Factors of organization Northern settlements

Rostovskaia Anna Andreevna Postgraduate student of the Department of Urban Planning of the Moscow Architectural Institute 107031, Russia, Moscow, Rozhdestvenka str., 11/4, building 1, building 4 annetrostovskaya@gmail.com

Introduction. Among all the territories located in the extreme climatic conditions of the North, the Russian North is one of the most urbanized, since many cities and settlements of various sizes are located within its borders ^[1]. Nevertheless, despite this fact, the density of settlements in the North is very low (according to the data of the Federal State Statistics Service). Therefore, the development of the northern territories is justified both from the point of view of striving for uniform settlement in modern geopolitical conditions, and from the point of view of the constant growth of the world's population ^[2].

The issue of delimitation of the northern territories between circumpolar countries does not lose its relevance, which emphasizes the importance of the development of northern cities ^[3]. Active development and development of a sparsely populated area is impossible without the formation of new settlements. However, we are faced with the question of what these cities should be, what their role will be, who will live in them and what their appearance will be. The functional purpose of the territory and its population are two parameters inextricably linked to each other, whereas the appearance of an architectural space is a consequence of who lives in it and what function it should perform. At the same time, external physical and geographical conditions, including climatic conditions, which determine the adaptability of the territory to human activity, always remain primary.

The purpose of the research, to which the article is devoted, is to study the issue of the life cycle of a city in extreme climatic conditions of the North.

Tasks set to achieve the goal:

- consider the concept of the life cycle of the city as a whole;

- to identify and reveal the features of the life cycle of the northern city;

- to consider the factors influencing the duration of the life cycle of the northern city.

The life cycle of a city in extreme climatic conditions of the North. The issue of cyclical development of systems is actively studied in economics and sociology. Jay Forrester was one of the first to consider the concept of the life cycle in relation to the urban system, highlighting three factors that determine the nature of city development: population, housing stock and entrepreneurial activity ^[4]. In the works of P. A. Orekhovsky, the phases of the city's life cycle are distinguished: development (intensive development), growth (slowing development), stagnation and decline ^[5]. The monograph by R. R. Mavlyutov summarizes materials on the topic of the city's life cycle, including the definition of the concept and considers four possible trajectories of the city's life cycle characteristic of Russian settlements ^{[6, p. 38]}, based, among other things, on the materials of predecessors (I. D. Turgel, E. G. Animitsa, A. P. Dubnov, L. V. Koval) ^{[7, 8, 9]}. Of particular interest in the framework of urban planning research are the materials of K. A. Proshunina and T. V. Khomenko, which raises the issue of little knowledge of individual components of the life cycle of an urban planning system ^[10].

The issue of the life cycle of northern cities has not previously been considered in isolation. Nevertheless, due to the extreme climatic conditions of the territory, these settlements are formed and develop differently, which means that their life cycle should be determined by other principles. The experience of the development of the northern territories by circumpolar countries proves their uniqueness. The widespread division of cities into permanent and shift ones is due to well-developed approaches to the development of northern territories ^{[11, p. 178]}. However, today, in our opinion, it is more correct to think in terms of prospects and not to propose the polar concepts of "temporary-permanent", but to refer to the term "life cycle" of the northern city.

Any settlement has a certain life cycle, but in the northern settlement its duration is severely limited by possible combinations of such factors as: the extremity of physical and geographical conditions, the presence of basic and additional vectors of development, and the composition of the population.

Thus, within the framework of this study, the physical and geographical conditions are accepted by us as the primary, initial characteristic of the territory, since they limit the range of available forms of life and comfortable living, which determines the short life cycle of the northern city. Next, we will consider secondary, but no less important parameters – the population of the planned settlements and their functional purpose.

Physical and geographical conditions. As part of the urban planning study, the parameters determining the extremity of environmental conditions are: low winter temperatures, duration of the heating season, wind speed, humidity during the coldest period, the presence of a polar night, the presence of permafrost (Figure 1). The presence, as well as various combinations of these factors, affect a person's ability to adapt to these conditions, the duration of this adaptation, as well as the possibility of organizing various types of economic, as well as recreational and cultural-cognitive activities. The more of the above factors are represented in the territory, the more severe the environment is considered. This means that for the organization of the life activity process, a greater number of protective measures will be required that meet the medical and biological requirements.

