’s mantle. Both kimberlite and lamproite tubes are volcanic cones, but have different rock types. (fig. 2.4) Volcanic pipes are subterranean geological structures formed by the violent, supersonic eruption of deep-origin volcanoes. They are composed of a deep, narrow cone of solidified magma and are usually largely composed of kimberlite or lamproite. Volcanic pipes are relatively rare. According to the researches, there are about 90% of diamond reserve locates in kimberlite pipes and 10% in lamproite pipes. Therefore, diamonds production mainly based on the kimberlite tubes. (fig. 2.5) The stratums of resource represent a tornado or carrot-shape cone, that goes down for many kilometers and at some point beomes a lead. Operated diamond mine usually represents an open pit. It works while it is still economically beneficial to eleborate the deposit. After the resource’s stratum depletes or goes deeper, open pit should be closed and the close pit starts the operation. Open pit mines visually remind of craters (fig. 2.6). They are surrounded by big amount of debris that usually collected in hills around the mine. Nearby there are tailing pits, earth-fill embankment dams used to store byproducts of mining operations. In some cases they might look like artificial lakes with unusual colour. Craters made by open pit mine usually remain without significant maintenance after the depletion and closure of the mine. Main reason to it is the lack of means and investments. In cases, where the depth is not big, craters are partially covered with excavated ground (“Big Hole“ diamond mine, South Africa). Otherwise, open pits stay as there are (Mirnaja diamond mine, Russia).

Fig.2.5 Distribution of kimberlite pipes worldwide

Barreni kimberlite (rare diamonds) Diamond-bearing (subeconomic) Minor primary (kimberlite deposit) Major primary (kimberlite deposit) Craton

Fig.2.6 Typical diamond mine sketch

Mine shaft

old open-pit mine

debris from old mine

tunnel elevator 463 meters kimberlite pipe 561 meters

658 meters drainage pump

Fig. 2.7 Udachnaja open pit mine

2.2. “LUCKY“ MINE “There is a holy silence in this virgin creation and soul interflows with this wild, but majestic nature“ Alexander Bestuzhev

Diamond mine in Siberia was chosen for the deepest research of the problem and project design, due to rough climate and environmental conditions of the place. Furthermore, the resource possibilities of these lands are huge and yet not totally discovered. Besides there are a lot of diamonds mines in East Siberia. The most big ones are in Yakutia. In 1950s there were a lot of geological expeditions to the Far East and Siberia aimed to find kimberlite tubes. Famous soviet author, geologist, palaeontologist and philosopher, Ivan Efremov wrote a story, where people believe he foretold the existance of the kimberlite tubes in Yakutia. Actually, back then researches and geologists were supposing, that there might be volcanic pipes in Siberia and Far East, because of the similar geological situation with Africa. Siberia also locates on a craton. The deepest diamond mine is called Udachnaja (fig. 2.7, fig. 2.8). It is 2 kilometers in diameter and is 640 meters deep. It was discovered on June 15, 1955, by the soviet geologist Vladimir Shchukin and his team. It locates just 20 kilometers far off the Arctic cirlce (at 66°26’N 112°19’E). Open pit operated since 1982. From June 2014 the close pit started to function, because the open pit was no longer beneficial. Economical analysis showed it has a potential for 225,8 million carats of diamonds. The annual production capacity is 10,4 million carats.

Fig. 2.8 Udachnaja diamond open pit mine

Fig. 2.9 Map of Russia Location of the Udachnaja mine

Yakutia Udachnaja mine

Fig. 2.10 Drawing. Guide map of northeast Yakutia

Fig. 2.11 Udachnaja diamond mine, Yakutia, Russia

Arctic Ocean

Lena pillars

Udachnaja mine

Lena river Mir mine

Fig. 2.12 Drawing. Guide map of Udachnaja mine surroundings

Debris hills Factory Tailing pits

Udachny city

Aeroport

Natural Lake Tailing pits

Open pit Udachnija (fig. 2.9) is located 1370 kilometers from the regional administrative center, Yakutsk. And 550 kilometers far from another diamond mine called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mir. In the northeast direction there is another â&#x20AC;&#x153;youngâ&#x20AC;? diamond tube. Production in that open pit started a few years ago. The only administrative main road is connecting the city and the diamond mine from the south. City that supports the mine consists of three parts. Old city is empty since 1998 and all the inhabitants moved into a New City on the south west from the open pit. Third part of the city is an airport 7 kilometers far from the Udacnhaja mine on the west. Total population of the settlement is 11 564 people. Leftover materials from the open pit locate around the crater. (fig. 2.11) Tailing pits on the southeast of the mine look like artificial lakes. Water there is unappropriate for drinking, because it contains heavy chemical minerals. However, after special purification operations this water could be used for technical and domestic needs. Artificial hills of the debris locate on the north side of the Udachnaja mine. Mining factory and headquarters are located on the east and northeast of the open pit. The main roads that connect the crater and its infrastructure with the city and the mining factory enter the mine from the west and east. Roads inside the open pit has different types of organization, because of the different years of mine operation. Some levels have a spiral system and some have parallel terraces with connecting ramps.

Fig.2.13 Siberia

2.3. SIBERIAN CHARACTER “Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.” Lewis Carroll,

What exactly is Siberia? Do people live there? Is it a land of snow? Why do you go there? Do they torture people there? These and many other questions come to the mind of a European person, or “people from continent”, as natives call outlanders. In reality, not many people know, that Siberia is a very imposrtant region of education and science. There are a lot of universities, reserch centers and schools, that are well known in scientific world. Scientists come to Siberia to study different disciplines and natural phenomena. Besides, because of the rich resource base, many industrial cities grow up here. It is a hole “new world“ for those who have never heard about it. Siberia has a lot of secrets. Some of them are yet to be discovered. It is a beautiful land and people lived here for a long time. Her deep forests of taiga are called green lungs of the planet. But one of the difficulties here is climate. Not every person will love to experience winter here. Even though Siberia also has Northern light, tourists would prefer to go to Norway to enjoy the view. Nevertheless, extreme winter tourism is getting popular amoung foreign people lately. Still Siberia has a very rough characteristic, therefore, she remains “untouched”, as many russian poets and writers called her. Climate range on the territory of Siberia is very diverse. However, since the Udachnaja mine locates in the north part of the region, the further research will be concentrated on that part of Siberia in Yakutia. 49

Fig. 2. 14 Map of Siberian and Far Eastern Economical Federal regions Siberia economical district Far East economical district Udachnaja mine

Fig. 2.15 Map of Russian Natural regions Caucas Russian flaland Ural West Siberian flatland Middle and Northen East SIberia Belt of South Siberia Far East Udacnhaja mine

According to the natural regions classification (fig. 2.15) Yakutia belongs to Middle and North East Siberia. Howeve, according the economical zoning, it bolongs to the Far East (fig. 2.14). Yakutia comprising half of the territory of the Far Eastern Federal District. It is the largest subnational governing body by area in the world with covered area of 3,083,523 square kilometers. If the federal subjects of Russia could be compared with other countries, it is the eighth largest territory in the world. It is larger than Argentina and a bit smaller than India, that has an area of 3,287,590 square kilometers. As it is represented on the population density map (fig. 2.16) both Siberia and the Far East regions have the smallest amount of people per square meter in Russia. Yakutia has population of 958,528 (consisting mainly of ethnic Yakuts and Russians), amoung which 269 601 people live in the capital of Yakutia, Yakutsk. The capital is located about 450 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. While the Udachnaja mine and city (Udachny) is just 20 kilometers far from the Arctic Circle. Therefore the climate is slightly different in the mine area, but it could be considered for the abstract climatic research. Fig. 2.16 Map population density in Russia (person/sq km) <2 2-5 5-10 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 >60

Fig. 2.17 Map of Life quality according environmental conditions in different zones of Russia Absolutelly unfavorble Very unfavorable Relatively unfavorable Relativly favorable Favorable Most favorable

Fig. 2.18 Map of the climate zones in Russia and location of the Arctic circle Arctic Subarctic. *Artic circle border Continental subarctic severe Humid continental Continental Warm continental Subtropical

According to the classification of the life quality due to environmental conditions, Udachny city locates in the unfavourable area (fig. 2.17). The annual average temprature is -11.8 째C. Annual air humidity is 74,7% and the average wind speed is 3.2 m/s. Fig. 2.19 Wind direction and speed, Yakutsk, Yakutia, Russia

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Fig. 2.20 Annual amospheric pressure, Yakutsk, Yakutia, Russia

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Fig. 2.21 Annual visibility, Yakutsk, Yakutia, Russia

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Fig. 2.22 Map of the Annual average temperature of the air, 째C less << -16

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Fig. 2.23 Map of the Annual accumulated sun radiation in Russia, MJ/sq m 400

