Yuri Medvedev
The head of the Interregional Center FGUP “The Russian State NIIPI of Urbanistics”

RER:  So, how did the “Sochi-2014” project emerge?

Yu.M. The Project-2014 (a complex of urban planning and construction projects otherwise known as Sochi-2014) emerged long time ago.  Important first steps in this direction were made in 1999 when environmental impact assessment and town-planning assessment for development of  Krasnaya Polyana  sports and tourism center and  mountain climate resort  were performed  under supervision of  I.V. Yaroshevsky,  head of  YugAcademCentr  company located in Sochi. The team of the company’s  experts planned to build all facilities for mountain sports in the Krasnaya Polyana area. Unfortunately, authors of the concept also planned to build some of sports objects on the territory of the Caucasian State Biosphere Natural Reserve. Sochi lost its previous bid to host the Olympics because the reserve is a UNESCO-protected area.
 
Working on the general plan for Krasnaya Polyana  sports and tourism center and  mountain- climate resort  in 2003  we discovered  that all sports facilities could be build within Krasnaya Polyana area, beyond the bounds of the reserve. This was the starting point for the new Olympic bid preparation process. Development of the Krasnaya Polyana  complex was commissioned by  the Rosstroy.

Moreover, to the initially planned mountain resort zone we added the coastal area thus combining  two resort zones  in a single “mountain-sea”  recreational zone. Gradually these ideas crystallized into the concept for the new Sochi’s bid to host Winter Olympics. We justified our choice for preliminary locations of different sporting events. The city submitted its bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics to the Russian Olympic Committee. The project received  full support of  the Russian Olympic Committee.  The initiative also received backing of the federal government.
This is how the federal target program for development of the city of Sochi as a mountain-climate resort was formed. 

RER: Does it mean that Sochi would primarily be developed as a tourist and recreational center?

Yu. M. That’s right. Federal program is aimed at creation of a world-level resort. 

RER: Does the project also envisage new housing construction?

Yu. M. Housing construction will be developed in accordance with the city’s general plan. The federal program is not aimed at housing construction. It focuses primarily on building world-level sports facilities, on creation of transport and engineering infrastructure, on provision of ecological security – steps that would facilitate complex development of the city, including development of residential areas. It is obvious that Sochi as a resort town and a protected  natural area  is not expected to develop industry. At present the city has the population of 389 thousand, our territorial planning documents  envisage  an increase in population to 420 thousand by 2025.   Naturally, residential area will be developed along with resort area.

RER: You have mentioned the ecological aspect.  Some of sports facilities  are planned to  be build in close proximity to the natural reserve. What steps would be taken to reduce ecological risks associated with the project?

Yu.M. We are not going to intrude the immediate territory of  the biosphere reserve.  As to sports facilities to be constructed along the boundaries of the reserve, environmental risk assessment will be conducted for each Olympic complex . We are also developing methods of compensation for potential environmental damage. For example, rare plants will be transplanted to specially selected sites. Certain steps will be taken to protect rare animals. All these compensatory actions are included in the federal target program. It has a special section dedicated to engineering protection against all kinds of natural hazards typical for the area -  avalanches and mudflows, landslides and karsts, floods and  high seismic activity . Development of the world-level resort and the Winter Olympics capital city will be conducted in accordance with the current legislation.

RER: Will there be any specific new architectural concepts or engineering solutions used for realization of the project?

Yu. M. We are working on territorial planning documents that provide the basis for allocation of space for architecture/construction objects. There were offered lots for construction of specific objects: stadiums, skating center etc. and this is where the cutting-edge technologies will be used.  Construction of these objects will be monitored by special commission set up by the Russian Union of Architects upon recommendations of  the Ministry for Trade and Economic Development Construction , the supervisor of construction work for sports facilities.

RER: What are the main difficulties associated with practical realization of the project?

Yu.M. For  the most part, the difficulties are  connected with recently adopted Town Planning Code and new legislation on Land and Water codes. Absence of subordinate legislation hampers work on  initial data collection, development of project documentation and project appraisal.

RER: What do you see as the peculiar feature of Sochi-2014 project?. What makes it different from projects for development of other  Russian cities?

Yu.M. Sochi is the only city in Russia located in subtropical zone.  Set between the Black Sea and Caucasus mountains it is the only place in Russia that offers sea beaches and mountain ski resorts  - the combination unique for Russia  and hard to find elsewhere in the world. This was
the strong point of Sochi's bid to host the 2014 Winter Games.  And of course, strong support from the federal government and President Putin was instrumental for the project.