Competition finalists will have 5 mins to present their proposed housing concepts and show their final video made for the jury.

In December 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that replaced the term «economy-class housing» with «standard housing». The term was removed from official terminology as the criteria and requirements for “standard housing” can not differ from those of “economy-class housing”. This is the required minimum of quality for building and selling housing in Russia. This amendment to the law is a step towards quality mass housing and the introduction of modern standards of construction which are aimed at residents’ safety and comfort. Developers and representatives from the Ministry of Construction and DOM.RF, an integrated housing development institution, will discuss if the improvement in the quality of housing will affect its cost, and what will buyers and developers get from the new rules.

It’s been almost two years since the world “involvement” began to sound from the lips of officials, activists, festival organizers and in general those who want citizens to say what they need and to criticize that what is uncomfortable. This process has its own Russian experience and conclusions: what do citizens actually think about the city, what do they want to talk about, how do they perceive their courtyard or district, are they ready to be co-investors or not. The most notable participants in the processes of involvement in Russia will speak about what new things we have learned about ourselves, our attitude towards public spaces and the present day needs of citizens.

A modern environment and modern architecture — what does this mean in cities with centuries of history? The City of London is found side by side with abbeys dating back to the 15th century, while in Dubai they try to replicate the great buildings of the past; in Lisbon behind the old facades of mansions they are completely re-planning entire neighbourhoods, while in Barcelona the glass and concrete building of the Centre for Contemporary Art sits right in the middle of the Gothic Quarter. Should modern architecture co-exist with historic buildings, where appropriate, and for what function? What kind of architectural appearance does Kaliningrad need if its multifaceted historical context and contemporary needs are taken into account? Will the imitation of Gothic windows on modern facades or the renovation of five-story buildings in the style of German mansions lead to identity? Or do we need a new story and contemporary thinking?