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Climate in Yakutia is subarctic (fig. 2.21). Winters in Udachny city are rather severe, but not as much as in other northern regions. Temperatures in January could drop from -34.4 째C to -52째C and more, as it is the coldest month of the year (fig. 2.22). Summer in Udacnhy city is mild. (fig. 2.24) The warmest month is July, with average temperature of +14.4 째C. But during the year temperatures could rise over +21 째C. Precipitation is quite low here, but is relatively higher in summer than in other times of the year. Therefore, atmospheric visibility (fig. 2.21) is very good: there is clear sky ten month out of twelve. (fig. 2.23) The other environment peculiarity, that effects the life in this region is permafrost. Soil gets frozen deep down to several hundred meteres (fig. 2.25). Therefore, construction there is mainly based on the pillars. Fig. 2.24 Seasons percentage in the climate of Udachnij Winter Spring Summer Autumn Fig. 2.25 Map of the Permafrost spread in Russia Deep permafrost. Depth more then 500m Deep permafrost. Depth 300-500m Deep permafrost. Depth 100-300m Local permafrost. Depth 100m Discrete perfafrost. Depth 25m

Fig. 2.26 Map of taiga and tundra forests in Russia Tundra territory Taiga territory

Fig. 2.27 Taiga

Most part of the territory of Yakutia is covered with taiga that changes with tundra towards the north. These forests were called the lungs of the planet, Siberian jungles and world bank of the wood resource. Meanwhile, in folk stories taiga was very often called primeval forest, where one could get lost by the power of evil spirits and nature will. Famous Russian explorer, Vladimir K. Arseniev, wrote several stories about taiga. In his book, “Dersu Uzala” he describes a native man, Dersu Uzala, who speaks about nature as if it is a person. The character says that fire have to eat, water has a soul and wind might be angry. He speaks about the wild boars, that they are humans too, but the clothes are different. During the expeditions, described in the book, people met up with a tiger, who considered a to be master of taiga (fig. 2.27). Dersu Uzala spoke to the animal as it was a person and tried to explain and reason the tiger why it should go away. Character of Dersu Uzala (fig. 2.28) became a collective image of native people, that used to live in this area for many years. They believed that the true master of this place is Nature and everyone should respect her rules. Culturally and ethnically the world around them was humanized and the presence of Nature was always celebrated. As long as all the rules are observed, human and Nature may live in harmony. Fig. 2.28 Poster for the movie “Dersu Uzala“, 1974. by Yurij Raksha. Talk with the fire. “Fire is also people“ - Dersu Uzala

Fig.2.29 Lena Pillars. In the World Heritage List since 2012, Yakutia, Russia

Fig.2.30 Lena Pillars. In the World Heritage List since 2012, Yakutia, Russia

Fig. 2.31 Taiga, Siberia, Yakutia

Fig. 2.32 Vegetation carpet in taiga

Fig. 2.33 Nature of Yakutia

Fig. 2. 34 Yakutia

Fig. 2.35 Yakutia, Russia

Fig. 2.36 Yakutia, Russia

Fig. 2.37 Labrador tea in forests of Siberia

Fig. 2.38 Flower carpet in Siberia

Fig. 2.39 Berries of taiga: cowberry, blueberry

Fig. 2.40 Carpet of cowberry in Siberia

Fig. 2.41 Yakutian horse Historically native people were nomads. Their main occupation was hunting, gathering, fishing and animal breeding. Yakutia is famous for horse breeding and raindeer breeding. They have a special specie of horse: short, furry, strong and climate tolerant.

Fig. 2.42 Deers in the nature of Yakutia

Fig. 2.43 Serghe, traditional sacral horse binding pillars in Yakutia

2.4. LIVING SIBERIA “When you need to deal with the nature and use her gifts in their original state, you need to communicate with nature even when she is not tender to you” Arseniev Vladimir K.

Native people used to arrange their houses with the respect of environmental conditions and spirit of the place. Initially, dwellings looked like any other traditional nomadic tents. Wooden structure of the house was partially dug into the ground and covered with skin and fur of animals. Nowadays this type is called “urasa” (fig. 2.44, 2.45) and considered as a summer or temporal house. When the community was settling down, their houses were changing as well. Shelters were getting warmer and more solid to resist rough winters. Traditional winter house is called “balagan“ (fig. 2.46, 2.47). It is made with wood and mud, natural building materials. Bearing walls are made of inclinated on 80-70 degrees trunks of trees, that tightly bound together and partially dug into the ground for stability. There are also supportive beams and columns inside the house. Their quantity depends on a size of the stracture. Exterior walls usually coated with mud and roof has a pillow of grass and eath. Windows are very small and locate all around the house. Balagan and urasa could exists in the settlement at the same time and being used according the season. Due to the difficult environmental conditions, people used to live in small communities. Houses were groupped accordingly social factors. Amoung the family houses, there usually was a “main“ big house where everyone could fit and where people held the important events. In the smaller communities and more ancient times, this type of house could serve as a common space, where all the families were living, sleeping and eating together during winters. 73

Fig. 2.44 Wooden urasa. More stable option of a light summer house.

Fig. 2.45 Summer urasa Could be portable. Pillars and the cover of the house was possible to mount and dismount fast. So it was easy to carry this structure if the family was travelling to a new place. It was a typical house during the nomadic times.

Fig. 2.46 Balagan. Traditional winter house. Later became a variation of a stable traditional house.

Fig. 2.47 Balagan

Fig. 2.48 Traditional house of nomadic people.

Orientation of the traditional dwelling during nomadic times was very significannt. East was believed to be a sacred space, where the gods live and bring the good news. While the west was a side of winds, that bring bad news. North was considered as a place of dead and outer world. South was a neutral space. In the Yakutian urasa, or any other similar houses of nomadic people, there was a hole in the middle of the roof. Accept the fact, that it was a made as chimney hole for the fire smoke to escape the house, it had a sacred meaning as well. The hole on the roof in the belief of natives was an entrance for the spirits. They were entering and exiting the house through this “door”. According to this, people usually were placing a family totem under the roof hole, right next to the fireplace. It was the heart of the house. Zonning of the interior space was important as well. (fig. 2.48) The main entrance usually was from the south. Therefore, the the main space of the house was on the north, on the opposite side from the entrance. It was a place of the elders of the family. East of the house was belonging to the women and household activities. Guests were placed on the left side from the entrance. If the guests were very important there were placed at the north side of the house. Such zonning was also reasoned by the environment conditions. West and east sides of the house were usually shorter, than the north and south ones. West wall of the house was the coldest one, because of the front winds and distance from the fireplace. Even later, when the fire place became a stove and located on the east of a house, west side was considered a guest side. Therfore, it was not used in common family routine. (fig. 2.49 - 2.52) Another very spreaded type of the house along Russia is a dugout house, “zemlyanka” (fig. 2.52, 2.53). It is a house inside the ground. The only part that stays above the ground is the roof. Main volume of the house is a dug out a hole in the ground. Walls are insulated with mainly local material, such as moss, leaves, dry wood etc. Door usually faces south or west, because in Russian tradition, east considered to be a sacred place due to religious issues. This type of house is fast and easy to build and demands only natural material: wood and mud. Therfore it was considered as a temporal dwelling or dwelling for poor people. This strategy nowadays is used very often by hunters, explorers, travelers and local people. In nature, this idea could be conceptually compared with the lair of a bear.

left up photo Fig. 2. 49 Interior of Balagan, Yakutia

left down photo Fig. 2.50 Interior of Balagan, Yakutia

right up photo Fig. 2.51 Interior of Balagan, Yakutia

right down photo Fig. 2.52 Interior of Balagan, Yakutia

right picture Fig. 2.53 Zemlyanka. Semi-underground hut.

down picture Fig. 2.54 Zemlyanka. Semi-underground hut.

Fig. 2.55 The Shire, Hobbits house

Fig. 2.56 Collage. Siberian diamond mine perception

2.5. HOLY GRAIL IN SIBERIA “Siberia is so big, it’s almost more an idea than a place” Ian Frazier

Despite all the climate specifics, people live in Siberia. The idea of “human in harmony with nature” is working perfectly, when the main environmental rules are respected. This place has a beautiful poetry and historical memory. However, without any maintenance, nature will try to stich the wound left by human. Weathering, landslides, underground waters and and other causes could change the landscape. However, it will demand a lot of years and no one knows what kind of damages it could bring to environmental system. Since the human is the one who created this place, it is reasonable to suppose that he is the one, who should take care of it. Eventually both Dante’s Hell and Holly Grail have a shape of a “crater”, as the mine does. However, it is up to the human perception to understand it negatively or positively (fig. 2.56). Therefore, it is possible to imagine the ex-Siberian mine to be reborn into a settlement. It will represent this space as a place of harmony between Nature and Human. The purpose of this experiment is to turn the refused object and ghost place that could remind Dante’s Hell into the Holy Grail, a place comfortable for people and nature.

Fig. 3.1 Collage. Mine-city.

CHAPTER III

MIND THE GAP

‘I guess when you turn off the main road, you have to be prepared to see some funny houses.’ Stephen King

CHAPTER ABOUT an experiment of creating

a city inside the ex-diamond mine, developing it’s infrastructural system and functional zoning; designing a system of underground houses and gardens that consider all the environmental, cultural and social specifics of the place.

