Abstract
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is a developing regional city of the Russian Far East, experiencing a shortage of public recreational areas. Complex climatic conditions impose certain constrains on full year use of open public spaces. The lack of functioning communication between communities, city administration and existing businesses limits severely the opportunities for creating and developing public recreational spaces. The purpose of the study was: taking into account features of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk development, formulate hypotheses for planning, functional, and operational solutions for improvements of Dalneye Park. The theoretical basis of the study was based on works of Murunov S., Glazychev L., Margolin, V. The research methodology included a comprehensive spatial analysis: transport analysis, system analysis, analysis of the climatic characteristics of the area, social analysis. Social design part included the questionnaire stage (3 types of questionnaires), the creation of a project group, working group (all stakeholders: local residents, communities, representatives of the city administration, representatives of small and medium businesses), lecture, workshop (project seminar). The project seminar included 5 tacts of group work: 1. Formulating the issues/ exchange of experience; 2. Generation (goals/values), scenarios, definition of what a park is; 3. Design (implementation of winter / summer scenarios and infrastructure requirements); 4. Calendar events creating (festivals) 5. Reflection of participants. The results of the case-study confirmed the hypotheses, which formed the basis of technical task for the development of the Dalneye Park concept and an active working group of residents and communities in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The research, which was a complex participatory project (administration/business/ experts/active citizens and new residents), conducted on the creation of the Dalneye Park, made a foundation for a new urban culture in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
