URBAN REGENERATION IN RUSSIA THROUGH NEGLECTED CHURCHES

Abstract

The paper analyzes how urban fabric can be regenerated through cultural heritage. The proposal proves that sustainability means modernized vernacular solutions which corresponds with the needs of modern society. Namely, several worldwide cases of urban renewal were analyzed in order to find an answer to the following question: What vernacular features of neglected Russian orthodox churches should be preserved in order to provide its prosperity and sustainability? Moreover, the factors of qualitative urban transformation are discussed by means of economic, cultural, social, and environmental perspectives. Finally, the paper proposes a business-oriented approach in re-use of the neglected sacred buildings instead of an obsolete budget-oriented one.