CHAPTER KEY WORDS:

Siberia, Yakutia, Limonaia, Machu Picchu, Leonidov, project, mine, indeground, city, inverse, industrial, environment, analysis, function, infrastructure, residential, public, community, social, interwine, culture, terrace, house, space, node, hub, energy, buffer zone, material, piazza. 87

Fig. 3.2 Cappadocia, underground city, Turkey

3.1. PROJECT MANIFESTO

Project of the thesis is an experiment to imagine a city inside a crater of an ex-diamond mine. Based on the research on the research, strategy of the future project could be developed on the following ideas: 1. INVERSE CITY Traditional idea of the city is inverted. This idea is based on the concept of zemlyanka house and the idea of the underground cities. Classic skyline of a developed city was flipped and instead of an image of a “mountain”, represents an image of a “canyon” (fig. 3.3). One of the most famous historical underground city is Cappadocia in Turkey. In literature this kind of a city was pictured by Tolkien in his books (ex. Hobbit’s village, Elves castles, Orcs dungeons etc.). Another very famouse example of a fictional inversed city was represented in the world of “Star Wars” (ex. Tatooine, house of Skywalkers). Fig. 3.3 Sketch. Classic city vs Inverse city

Classic Sity skyline

Inverse city ground line 89

Fig. 3.4 Certosa monastery, Pavia, Italy Composition meaning: containing is more important, than the content. Fig. 3.5 Lalibela church, Ethiopia Composition meaning: content is more important, than the containing.

2. SPATIAL FUNCTION Spatial composition of the project is related to the function. This theory exists in the asian idea of the vessels (fig. 3.6). Vessel consists of two parts: the containing and the content. Or the walls and the void, respectively. Usually the void is considered to be more important, because it is the essence of the vesselâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s function. (fig. 3.5) In architectural laguage vessel could represent an object or a land lot. The containing part of the vessel are the walls of the building or the border (fence) of the lot. While the content of the vessel is the function of the architecture. Essence of the mine is ground, that represents boarder of the crater. While content of the mine becomes - void. Therefore, containing is more important than the content. So, function of the city is concentrated in the boarders, that influence the spatial composition of the project. Cultural example of this idea could be monastery in Pavia (fig. 3.4). Fig. 3.6 Sketch. Concept of the importance: containing vs content

containing is important

content is important

Fig. 3.7 Picture by Jean Jullien

3. SCALE PERCEPTION Scale perception based on the idea of the vastness. Poetically Siberia could be called enormous and endless (fig. 3.7). Native people believe, that the true master of place is Nature. Therefore, to highlight the scale difference between nature and people, the scale of the project should disguise human in the environment. In fact, this idea of vanishing within the forests existed in Russian culture. Monks, who wanted to separate themselves from the world were leaving cities to live in the deep woods. Many monasteries were build with this principle. Considering the cultural traditions, dwellings in Siberia were never tall and large. All of the dwellings were human-scaled. Therefore, the settlement could be percieved as “lost“ within the nature (fig. 3.8).

Fig.3.8 Sketch. Russian conception of land “Human is nothing compared to Nature” is a well-known saying in Russia.

Fig. 3.9 Coober Pedy Diggins. View to the city from above the ground

Fig. 3.10 Storage in the northeast Siberia

4. ENVIRONMENTAL ACCORDANCE Environmental concept consideres climate and physical characteriscs of the place. Project uses possibilities of the existing conditions, such as sun, wind, permafrost and temperature as advantages of the project. Fig. 3.11 Sketch. Strategy of using advantages of environmental condition

Using solar power

Using constant wind flow

Extraction of the constant temperature from the ground

5. DWELLING STRATEGY Dwelling strategy is based on the cultural research. Concept of the project considers a single unit as a part of a social comminity. Structurally design refers to the traditional houses of native people and zemlyanka, dug out house. Interior design and functional zoning also organized according the customs of ihabitants. Fig. 3.12 Winter and summer strategies of the traditional settlements in Siberia

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Fig. 3.13 Sketch. Adjustment of the open pit according to the environmental strategy

3.2. ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY

Corresponding the manifesto, the place for the future settlement should require the appropriate environmental conditions, such as sun light, wind, permafrost and temperature. Therefore, open pit should be modified before the set of the project (fig. 3.13). 1. SLOPES INCLINATION CHANGE Mine is already an artificial landscape. Its slopes were created according the technical specifics of an open pit and regulated by the engineering calculations. Usually the general inclination of the border of a diamond mine is 40-45 degrees maximum. This is related to the soil composition and geological structure of the place. Slope of Udachnaja diamond mine represents terraces of 20-80 meters height and with inclination of the supportive border for 70-80 degrees. Width of the step is minimum 15% of the height. Besides, open pit terraces could be visually devided into levels of mine operation. Deepest levels are the newest ones and usually higher. While the levels close to the surface are the oldest ones and more flat. Slopes of the Udachnaja mine are rather rapid (fig. 3.14). The northern one has an overall inclination of 30-40 degrees, while the south and west could reach 60 degrees. In the depth of 350 meters tcharacteristic of the terraces (fig. 3.15). Their height becomes more expressed and the width close to the minimun dimensions of 15%. Therefore, this depth will become a separation level. Terraces above will be changed to reach 20-30 degrees of general inclination and terraces below will be changed according to reach 40 degrees of general inclination. This division also will be used in the functional zoning. Adjustment of the boarderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inclination is done in order to provide better living conditions. Modified slopes of the mine stay close to the original technical inclination of the mine boarders. 97

Fig. 3.14 Scheme of a mine profile (A-A section) change according the environmental strategy. Step 1. Inclination of the mine sides, considering the depth. Existing mine profile Adjusted mine profile Existing inclination of mine sides Adjusted inclination of mine sides General inclination of mine sides

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Fig. 3.15 Scheme of a mine profile (A-A section) change according the environmental strategy. Step 2. Inclination of the mine sides, considering the depth. Existing mine profile Final mine profile Final inclination of mine sides New general inclination of mine sides

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According the light study (fig. 3.16, 3.17), north side is more exposed to the sun than other sides throughout the day. Therfore it is most appropiate for the resiential function. This side already has an inclination close to 30 degrees. So to provide a sweeter slope, north edge of the mine will be slightly moved towards the debris hills. (fig. 3.15) As a result, the general inclination of the north side will become about 20 degrees. In order to to provide better sun penetration inside the mine, the south slope of the crater could be enlarged (fig. 3.13). East and west sides of the mine already have roads, so they almost meet the requirement of the inclination. 2. DEPTH CHANGE Currently open pit is 640 meters deep. There is a danger of melted permafrost in this area. While the open pit is functioning, underground water is pumped out. But once the close pit will start working, there will be no need to dewater the low levels of the crater. Frozen grounds could reach up to 600 meters in there. In order to minimize the possibility of melting permafrost and increase the sun penetration to the bottom of the crater, 200 meters of the mine could be filled up with the debris of the old mine. As the result, depth of the mine could be rised up to 410 meters. (fig. 3.15) Special drainage system could be organized on the surface of the new level of the bottom of the mine. 3. HILLS ADJUSTMENT According to the wind anaysis (fig. 2.19), wind comes from the north and southwest. Winds in this area are not strong, but constant and could reach up to 5 m/s. Therefore, to protect the mine from the wind, the debris hills from the excavations around the mine could be partially relocated towards the north and south-west side of the crater. Special actions could be done for the reinforcement of the hills (fig. 3.13).

Fig. 3.16 Real situation of Udachnaja mine Sun study from sunrise to sunset. July, 21st.

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Fig. 3.17 Modified Udachnaja mine according the environmental strategy Sun study from sunrise to sunset, Jul, 21st.

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Fig. 3.18 Structural zoning of the mine city Z1 terraces Z2 terraces Z3 park Z4 piazza *Z1 terraces: Height: 9 meter Width: 15,6 meters Public& private buildings City Gardens (CG)

*Z3 park: Sloped sides of 20°-30°. Natural park (SP) and gardens (EG)

*Z2 terraces: Height: 6 meters Width: 7,2 meters Gardening and farming

*Z4 piazza: Public square with social activity “islands”

Fig. 3.19 Functional zoning in plan and A-A section of the mine city Living area Institutions Piazza Main road connection South park (EP) East gardens (EG) G1 - gardens G2 - green houses G3 - technological farming

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3.3. FUNCTIONAL ZONING

When the mine is environmentally adjusted for the settlement, it is possible to make the functional zoning (fig. 3.21) of the place. Based on the remaining structure of the open pit and changes of the slopes, mine is devided into several zones (fig. 3.18 ). According the environmental analysis, the north side of the mine is the best place for residential and social activity. The west side of the mine already has a developed system of roads. Therefore it will connect the outside infrastructure with the inside infrastructure and the airport. Old city on the south and the New city on the southwest are connected with the mine by the system of roads that goes around the open pit. Besides, the west and south-west sides of the open pit are most wind exposed, therefore there wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be any important permanent functions. South side would be turned into a huge park, with bushes, berries, local herbs and plants from taiga (fig. 3.19). There would be no tall trees, because they could cast shadow. This place will become sort of an open-air catalogue of the taiga flora. East side has a garden as well, but unlike the south slope, it hosts vegetation, that prefers lack of sun. Mushrooms, special berries and herbs could grow on this side. 1. ELEMENTS Future project of the living part of the settlement is composed of three main ingredients. General idea of the urban organization refers to the functional distribution of Leonidovâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea of Magnitogorsk city. Due to the exsisting terraces, project relays on the concept of Lemon Gardens of Italian North and Machu Picchu in Peru. Gardening, living and communication connected together create a live net of the space.

