Development of Mass Housing and Structural Systems in Sumgait’s Second and Third Residential Areas
Öz
The development of microdistricts in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, during the 1960s marked a pivotal shift in urban planning, reflecting broader Soviet trends. These residential complexes, larger and more integrated than traditional block structures, aimed to optimize living conditions through functional zoning and the strategic placement of educational and recreational facilities. This study examines the planning, infrastructure, and architectural nuances of Sumgait’s early microdistricts, focusing on their innovative design principles, challenges, and legacy.
Key planning features included the row alignment of residential buildings, semi-enclosed courtyards, and central locations for schools and gardens, which promoted community cohesion and functional integration. However, the lack of fencing and the dispersed placement of service facilities highlighted shortcomings, including inefficient land use and delayed infrastructure development. Moreover, the absence of coordinated parking solutions and the proliferation of individual garages and cars disrupted the intended harmony of green spaces and pedestrian safety.
Comparative analyses with practices in other Soviet and European cities underscore the evolving balance between residential needs and service systems. Recommendations emphasize integrated placement of service facilities, cooperative design of public institutions, and innovative parking solutions to enhance urban living standards. By addressing these issues, Sumgait’s microdistricts could serve as models for sustainable urban development, aligning with contemporary principles of efficiency, green construction, and community-oriented design.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Architectural Planning, Industrial City, Public Area, Factory, Territory
Destekleyen Kurum
No funding was obtained for this study.
Etik Beyan
The authors affirm that all the processes were conducted in line with the copyright regulations for intellectual and artistic works, research and publication ethics. As this study does not involve direct human participation or data that requires ethics committee approval, approval from the ethics committee was not obtained.
Kaynakça
- Abbood, I. S., Jasim, M. A., & Weli, S. S. (2021). High-rise buildings: Design, analysis, and safety—An overview. International Journal of Architectural Engineering Technology, 8, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.15377/2409-9821.2021.08.1
- Aksenov, K. E., Zinovyev, A. S., & Morachevskaya, K. A. (2019). The role of retail in the transformation of the microdistrict organization of the urban environment. Izvestiya Rossiyskoy Akademii Nauk. Seriya Geograficheskaya (Regional Research of Russia), 2019(3), 13–27.
- Alekseyeva, A. (2019). Everyday Soviet utopias: Planning, design and the aesthetics of developed socialism. Routledge. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27007778.
- Aliyev, Sh. T. (2019). Strategic aspects of development of Sumgait as the industrial center (1970–1985). Audit, 3(25), 83–94.
- Andrusz, G. (1984). Housing and Urban Development in the USSR. Macmillan.
- Andrusz, G., Harloe, M., & Szelenyi, I. (Eds.). (1996). Cities after Socialism: Urban and Regional Change and Conflict in Post-Socialist Societies. Blackwell.
- Engel, B. (Ed.). (2024). Echoes of Soviet urbanism: Exploring modernist housing narratives — Perspectives on heritage, transformation, and community dynamics in East European and Eurasian microrayons. DOM Publishers. (ISBN: 9783869228921).
- Engel, B., & Rogge, N. (Eds.). (2024). Large housing estates under socialism: Experiences and perspectives on sustainable development of mass housing districts. Transcript Verlag.
- Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The three worlds of welfare capitalism. Princeton University Press.
- Eynullayeva, M. (2011). Architectural and planning development of residential construction in large cities of Azerbaijan (1920–1990s). [Doctoral dissertation, Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction].