Formation of innovative public spaces in railway areas

Abstract

The paper addresses the issues of railway areas in a modern city and their potential in the formation of public spaces. In the course of their study, the authors analyze the experience in the architectural and urban planning integration of railway areas into the urban space in such directions as interaction with facilities maintaining their transport (railway) function and re-purposing of closed railway lines. As a result, the authors conclude that railway lines can be structurally transformed, thus becoming not barriers between districts but elements of the green pedestrian framework. The authors also propose a concept of re-using railway infrastructure elements not used for their primary purpose to organize public spaces. In the paper, various scenarios of organizing an innovative adaptable square with the use of mobile modular units made from former train cars are considered through the example of a park along Finland (Finlyandskaya) Railway Line in Saint Petersburg and its filling with various objects.