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Fig. 3.20 Collage. Perception of the space

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2. PRIVATE & PUBLIC TISSUE As in the project of Leonidov(fig. 3.34, 3.35), city is a net of infrastructure and function. All the institutions, for example theaters, universities, hospitals, locate above the mine and frame the city from the north side. In this case important buildings also have a better access. Residential units interwine with public services such as shops, schools, workshops, common places, kindergardens (fig. 3.21). This principle provokes socialization and creates a commons space and social bound. Also it was ethnical and traditional principle of lifestyle. Public and private activities are interconnected and become a social net. Gardens are interlaced with the architecture, because nature is always a part of everyday life. 3. GENERAL IDEA Structural idea of the settlement goes to Lemon Gardens of Italy (ex. Limonaia di Garda, fig. 3.36) and Machu Picchu in Peru. Both examples built on slopes and have gardens. Lemon trees are not common in northern Italy. Therefore, idea of placing something in uncommomn location is very close to the idea of the project. As well as gardening on the mountain like in Machu Picchu (fig. 3.38). Private and public buildings locate on terraces and have a land lot infront of a built volume. Architecture has the idea of zemlyanka, as it is built inside the ground (fig. 2.53). In russian culture it is common to have a private piece of land, that family can use. Nowadays it is called â&#x20AC;&#x153;dachaâ&#x20AC;&#x153; and represent a contryside house with a land lot used for the self-sufficient farming. 4. STRUCTURAL ZONING First zone (fig. 3.18. 3.19) of the mine is realted to the residential function and public services with interwined gardens. It has 21 terraces 9 meters high and 15,6 meters large each. Every ninth terrace is a road with the same dimensional parameters. The second zone is organized in terraces with the height of 6,5 meters and the width of 7,8 meters. Every sixth terrace is a road and a tram path. There are 3 sublevels of the garden. First two are open for public and the third one is closed. First sublevel is a public park with low trees and pedestrian paths. Second one are farmes inside the green houses. Third one is oriented on cultivation of plant varieties not typical for the local flora and use of latest technologies of farming, for example hydroponic farming. 105

Fig. 3.21 Functional zoning of the north side of the mine BUILDINGS: Private houses Public services Institutions Public street GREENERY: City Gardens (CG) Park (SP, EG) G1 Gardens G2 Green Houses G3 Tech farms PIAZZA: Public square Activity islands

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INFRASTRUCTURE Vertical communication Horizontal communication Social ports

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Fig. 3.22 Master Plan view

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Fig. 3.33 Situation plan of the mine and 2 cities around it 1-New settlement 2-Actual city 3-Memory town 4-North hill 5-Factory 6-East Lakes

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Fig. 3.34 Leonidov Ivan. Magnitogorsk master plan

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Fig. 3.35 Leonidov Ivan Magnitogorsk perspective

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Fig. 3.36 Limonaia di Garda Lemon farms at Garda lake in Italy,

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Fig. 3.37 Limonaia di Garda Lemon farms at Garda lake in Italy

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Fig. 3.38 Machu Picchu, Peru

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Fig. 3.39 Machu Picchu, Peru

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Fig. 3.40 Collage. Conception organisation of the garden and city

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Fig. 3.41 Collage. Conceptual perception of the space

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Fig.3.42 Principle of the infrastructure. Conceptual comparison of types of circulation in the mine and in the human body

Fig. 3.43 Infrastructure diagram Horizontal circulation: (tram, cars, deers, bikes) Vetical circulation: (elevator, cable way, funiculer) Social port Interactive Piazza

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3.4. INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure inside the crater represents by two types of communication. Conceptually they remind the blood system of human body: arterial - vertical and venous - horizontal (fig. 3.42). They interwine and create an infrastructural network (fig. 3.43). Their interconnections called social ports that include both transport and social functions. Everything is organized according to the environmental idea. When there are very low temperatures, people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to go out to take a transport. They could reach a point of the mine by the network of infrastructure right from their house. Image of infrastructure refers to Superstudio (fig. 3.50), Santâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Elia (fig. 48) and Paolo Soleri ideas (fig. 3.49). 1. HORIZONTAL SYSTEM Horizontal communication (fig. 3.44) of the upper level is represented by parallel roads every eight terraces. Cars are not allowed inside the mine due to the environmental reasons. However, if it is necessary, there could be provided four traffic lanes. Tram goes beneath the road in a tunnel. Therefore, tram is an interior transport. This becomes very important during winters, when temperatures could be very low. On the farming levels of public gardens (fig. 3.21) tram goes above the ground due to the dimensions of the terrace. They are not used as often as the trams at the residential level. 2. INTERNAL PUBLIC STREET Interior public street (fig. 3.62) is a part of the horizontal infrastructure that connects buildings on every terrace along the horizontal axis, like thread connecting beads. It goes on the roof floor of the buildings and connectes with the vertical system. It provide access to the buildings well. Therefore, entrance to the house is leading from the internal street. (fig. 3.47) 119

Fig. 3.44 Infrastructure scheme Vertical communication: Funicular Cable way Social port

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Horizontal communication: Road Underground tram Social port

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Fig. 3.45 Social port sketch Interior organization

3. VERTICAL SYSTEM Vertical communication (fig. 3.44) inside the mine is represented by two types that work according to the inclination of the slopes and mine function zones. Cableways go between groups of terraces and stops every eight terraces. While funicular runs within the group of terraces and stopes every 9 meters, which means every flat. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stop connects with the inner public street of the horizontal system of the flats. 4. SOCIAL PORT Social port is a transport node with public activities aimed for socialization and communication. Architecturally it is a multistory building that look like a brace, that binds together vertical and horizontal infrastructure (fig. 3.46). It has two volumes, connected together on the ground and top floors. Underground level has a tram stop attached to the cafes, that are accessable from the outside as well (fig. 3.45). Ground level of the social port is a big lounge, where people decide the directions, buy tickets, choose transport and meet up. First floor has a cable way and funiculer stops. Second floor host cafes and commond area. Third floor has big open space, that could be organized into study rooms, workshops and exhibition space. It also has a lecture room and cinema. Ideally it represents a community center for the neighbourhood. (fig. 3.47) Social ports are highly recognizable from the surrounding and conceptually refer to the memory of site. Brutal, simple architectural forms and use of raw material, such as glass and concrete, helps to transmit the perception of an artificial object in the nature.

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Fig. 3.46 Social port sketch Though the social port suppose to be very different from the surrounding â&#x20AC;&#x153;disguisedâ&#x20AC;&#x153; architecture, they also have a perception of a pieces of ice or diamonds popping out from the ground.

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Fig. 3.47 Sketch. Section view of the public street and private house

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Fig. 3.48 Antonio Sant’Elia, Hydroelectric-like vision of a Città Nuova

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Fig. 3.49 Paolo Soleri, City of the Future, image

Fig. 3.50 Superstudio, Continuous monument

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Fig. 3.51 Collage. Perception of the internal public street

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Fig. 3.52 Collage. Perception of the space

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Fig. 3.53 Collage. Perception of the space

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Fig. 3.54 Collage. Perception of the mine-city form the surface. Institutions that frame it.

