Symposium: St. Petersburg's history, future

How do you take a city dominated by historic, centuries-old landmarks and renew it with bold, modern architecture without ruining its renowned aesthetic character?

That large question, faced by St. Petersburg, Russia (as well as many aging cities), will be debated 1-5 p.m. March 8 in Hale Auditorium by some of the world's foremost architects, designers and artists at an international symposium: Projecting Petersburg.

The symposium marks the launch of a series of varied artistic events at U-M in honor of St. Petersburg's 300th anniversary, including an exhibition of prized art from the Hermitage, as well as a full fall season of music, theater and dance.

The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia (Photo courtesy Jack Kollmann)

Projecting Petersburg is the first extensive public examination in the United States of issues facing the legendary Russian city during its current effort to launch a bold new plan to revive the city's historic center. St. Petersburg, founded as a "Window to the West" by Peter the Great, became the cultural capital of an empire, weathering revolutions and name changes, a 900-day Nazi blockade that left 1 million people dead, as well as the rise and eventual collapse of communism.

Mariinsky Theatre artistic director Valery Gergiev, California avant-garde architect Eric Owen Moss, and other symposium participants will explore the juxtaposition of St. Petersburg's past and present in the struggle to maintain a singular identity and character while adjusting to the pressures of a rapidly changing world.

Symposium participants will reflect on the capacity of institutions like the State Hermitage Museum, the State Russian Museum and particularly the Mariinsky Theatre of Opera and Ballet, to expand and go through makeovers.

While critics of introducing modern architecture strongly oppose changes to the historic center's architectural legacy, proponents say the fear is unfounded. More details are available at: http://www.umich.edu/~urel/stp/.

Projecting Petersburg is sponsored by the Center for Russian and East European Studies, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, International Institute, Center for European Studies, Office of the Vice President for Research, and the Trust for Mutual Understanding.
--Joseph J. Serwach, News Service

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