Figure 1. Physical and geographical parameters of the assessment of the extreme conditions of the Northern city

Population. Depending on the way the population lives, settlements are traditionally divided into two types: permanent and shift. However, the human resources of the North of Russia are incredibly multifaceted ^[12]. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the inhabitants of the North themselves are representatives of a larger number of different groups. In the study, we propose to consider the population as a whole as a parameter from several points of view. Thus, it is possible to identify groups according to the principle of adaptation to the conditions of the North; according to the chosen method of residence on the spot; according to the culture of which the population is representative; according to social status; according to the method of interaction with the settlement (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Population groups of the North by various characteristics

Further, as a result of the analysis of the population of the North and the assignment of its individual representatives with similar characteristics to different groups, we obtain four main strata of the population of the North, described in more detail below and presented in the form of a diagram in the illustration (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Strata of the population of the North

Temporary settlements – shift settlements – in Russian, Soviet, as well as foreign practice are traditionally associated with the extractive industry. The location of mineral deposits in hard-to-reach and underdeveloped areas has formed the practice of "importing" labor to the mining site. The negative impact of physical and geographical conditions on a person accustomed to a more favorable climate determined the shift nature of work.

However, it is worth noting that two groups that differ from each other are formed among the "shift workers" ^{[13, p. 109]}. The first are those who live in the middle zone or to the south, their families live there, their home is there. These people are not adapted to the conditions of the North, their main motivation is high wages, therefore they are ready to temporarily put up with unfavorable climatic and other physical and geographical conditions (such as the factor of the polar day or the polar night). Representatives of this group will spend the least time in the North compared to others.

The second group is also people who work in shifts, however, they themselves and their family live in the conditions of the North, which means that they are already adapted to the harsh climate, its impact on the body is felt by them to a lesser extent, which means in the future, if there are places of employment, they will be able to live in someor the northern point for longer and with much fewer negative health effects.

The permanent population is also a heterogeneous group of people. Firstly, there are representatives of the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North (KMNS) among them. These are national minorities who have their own culture, traditions, language, and the principle of farming. According to the All-Russian Population Census of 2020, 47 ethnic groups and about 315 thousand representatives of the CIS live in the country (according to the data of the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation). The uniqueness of this fact lies in the fact that in many circumpolar states, the population of the Arctic is represented by a small number of indigenous peoples or not at all, whereas they carry manifestations of tangible and intangible culture, thereby contributing to the diversity of world culture.

Secondly, the permanent population is represented by the descendants of former immigrants who carry the same culture as the more southern peoples, being close to them by origin. At the same time, such people are already fully adapted to harsh conditions, due to the fact that several generations of their ancestors permanently lived in the North ^[14].

The functional purpose of the development vector. There are many examples of cities that initially had great development potential, a solid population and, most importantly, a city–forming enterprise, which played a decisive role. The liquidation or decline of the enterprise, or the disappearance of the development vector that determined the main function of the city, and then the active outflow of the population in search of new places of employment illustrates regressive urban development and the phenomenon of "shrinking" cities ^{[15, pp. 33-40]}.

However, unplanned "compression" is always a negative process, since the city, following the vector of active and, in particular, extensive development, is filled with depressed territories that appear in place of unnecessary more industrial and industrial zones, as well as abandoned residential territories ^{[6, p. 33]}. Such a fate is often reserved for manufacturing enterprises of single-industry towns in a country with a planned economy. With a change in the policy of the state, and then of the enterprise, the city becomes unviable ^[16]. In this case, he has the opportunity either to choose the vector of "planned compression", or, if a new vector of development appears, a new path of development ^[17].

The presence of a large number of unfavorable physical and geographical conditions makes it difficult for a person to adapt to them and turn to his advantage. For the population of the North, the range of available areas of economic, industrial, scientific and educational activities is quite narrow, which means that a strong vector of development is necessary for the formation of a sustainable type of settlement. Without it, the formation of a settlement is devoid of clear prospects. The presence of at least one potentially large place of employment, being a vector of further development, gives a chance to form a temporary settlement, and the presence of several such vectors makes it possible to form a settlement not only of a shift, but also of a permanent type of residence.

The most promising development vectors for the city in harsh external conditions are:

- The center of the extractive industry;

- Transport hub;

- BUT/border checkpoint;

-        Scientific Research Center;

- IT cluster.