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FAIRY TAIL ABOUT A DIAMOND MINE-CITY I woke up early morning. It was almost 7 o’clock. Darkness outside the window was not so heavy. Grey shadows on the floor had a slight blue tint that means the sun will rise soon. It is the first day of calendar spring. First of March… very soon the snow will start to melt… Yet now it lays as white pillows in the garden, in front of the green house. I like to look outside, when I get up. In summer, I open the windows in my room to see the entire city. Downstairs, in the garden, I can see my mum is watering some flowers and vegetables. Dad is sculpting the wooden toys. Sun is rising very early in summer, so I can clearly see how the neighbor’s cat is walking on the roof of the lower house and trying to catch the sunny specks from the antenna of Aunt Lucy. My friends are already playing in the school field, two terraces below my house. I also see the main square of the city from my windows. Somewhere on the opposite slope of the city, there are carpets of red huckleberry. They are “calling”… I tightly closed my eyes and recalled the sour taste of the berries inside my mouth with a smile… Still far away… Meanwhile, today is the first day of spring! As soon as I got out from the room, the smell of a freshly baked bread warmly hugged me and I ran straight downstairs. Hot buns, just out of the oven were waiting on the table next to the glass wall of the house. Mum always opens the curtains to greet the sunrise while having breakfast. Our living room is large and vast. Kitchen locates at the northern wall of the house. On the opposite side, we have windows as high as the wall. They are organized in two layers with some space in between. Sometimes, during winter, we keep there fresh meat and fish that my dad brings from the fishing and hunting. When we expect severe frosts, we put out the extra roof and buffer wall in front of our house and the green house is ready! In this way, it is always warm at home. Only then our garden becomes twice shorter and I cannot build big very snow castles. In this case, I go with my friends to the main square of the city to build a whole city out of snow. There are always a lot of snow in the piazza, because the snowplows bring the snow down to the square when they clean streets and roofs. The breakfast is ready and the family gather around the table. It is half past seven and it means we will meet the sunrise. When you look through the windows of the house, it seems that the flaming circle of sun is rolling out straight towards you. And the more it gets brighter, the more you can feel the spring. 134

An hour later, we all are ready to go out. My parents will go to work and I will go to school. We exiting the house from the roof floor level. There is a public internal street, where our neighbors are rushing to their jobs and sleepy kids slowly walking to school. Through the large window stripe above the roof, you already can see the sun and little crystals of the snow that fell down last night. Wind is sweeping them away. We all go towards the vertical funicular station like in the movies about the future! You go inside the vertical corridor and go wherever you want! Funicular arrives every 5 minutes and usually can fit up to eight people. I need to go only two stops. My school is just two terraces down. When I meet my friends on the way to school, we also could walk along the funicular path. At my stop I kiss-goodbye my parents and go out. My school is about five houses far from here. It takes me just 10 minutes of walking along the public internal street to reach it. My parents will use funicular to get to the first social port. There my dad will take a tram till the East side of the mine-city. Then he will get upstairs of the social port and take a cableway to arrive to the very top of the city. He is an engineer in the company of diamond production. In general, he spends about 20 minutes for the trip, but he never gets cold on a way. My mum will take the funicular to the city gardens and there she will change to another funicular that will bring her to the institute of agricultural technology. She is a scientist in the institute that grow plants using advanced technology. Once, she was telling me about a plant that they grow without any soil, just in the air. Mum works at the very bottom of the mine-city, right next to the main city square. Sometimes, after work she will wait for me and dad at the square. In winter and early spring there are a lot of interesting events. Sometimes there are sledding competitions of dogs and deer teams. There are also islands of special activities all around the piazza. My favorite ones are ice skating and hockey. In winter and spring, it is gets dark very early, around 5 or 6 in the evening and big lamps on the piazza automatically light on. They were saving solar energy the whole day. From below, the entire city seems like a fairy forest. Lights from the houses light up like the Christmas garland and shine like stars in the night sky. From the piazza you can see also the real sky with countless stars, and it seems like they came to see people. In the evening we go back home to have dinner. After it, my mum makes aromatic delicious tea from the forest berries that we picked up last summer on the south slope of the city. Dad puts logs into the fireplace in the transparent wall and we sit around it, wrapped in the warm plaids, listening to the sound of fire and watching the slow dance of the snowflakes outside the window. Today the entire city will fall asleep knowing that spring is coming! 135

Fig.3.55 Sketches of the traditional houses

Zemlyanka. Dugout house

Urasa and any other tent house

Zemlyanka. Dugout house

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3.5. SINGLE UNIT

Image of the single unit represents a fusion of the ideas of the traditional yakutian house, zemlyanka and houses of northern regions of Scandinavia. Functional zoning and organization of the interior relies on the cultural research. Single unit is a three-storey flat with a green open space in front. House is exposed towards the south and has three walls embedded into the ground (fig. 3.69). Fig. 3.56 House position and orientation Orientation

classical orientation

Position in the ground

project orientation

classical position

project position

1. SPATIAL ORGANIZATION Spatialy single unit is devided into the close part - house volume and open part - green space in front of the house. (fig. 3.57) This has both environmental and cultural meanings. Traditionally, in Russia people used to have a private land lot for farming and gardenning. Environmentally green space in front of the house serves as a buffer zone. It could change its configuration according to the season. Therefore, during winter it could be turned into a green house. Moreover, it could serve as a natural refrigerator. During summer south wall of the house could be open and green space infront of the house could flow into the flat. (fig. 3.72)

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Fig. 3.57 Spatial organization of the house Green zone House volume

2. FUNCTIONAL DISTRIBUTION House have a special distribution of functions. (fig. 3.58) Common living areas and bedrooms are exposed to the south due to climatic reasons. They have a green buffer zone in front. Movement axis separates the living zone and service area that locate on the north side of a flat and attached to the embedded wall, because of the technical reasons. Function distibution considers the traditional cultural representation of the spacial meaning inside the house. Therefore, heart of the house is a living space, surrounded by nature and services. Functional distribution: Garden Green house (buffer zone) Living : bedrooms and living room Movement: internal public coridor and internal private coridor Services: bathrooms and kitchen Fig. 3.58 Functional distribution of the house

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3. BUFFER ZONES Single unit is enveloped in the buffer zones (fig. 3.59). There are several types of them. Fig. 3.59 Buffer zone of the house

3.1. GREEN BUFFER ZONE Green space in front of a house is a 6x9 meters lot and completelly open. It could be used as a garden or just a large terrace during summer. During winter, it is possible to put away buffer walls, so three meters in front of the house could be turned into a green house. Buffer walls slide from the roof and from the ground (fig. 3.60, 3.61). Ideally this buffer space refers to Stavkirke (fig. 3.78). Environmentally it helps to keep flat warmer during winter. Even if outside it is -40, inside the buffer zone could be from -15 to 0 and so it will be easier to heat up the living area. During summer it creates an idea of flowing space. Fig. 3.60 Scheme of the buffer zone: wall and roof functioning

Fig. 3.61 Green buffer zone location

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3.2. ROOF & ENTRANCE Access to the house is realized from the upper floor (fig. 3.63). Practically it is a roof. It has an internal public street (fig. 3.62) with entrances to the private houses and public services. It has storages, that could be both private or public. This floor, besides the infrastructural function has a role of a buffer zone in a climatic way as well. It is devided into two part. One, that is above the internal public street has a system of windows to allow sun. The other part, over the house volume, has an inside structure that slides out to become a green house roof for winters. Conceptually organization refers to the idea of zemlyanka, dug out house with entrance from the roof. People get inside the house from the internal public street. Entering the house, people first appear in the buffer floor (fig. 3.65) that is represented by a movement zone and has a staircase, that leads to the lower floors: bedrooms and then living room. In both cases it has a role of a buffer zone in climatic way as well. Fig. 3.62 Sketch of internal public street. Accesses to the house

Fig. 3.63 Internal public street. House entrance direction

3.3. GROUND BUFFER ZONE There is a buffer zone beneath the house. It serves to lift and separate the built volume from the ground to prevent permafrost from melting. It also creates an airflow that helps to maintain the house structure in a good condition and provides extra ventilation. Fig. 3.64 Ground buffer zone location

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Fig. 3.65 Roof buffer zone location

3.4. DOUBLE FACADE & FIRE PLACE South facade has a double glassed wall (fig. 3.67). Practically there are two walls with the distance between them of 90 centimetres. It serves as a buffer zone especcially during winter season. It also could be used as an external refregirator and storage, which is very typical for native and russian people even nowadays. There is a fireplace sandwiched between the double facade in the middle of the south wall (fig. 3.66). Fig. 3.66 Fire place location

Fig. 3.67 Double facade wall principle

4. RUSSIAN STOVE PRINCIPLE One of the most significant parts of a house in russian and yakutian traditional houses is the fire place. In Russian traditional houses, it became a stove (fig. 3.68). People used to cook inside the stove during the day and then during the night they used to sleep on top of it, because it was warm enough. This was a traditional energy saving strategy. Similar idea of the heat circulation was used in Asian traditional houses, for example in Korea. Idea of a Russian stove is used in the project as an energy saving idea. Kitchen and common area are located on the ground floor. While the bedroom and private rooms locates on the upper floor. So, warm air goes up and heats the bedrooms and upper floor. Fig. 3.68 Russian stove and its functioning scheme

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Fig. 3.69 Sketch of a single unit house

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5. MATERIALS Materials used in the single unit also reflect idea of nature and traditions. Columns in front of the house represent traditional horse bound - serghe (fig. 2.43). They are wooden structures and have both cultural and religious meanings. House is built with the ground materials such as rock, wood, and mud. South façade has mainly windows and double glass structure that refers to the idea of the ice. Originally during winter peole used to fill window opennings with blocks of ice. Roof is covered with moss, very typical vegetation of taiga and Siberia. It consumes humidity and are very resistant. By material use the house refers to balagan (fig. 2.46) Use of natural material (fig. 3.70) helps to disguise the house withing the nature. It vanishes and supports the idea of “human within the nature“.

