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Norilsk plans architecture competition among new housing projects

The company is interested in keeping the architectural image of downtown Norilsk

ST. PETERSBURG, June 3. /TASS/. An international competition among architecture companies to determine Norilsk’s housing concept will be organized within 2021, Nornickel’s Senior Vice President Larisa Zelkova said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday.

The company plans to build to 2035 about 100 new apartment buildings offering about 400,000 square meters for 13,000 families.

"As for the new housing, the concept, as for what it must look like and how it must be organized, the Norilsk Development Agency and the city administration will organize a big competition among architecture teams, who could offer such a concept," she said, adding the competition would be announced shortly and would continue to end of the year. The competition will be international, she said.

The company is interested in keeping the architectural image of downtown Norilsk - it was built in the 20th century - architects from Leningrad made the style similar to that of St. Petersburg. "Wherever it will be possible, we will renovate what was built in the past," Nornickel’s representative said.

Norilsk is one of the northernmost cities in the world. Its population is 180,000 people, where 26% are employed with Norilsk Nickel. The massive development of Norilsk was carried out in the 1940-1950s and 1960-1990s. The city does not have any new construction projects. Norilsk, including the remote village of Snezhnogorsk, has 862 residential buildings.

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum organized by the Roscongress Foundation is running from June 2-5. Among the discussion platforms include one on SMEs, along with other events dubbed "Project Healthy Life" and "Drug Security," as well as the SPIEF Junior special youth session will be held as part of the St. Petersburg forum. The SPIEF 2021 event is taking place in-person with all health safety measures in place. TASS is the forum’s information partner and the official photo hosting agency.