Redevelopment and Conservation in the Built Fabric of Post-Socialist St. Petersburg

Abstract

This field-based case study examines recent changes in the built fabric of St. Petersburg, its urban planning system, and conservation management. The integral and highly regulated historical center, an important component of St. Petersburg's cultural landscape, has become a ground for (re)development and hence controversy. This study argues that mainly post-socialist forces (specifically, a persistent influence of the Soviet planning tradition combined with current entrepreneurial practices) have led to the current transformation of the built fabric of St. Petersburg. An examination of the processes underlying this transformation reveals that St. Petersburg is experiencing a sharpening dilemma between (re)development and conservation.