Fig. 3.70 Materials usage

WOOD Common local material. Traditionally used in constraction. Conceptually represents natural forests of Siberia.

MOSS Common local material. Helps to eliminate humidity. Food for the deers.

ICE Common local material. Used in constraction. People used blocks of ice as windows during the winter.

BERRIES Local flora is rich with berries. Siberian people use it for food and medical needs.

MUD/GROUND Common local material. Traditionally used in construction.

ROCK Local material. Represents the ground surface.

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Fig. 3.71 Conceptual image of the houses, half excavated inside the ground

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6. SUMMURY OF ENERGY STRATEGY PRINCIPLES OF THE HOUSE Fig. 3.72 Exposition to the south with open windows allows the air flow. There is a possibility of the air circulation.

Fig. 3.73 Closed greenhouse creates a buffer zone between outside and inside, that helps to low energy losses and temperature gap

Fig. 3.74 Exposition to the south with glazed wall allows more sun rays inside the house

Fig. 3.75 Fireplace placed on the external wall functioning as a extra heater and together with the kitchen on the opposite wall creates a heat envelope.

Fig. 3.76 Sky visibility 10 months out of 12 give possibility to use solar panels to gain extra energy

Fig. 3.77 Double wall with windows conceptually coming from the double glass window. Creates an extra buffer zone and helps to keeps the warmth inside

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Fig. 3.78 Stavkirke. Christian church building of northern Europe regions. Perspective and plan

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Fig. 3.79 Stavkirke. Christian church building of northern Europe regions. Example of a buffer zone use

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0,500 0,600

Fig. 3.80 Ground floor plan of a house 1 - Living room 2 - Kitchen 3 - Fire place 4 - Double facade (balcony) 5 - Buffer zone green house 6 -Garden

3,590

2,210

1,100

1,890

1,000

4,800 0,600

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3,833

3,510

4,800 1,152 10,000

3,815

0,600

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4,700

0,500 0,600

Fig. 3.81 First floor plan of a house 2

4,700

5 1,100

19,100

3,590

2,210

1 - Bathroom 2 - Storage room 3 - Coridor 4 - Bedroom 5 - Fire place 6 - Double facade (balcony) 7 - Buffer zone green house 8 - Garden

1,890

1,000

3,510

4,800 0,600

3,833

4,800 1,152 10,000

3,815

0,600

149

0,500 0,600

Fig. 3.82 First floor plan of a house

2,210

1,400

+6,400

2,190

11 19,100

4,700

0,00

1,100

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1,000

4,800 0,600

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3,833

3,510

4,800 1,152 10,000

3,815

0,600

1 - Internal public coridor 2 - Private coridor. House entrance 3 - Bathroom 4 - Storage room 5 - Movement axis 6 - Buffer zone 7 - Fire place 8 - Double facade (balcony) 9 - Buffer zone green house 10 - Garden

Fig. 3.83 Section (A-A) of a house

+9,000

+5,800

+5,500

+2,900

8 7 +2,300

+5,800

10 +0,300

+0,300

0,00 -0,615 -0,800

1 - Buffer zone 2- Internal public coridor 3 - House entrance 4 - Bathroom 5 - Bedroom 6 -Coridor 7 - Movement axis 8 -Storage room 9 - Living room 10 - Kitchen 11 - Garden 12 - Buffer zone green house

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7 Fig. 3.84 Detailed Section of the house. Construction of the buffer zone. Buffer wall. Buffer roof.

6 5 10 1

152

Ground

Buffer wall of green house

House wall

Buffer roof of green hous

House roof

House floor

Buffer zone

Double facade (balcony)

Living room

Drainage canal

Kitchen

Some details of the house construction:

Roof: Fake roof with moss covering 40 mm Buffer zone with moving structure 150 mm Insulation 250mm Concrete mass 150 mm 5

Roof/Floor: Concete mass 100 mm Insulation 250 mm Concrete mass 250 mm 6

Floor: Wooden floor finishing 30 mm Concete mass 140 mm Insulation 125 mm Concrete mass 250 mm Insulation 87 mm

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Fig. 3.85 Sketch. Concept of the piazza at the bottom of the settlement

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3.6. PIAZZA

Culmination of the settlement is the public square on the bottom of the mine. It locates 430 meters deep. Conceptually image of the piazza refers to the nature of Siberia: lakes, forests, hills, rivers and swaps. It has special â&#x20AC;&#x153;islandsâ&#x20AC;?. Structurally they are lifted up on one meter over the piazza level and host differetn public events. They are distributed mainly on the south and north of the piazza due to provide various activities, that demand different environmentsl specifics. Function of the island could change according the season. For example, during winter there could be snow sculptures, hockey, ice skating or winter playground. While during summer there could be stations with summer sport games, ordinary playgrounds and stages for creativity. Besides, there are a lot of holidays in russian and yakutian cultures (fig. 3.87) that have to be celebrated in the open air. Therefore, big open space is an ethnical and cultural necessity.

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Fig. 3.86 Xul Solar, “Palacio Bria” Emotional perception of the piazza as a public space

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Fig. 3.87 Yisyah. Yakutian great holiday.

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Fig. 3.88 Perspective view to the mine-city

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Fig. 3.89 Collage. Perception of the space

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3.7. MINE-CITY

Image of the whole mine-city (fig. 3.88) represents a community. Since socialization was a part of everyday life since the ancient times, all settlement lives and works as one organism. It is a megastructure in a functional way. Life of the mine-city accumulated under the surface and concentrated on its sides inside the ground. Philosophically this could refer to the main function of the open pit - finding diamonds that are also hidden inside the ground. This project is an experiment that questions a lot of ethic, environmental, cultural and urban aspects. There are yet a lot to research and discover. However, it is possible to conclude and imagine that man-made refused areas, ghost places and natural wounds could be transformed into beautiful places. It is humanityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reasonability and ability to create the Holy Grail out of Daneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hell.

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Fig. 3.90 Maquette of a single unit

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Fig. 3.91 Maquette of a mine-city area

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Fig. 4.1 Collage. Perception of the sky from the piazza of the mine-city

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APPENDIX

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Fig. 4.2 Collage. Danteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hell in the ex-open pit

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LIST OF FIGURES CHAPTER I. REMINISCENCE OF PAST Fig. 1.1 / P. 8, Keelung city, Taiwan, photo from www.messynessychic.com 1.1. REFUSED PLACES Fig. 1.2 / P.10 I.M. Cooling Tower, Belgium, photo from google.com Fig. 1.3 / P.12 El Hotel del Salto, Colombia, photo from infoglaz.ru Fig. 1.4 / P. 13 Abondoned mill, Italia, photo from www.viralnova.com Fig. 1.5 / P.14 The abandoned Fisher Body 21 building, Detroit, USA, photo by Matt Harding www.digitaljournal.com Fig. 1.6 / P. 15 Abandoned Church, Detroit, USA, photo from google.com Fig. 1.7 / P. 16 Battle-Ship Island Nagasaki Japan, photo from Wikipedia Fig. 1.8 / P.17 Craco, Italia, photo google.com Fig. 1.9 / P. 18 Machu Pikchu, Peru, photo from mayax.ru Fig. 1.10 / P. 19Ta-Prohm-Temple.-Angkor Wat in Cambodia-Cambodia, photo from news.nster.com Fig. 1.11 / P. 20 Asuncion, Paraguay, photo from www.viralnova.com Fig 1.12 / P. 21 Fishing village, Gouqi island, Zhoushan Archipelago, China, photo from www.reddit.com 1.2. FROM USE TO ABUSE Fig. 1.13 / P.22 Aral Sea, photo from www.wikipedia.com Fig. 1.14 / P.24 Aral Sea, photo from www.columbia.edu Fig. 1.15 / P.25 Amazon Rain Forests, photo from google.com Fig. 1.16 / P. 26 Chuquicamata, Chile. The biggest open pit copper mine in the world, photo from lazypenguins.com Fig. 1.17 / P. 27 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Holeâ&#x20AC;? diamond mine, South Africa, photo from Wikipedia Fig. 1.18 / P. 28 Diamond mine Mir and the Mirnij city around it, Yakutia, Russia, photo from www.amusingplanet.com Fig. 1.19 / P. 29 Diamond mine Udachnaja, Yakutia, Russia, photo from sdelanounas.ru/ blog/artur_mirzoyan/ Fig. 1.20 / P. 30 Diavik diamond mine, Canada, photo from acecabana.com Fig. 1.21 / P. 31 People next to the mine Udachnaja, photo from google.com 169

