A fresh look by means of competition

Competitive procedures have become commonplace in the construction market of the city in the sphere of the state demand as well as in the process of private capital projects execution. However, architectural competitions are still a rarity for St. Petersburg's development.

Architecture is one of the key elements that affect the quality of the property. It is not just a "beautiful facade", it is also the ergonomics of the building, and the effectiveness of design decisions.
That is why competetive procedures can allow the customer to choose the best project.
Ilya Tyukin, “Art Fasade Group” Director, notes that there are significant differences in the policy of competitions conducting in Russia and in the West. "In our case these are mainly investment competition, where architecture is regarded as one of the components. In other words, the winner is a bigger budget.
However, experience has proven that in process of such projects implementation the concept may change and it is possible that the result cannot be compared with a competitive bid. It can also be noted that the factor of the budget does not always guarantee quality. Exaggerating, of course, one can assume that a house with a golden facade will require a large budget, however, this material will add neither  project quality nor its effectiveness for the city," he explains.
In the West, there exist investments competition as well; nonetheless, there is a widespread practice of competitions that are based on quality parameters. The winner is the one who creates more favorable conditions for the city. For example, the winner may be determined based on the parameters of the final price of the property for the consumer. In this case the customer is focused on creating affordable housing or offices.
"While selecting the town-planning and architectural projects and functions we do not practically use "multipliers" – indicators of projects indirect impact on the city in terms of providing employment, effectiveness of the site using, social climate, security, and so forth," added Mr Tyukin.
He recalls that in Barcelona there were good examples of competitions when the main criteria of assessment was whether the architectural monument may be suitable for modern functions. The quality of adaptation and newly created architecture was therefore considered a determining factor.
Ilias Stockman, the architect in “O2 Development”, continues: "In terms of selecting the winner and the distribution of prizes, there are two basic principles that are applied equally in western practice as well as in Russia. First, competition bid compliance is evaluated, secondly – a visual aesthetic component. The customer’s view is often the most crucial factor."
One of the most striking differences in the native and foreign architects’ work is the attitude towards the background, historical and cultural heritage of the existing building, which is particularly felt in the context of St. Petersburg. Local architects demonstrate continuity and deep respect for architectural traditions of the city, which, on the one hand, helps to preserve the city shape virtually unchanged; however, on the other hand, may transform a modern, vibrant city into a reserve.
This burden of traditions does not weigh upon invited architects, and many simply do not consider it necessary to associate a new building to its setting, "literally" copying the style of the old masters. As a result the works of the latter are often very unusual and interesting, often ahead of their time. Such projects either produce a positive effect or cause confusion and public disapproval.
The presence of Western architects among the participants is an undoubted benefit for competition. This is a fresh look and an unusual pitch, as well as an additional incentive for all the contestants to work more efficiently, more creatively.
Dmitry Kotrovsky, Managing Partner, Vice-President of “Khimki Group” development company, estimates that at the present moment there are around 100 different official competitions on professional architectural portals, related to architecture, urban planning, development areas or the creation of architectural forms.
Evgeny Bogdanov, General Director of Finish project bureau “Rumpu”, believes that the technology of architectural competitions in Russia is considerably less developed than in the West. "As a rule, such activities are carried out only by commercial organizations for private objects. In our country the winners do not get prizes, so, in fact, companies are fighting only for the issuance of the contract," says Mr. Bogdanov.
The cost of architectural competition conducting may be different, depending on the status of judges and the level of the media that cover it. It can range from a few hundred thousand to several million rubles. Holding a well-planned, well-lit high-level competition may cost about 2 million rubles or more.

Opinion:

Vera Setskaya, President of “GVA Sawyer”
– It is necessary to understand the difference between the architectural competition and architectural tender. In the first case, the organizers want to get architects' vision of the project which is the subject of the contest, so the participants are paid a certain amount for the sketch design of the project; in the second case the past experience and competence of participating companies is evaluated; the existing portfolio is taken into account.