CHAPTER II. DANTE’S HELL OR HOLY GRAIL? Fig. 2.1 / P. 32 Collage. Siberian diamond mine perception. Elements: Babel Tower by Pieter Bruegel. Dante’s Hell by Sandro Botticelli 2.1. DIAMOND WORLD Fig. 2.2 / P. 34 Diamond in Kimberlite, photo from www.geologyforinvestors.com Fig. 2.3 / P. 36 Geologic provinces of the world (USGS), picture from en.wikipedia.org Fig. 2.4 / P. 36 Sketch of a kimberlit pipe structure Fig.2.5 / P. 38 Distribution of kimberlite s worldwide, picture from earthscience.stackexchange.com Fig.2.6 / P. 39 Typical diamond mine sketch, picture based on earthscience.stackexchange. com 2.3. “LUCKY” MINE Fig. 2.7 / P. 40 Udachnaja open pit mine, photot from geliolivejournal.com Fig. 2.8 / P. 42 Udachnaja diamond mine open pit mine, www.panoramio.com Fig. 2.9 / P. 43 Map of Russia, Location of the Udachnaja mine Fig. 2.10 / P. 44 Drawing. Guide map of northeast Yakutia Fig. 2.11/ P. 45 Udachnaja diamond mine, Yakutia, Russia, picture from google.maps.com Fig. 2.12 / P. 46 Drawing. Guide map of Udachnaja mine surroundings 2.3. SIBERIAN CHARACTER Fig.2.13 / P. 48 Siberia, picture from http://poznai.by/ Fig. 2. 14 / P. 50 Map of Siberian and Far Eastern Economical Federal regions Fig. 2.15 / P. 50 Map of Russian Natural regions Fig. 2.16 / P. 51 Map population density in Russia (person/sq km) Fig. 2.17 / P. 52 Map of Life quality according environment conditions in different zones of Russia Fig. 2.18 / P. 52 Map of the climate zones in Russia and location of the Arctic circle Fig. 2.19 / P. 53 Wind direction and speed, Yakutsk, Yakutia, Russia, data from w.optilink. ru Fig. 2.20 / P. 53 Annual amospheric pressure, Yakutsk, Yakutia, Russia, data from w.optilink.ru

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Fig. 2.21 / P. 53 Annual visibility, Yakutsk, Yakutia, Russia, data from w.optilink.ru Fig. 2.22 / P. 54 Map of the Annual average temperature of the air, °C, diagram based on the data from geographyofrussia.com Fig. 2.23 / P. 54 Map of the Annual accumulated sun radiation in Russia, MJ/sq m, diagram based on the data from geographyofrussia.com Fig. 2.24 / P. 55 Seasons percentage in the climate of Udachnij, diagram based on the data from geographyofrussia.com Fig. 2.25 / P. 55 Map of the Permafrost spread in Russia, diagram based on the data from geographyofrussia.com Fig. 2.26 / P. 56 Map of taiga and tundra forests in Russia, diagram based on the data from geographyofrussia.com Fig. 2.27 / P. 56 Taiga, photo from google.com Fig. 2.28 / P.57 Poster for the movie “Dersu Uzala“, 1974. by Yurij Raksha. Talk withthe fire. “Fire is also people“ - Dersu Uzala Fig. 2.29 / P. 58 Lena Pillars, In the World Heritage List since 2012, Yakutia, Russia, photo from snovadoma.ru Fig. 2.30 / P. 59 Lena Pillars, In the World Heritage List since 2012, Yakutia, Russia, photo from www.travel.ru Fig. 2.31 / P. 60 Taiga, Siberia, Yakutia, photo from www.drive2.ru by Grand65 Fig. 2.32 / P. 61 Vegetation carpet in taiga, photo from www.nat-geo.ru Fig. 2.33 / P.62 Nature of Yakutia, photo from magmens.com Fig. 2.34 / P.63 Yakutia, photo fromwww.drive2.ru/b/941950/ Fig. 2.35 P.64 Yakutia, Russia, photo from komanda-k.ru Fig. 2.36 / P. 65 Yakutia, Russia, picture from http://yakutiaphoto.com/ Fig. 2.37 / P. 66 Labrador tea in forests of Siberia , photo from www.yakutia.aero Fig. 2.38 / P. 67 Flower carpet in Siberia, photo from youtube Fig. 2.39 / P. 68 Berries of taiga: cowberry, blueberry, photo from www.nat-geo.ru Fig. 2.40 / P. 69 Carpet of cowberry in Siberia, photo from www.plantarium.ru Fig.2.41 / P. 70 Yakutian horse, photo from www.artfile.ru Fig. 2.42 / P. 71 Deers in the nature of Yakutia, photo from magmens.com 2.4. LIVING SIBERIA Fig. 2.43 / P. 72 Serghe, traditional sacral horse binding pillars in Yakutia, photo from google.com search Fig. 2.44 / P. 74 Wooden urasa, photo from sumki.gw5.ru 171

Fig. 2.45 / P. 75 Summer Urasa, photo from www.geo.ru Fig. 2.46 / P. 76 Balagan. Traditional winter house, photo from google.com Fig. 2.47 / P. 77 Balagan, www.rivertourist.ru Fig. 2.48 / P. 78 Traditional house of nomadic people. Interior organization, photo from buryadxelen.com Fig. 2.49 / P. 80 Interior of Balagan, Yakutia, picture from akadaha-z.livejournal.com Fig. 2. 50 / P. 80 Interior of Balagan, Yakutia, picture from www.museum.ru Fig. 2.51 / P. 81 Interior of Balagan, Yakutia, picture from xelga1476.livejournal.com Fig. 2.52 / P. 81 Interior of Balagan, Yakutia, picture from dnevniki.ykt.ru Fig. 2.53 / P. 82 Zemlyanka. Semi-underground hut, photo from igor-grek.com Fig. 2.54 / P. 82 Zemlyanka. Semi-underground hut, photo from eco-domishko.blogspot. com Fig. 2.55 / P. 83 The Shire, Hobbits house, picture credits vilingstore.net 2.5. HOLY GRAIL IN SIBERIA Fig. 2.56 P. 84 Collage. Siberian diamond mine. Elements: Babel Tower by Pieter Bruegel. Dante’s Hell by Sandro Botticelli CHAPTER III. “MIND THE GAP” Fig. 3.1 / P. 86 Collage. Mine-city. Elements: Siberian Diamond Mine, Arles’s image 3.1. MANIFESTO Fig. 3.2 / P. 88 Cappadocia underground city, Turkey, photo from www.fazturkey.com Fig. 3.3 / P.89 Sketch. Classic city vs Inverse city Fig. 3.4 / P. 90 Certosa monastery, Pavia, Italy, photo from www.turismo.regione.lombardia.it Fig. 3.5 / P. 90 Lalibela church, Ethiopia, photo from telegraph.co.uk Fig. 3.6 / P. 91 Sketch. Concept of the importance: containing vs content Fig. 3.7 / P. 92 Picture by Jean Jullien, photo from shop.jeanjullien.com Fig. 3.8 / P.93 Sketch. Russian conception of land Fig. 3.9 / P. 94 Coober Pedy Diggins. View from above the ground, photo from www. greynomad.com Fig. 3.10 / P. 94 Storage in the northeast Siberia Fig. 3.11 / P. 95 Sketch. Strategy of using advantages of environmental condition Fig. 3.12 / P. 95 Winter and summer strategies of the traditional settlements in Siberia 172

3.2. ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY Fig. 3.13 / P. 96 Sketch. Adjustment of the open pit according to the environmental strategy Fig. 3.14 / P. 98 Scheme of a mine profile (A-A section) change according the environmental strategy. Step 1. Inclination of the mine sides, considering the depth Fig. 3.15 / P. 98 Scheme of a mine profile (A-A section) change according the environmental strategy. Step 2. Inclination of the mine sides, considering the depth. Fig. 3.16 / P. 100 Real situation of Udachnaja mine. Sun study from sunrise to sunset. July, 21st. Fig. 3.17 / P. 101 Modified Udachnaja mine according the environmental strategy. Sun study from sunrise to sunset, Jul, 21st. 3.3. FUNCTIONAL ZONING Fig. 3.18 / P. 102 Structural zoning of the mine city Fig. 3.19 / P. 102 Functional scheme in plan and A-A section of the mine city Fig. 3.20 / P. 104 Collage. Perception of the space. Elements: Limonaia di Garda. Machu Pikchu. Diamond mine. Pieter Bruegel paintings. Fig. 3.21 / P. 106 Functional zoning of the north side of the mine Fig. 3.22 / P.108 Master Plan view Fig. 3.33 / P. 109 Situation plan of the mine and 2 cities around it Fig. 3.34 / P.110 Leonidov Ivan. Magnitogorsk master plan, picture from google.com Fig. 3.35 / P.111 Leonidov Ivan. Magnitogorsk perspective, picture from google.com Fig. 3.36 / P. 112 Limonaia di Garda. Lemon farms at Garda lake in Italy, photo from google.com Fig. 3.37 / P.113 Limonaia di Garda, Lemon farms at Garda lake in Italy, photo from www.pacesirmione.it Fig. 3.38 / P. 114 Machu Picchu, Peru, photo from comeviaggiareinformati.it Fig. 3.39 / P. 115 Machu Picchu, Peru, photo from www.noodlesandcurry.com Fig. 3.40 / P.116 Collage. Conception organisation of the garden and city. Elements: Limonaia di Garda. Machu Pikchu Fig. 3.41 / P.117 Collage. Perception of the space. Elements: Limonaia di Garda. Machu Pikchu. Diamond mine. Serge of Yakutia

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3.4. INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM Fig.3.42 / P. 118 Principle of the infrastructure. Conceptual comparison of types of circulation in the mine and in the human body Fig. 3.43 / P. 118 Infrastructure diagram Fig. 3.44 / P. 120 Infrastructure scheme Fig. 3.45 / P. 120 Social port sketch. Interior organization Fig. 3.46 / P. 122 Social port sketch. Fig. 3.47 / P. 123 Sketch. Section view of the public street and private house Fig. 3.48 / P. 124 Antonio Santâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Elia, Hydroelectric-like vision of a CittĂ Nuova, picture from www.bldgblog.com Fig. 3.49 / P. 125 Paolo Soleri, City of the Future, image, picture from io9.com Fig. 3.50 / P. 125 Superstudio, Continuous monument, picture from super-future.tumblr. com Fig. 3.51 / P. 126 Collage. Perception of the internal public street Elements: Limonaia di Garda. Diamond mine paintings Fig. 3.52 / P. 128 Collage. Perception of the space. Elements: Limonaia di Garda, Diamond mine, Pieter Bruegel paintings Fig. 3.53 / P.130 Collage. Perception of the space. Elements: Limonaia di Garda, Diamond mine, Pieter Bruegel paintings Fig. 3.54 / P. 132 Collage. Perception of the mine-city form the surface. Institutions that frame it. 3.5. SINGLE UNIT Fig.3.55 / P. 136 Sketches of the traditional houses Fig. 3.56 / P. 137 House position and orientation Fig. 3.57 / P. 138 Spatial organization of the house Fig. 3.58 / P. 138 Functional distribution of the house Fig. 3.59 / P. 139 Buffer zone of the house Fig. 3.60 / P. 139 Scheme of the buffer zone: wall and roof functioning Fig. 3.61 / P. 139 Green buffer zone location Fig. 3.62 / P. 140 Sketch of internal public street. Accesses to the house Fig. 3.63 / P. 140 Internal public street. House entrance direction Fig. 3.64 / P. 140 Ground buffer zone location Fig. 3.65 / P. 140 Roof buffer zone location Fig. 3.66 / P. 139 Fire place location 174

Fig. 3.67 / P. 141 Double facade wall principle Fig. 3.68 / P. 141 Russian stove and its functioning scheme Fig. 3.69 / P.142 Sketch of a single unit Fig. 3.70 / P. 143 Materials usage, photos from internet, google.com Fig. 3.71 / P.144 Conceptual image of the houses, half excavated inside the ground Fig. 3.72 / P.145 Exposition to the south with open windows allows the air flow. There is a possibility of the air circulation. Fig. 3.73 / P. 145 Closed greenhouse creates a buffer zone between outside and inside, that helps to low energy losses and temperature gap Fig. 3.74 / P. 145 Exposition to the south with glazed wall allows more sun rays inside the house Fig. 3.75 / P. 145 Fireplace placed on the external wall functioning as a extra heater and together with the kitchen on the opposite wall creates a heat envelope. Fig. 3.76 / P. 145 Sky visibility 10 months out of 12 give possibility to use solar panels to gain extra energy Fig. 3.77 / P. 145 Double wall with windows conceptually coming from the double glass window. Creates an extra buffer zone and helps to keeps the warmth inside Fig. 3.78 / P. 146 Stavkirke. Christian church building of northern Europe regions. Perspective and plan, photo from home.hib.no Fig. 3.79 / P. 147 Stavkirke. Christian church building of northern Europe regions. Example of a buffer zone use, photo from nature-Photographing.com Fig. 3.80 / P. 148 Ground floor plan of a house Fig. 3.81 / P. 149 First floor plan of a house Fig. 3.82 / P. 150 First floor plan of a house Fig. 3.83 / P. 151 Section (A-A) of a house Fig. 3.84 / P. 152 Detailed Section of the house. Construction of the buffer zone. 3.6. PIAZZA Fig. 3.85 / P. 154 Sketch. Concept of the piazza at the bottom of the settlement Fig. 3.86 / P. 156 Xul Solar, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Palacio Briaâ&#x20AC;?, Emotional perception of the piazza as public space, picture from www.debashishbanerji.com Fig. 3.87 / P. 157 Yisyah. Yakutian great holiday. Picture from tribal.by Fig. 3.88 / P. 158 Perspective view to the mine-city

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3.7. MINE-CITY Fig. 3.89 / P. 160 Collage. Emotional perception of the space. Limonaia di Garda. Diamond mine. Pieter Bruegel paintings Fig. 3.90 / P. 162 Maquette of a single unit. Fig. 3.91 / P. 164 Maquette. Mine-city area APPENDIX Fig. 4.1 / P. 166 Collage. Perception of the sky from the piazza of the mine-city Fig. 4.2 / P. 168 Collage. Danteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hell in the ex-open pit Fig. 4.3 / P. 178 Collage. Babel Tower in the ex-open pit

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Fig. 4.3 Collage. Babel Tower in the ex-open pit

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BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Pier Vittorio Aureli. The Possibility of an Absolute Architecture. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011 2. Kengo Kuma. Architecture words 2. Anti-Object: the Dissolution and Disinegration of Architecture. Architectural Association and the Authors, 2008 3. Rem Koolhaas. Elements of Architecture. La Biennale di Venezia, 2014 4. Arctic Adaptations:Nunavut at 15. Canada at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition. La Biennale di Venezia, 2014 5. Rem Koolhaas. S, M, L, XL. The Monacelli Press, 1995 6. Rem Koolhaas, Delirious New York, The Monacelli Press, 1994 7. Italo Calvino. Invisible cities. Harcourt Brace & Company, 1972 8. Vladimir Arsenyev. Dersu Uzala. 1923 9. Ivan Efremov. Diamond Tube. 1944 10. Paolo Soleri. Arcology - City in the Image of Man. Cosanti Press, 2006 11. Ian Frazier. Travels in Siberia. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010 INTERNET SOURCES: 12. www.wikipedia.com 13. geographyofrussia.com/ 14.www.ethnomuseum.ru 15. tvkultura.ru 16. www.yakutskhistory.net 17. w.optilink.ru

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БЛАГОДАРНОСТЬ

Я хочу сердечно поблагодарить профессора Доригати за его руководство моей диссертацией, за его профессионализм как архитектора и как педагога, за его мудрость и терпение, за высокие человеческие качества. Спасибо Вам Профессор! Я очень благодарна учителям и профессорам, которых я встретила за годы моего обучения выбранной специальности в университетах разных стран. Благодарю моих профессоров из России Рябкову Елену Борисовну и Бреева Виталия Сергеевича, профессоров из Кореи Ли Джан Бама и Элизабет Колфорд, профессоров из Италии Джанлука Брунетти, Алессандро Рокка, Юареза Корсо и Паолу Монджу. Большое спасибо профессору, геологу Бакулину Юрию Ильичу за его профессиональные консультации, которые помогли мне глубже изучить технические особенности темы диссертации. Я очень благодарна моей семье за любовь, всестороннюю поддержку и веру в меня! Хочу поблагодарить мою маму, профессора Смиренину Инну, которая была со мной все это время... хоть и на расстоянии 11 234 км от меня. Особую благодарность я выражаю моим мудрым бабушке и дедушке - профессорам Немовой Валентине и Немову Вячеславу. Я также хочу сказать спасибо моим дорогим друзьям за их поддержку, помощь, понимание и время. Я очень ценю это. Особое спасибо Сэнди Ким, Плой Напасорн Опасуксатит, Станиславу Кашину и Вирджинии Ролдан.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I am cordially grateful to professor Remo Dorigati for his guidance of my thesis, for his professionalism as an architect and as a mentor and for his wisdom and patience . Thank you very much, Professor! I am very thankful to the teachers and professors whom Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met during the years of studying architecture in the universities of different countries. I am grateful to my professors from Russia Elena B. Ryabkova and Vitalij S. Breev, to professors from South Korea Lee Jang Bum and Elizabeth E. Colford, to professors from Italy Gian Luca Brunetti, Alessandro Rocca, Juarez Corso and Paola Mongiu. Special thanks to professor Jurij I. Bakulin for his professional consultations that helped me to understand the technical specifics of the thesis topic deeper. I am very grateful to my family for their love, comprehensive support and trust in me. I would like to thank my mother professor Inna Smirenina, who was with me all this time, even if it ment to be 11 234 km far away. Special thanks to my wise grandparents professors Valentina V. Nemova and Vyacheslav A. Nemov. I am also very grateful to my dear friends for their support, help, understanding and time. I appreciate it very much! Special thanks to Sandy Kim, Ployhun Napasorn Opassuksatit, Stanislav Kashin and Virginia Roldan.

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reborn of an ex-diamond mine

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