The wealth of the northern territories in minerals determined in advance their role as the center of the extractive industry. The need for extracted minerals, as well as the economic benefits from the sale of raw materials, make the deposits the most promising points for development for many years to come. Even a paradigm shift to a more careful and less consumer attitude towards the territories of the North will not be able to globally change the situation. As long as humanity needs fossil energy sources, has the ability to extract raw materials, and reserves are not depleted, the role of the extractive industry in the North will continue. At the same time, it is important to note that the region's wealth in minerals is not always directly proportional to the level of well-being of the population and the low unemployment rate ^[18].

Places at the intersection of transport arteries have long been major strongholds. Today, railway stations, sea and river ports, bus stations, airports can become strong points. The presence of at least one such "gate" provides the northern city with a connection to the "mainland", whereas two or more modes of transport increase the importance of the city for the territory under consideration. The active development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), as well as the formation of a connected settlement system, requires the establishment of new settlements ^[19].

Ensuring territorial integrity is an important issue of the country's policy. A network of settlements near the state border is another possible functional purpose of the city. It is also worth mentioning the closed administrative-territorial formations (BUT). These types of settlements stand apart, are mostly closed and are not predisposed to territorial interaction with other settlements or the introduction of additional functions due to the specifics of their main functional purpose. The liquidation of an enterprise or the disappearance of the need for the function of a border facility when other development vectors appear allows for development, but at the same time assumes a transition to another category of settlements. The relevance of settlements of such a functional purpose is determined by the vectors of the country's development at the highest level (in accordance with the List of instructions following the meeting on the development of settlements and settlements in the Arctic zone of Russia, approved by the President of the Russian Federation on August 18, 2023).

Another possible purpose of the settlement being formed is a research center. The severity of the conditions of the North determines the lesser study of territories from the point of view of natural sciences, rather than more climatically favorable territories. Current issues such as global warming (in accordance with the materials of the IPCC Special Report on the Effects of Global Warming 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and on the corresponding trajectories of global greenhouse gas emissions in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, as well as sustainable development and poverty eradication efforts, the United Nations (UN)), as well as the associated possibility of thawing permafrost and along with it long-buried pathogenic microorganisms are becoming increasingly real ^[20]. According to the most optimistic forecasts of experts, the temperature will increase by 3.1 °C annually ^[21]. More than ever, humanity needs research and real action programs to prevent the catastrophic consequences of global warming ^[22]. This means that settlements based on research centers are becoming more promising. Research centers with a linguistic, linguistic, or art criticism orientation can also be included in this category.

The least common, but quite promising area is the IT cluster. The development of information technology provides many opportunities for development, including settlements. Data centers, otherwise called data processing centers, are becoming increasingly popular - large server rooms and structures that store huge amounts of information. In the Nordic countries, the formation of data centers in the conditions of the North is actively practiced ^[23]. The active heat transfer of energy-intensive installations requires a powerful and expensive cooling system. The harsh climatic conditions of the North can be used as natural cooling, and the excess heat generated can be used to provide energy for residential and industrial clusters.

All of the above functions individually can become the basis for the formation of a settlement with a short life cycle. The schematic diagrams of the organization of the settlement space are based on the principle of interaction "place of application of labor – residential territory" (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Schematic diagrams of the formation of Northern settlements

The appearance of any additional vector from the above will affect the life cycle of the settlement in the direction of lengthening, as well as increasing and complicating the structure of the settlement. In addition to the described development vectors, additional ones may appear:

- Recreational and tourist;

- Cultural and educational.

The presence of unique natural places determines the potential for the development of the tourist or recreational function of the projected settlement. Domestic tourism is gaining increasing popularity in our country, while with an abundance of attractions, not all of them are accessible due to the lack of transport accessibility and tourist infrastructure ^[24]. Simultaneously with the development of the tourist destination, recreational is also promising – the opportunity to be alone with nature is increasingly attracting the population of large cities. Hotels, spa complexes, etc. can be formed on the basis of natural objects.

The implementation of the cultural and cognitive function is possible on the basis of interaction with representatives of the CMNS. The small peoples mostly adhere to traditional ways of farming, organization of everyday life, etc. However, modern trends bring their own adjustments: the KMNS do not abandon cultural and economic interaction with Europeans. Many of them send their children to schools and sell the result of their economic activities in the cities. Being "out of the city", the representatives of the KMNS gradually become a part of it, albeit in their own peculiar manner. Interaction with them is of interest both to the scientific world (art historians, linguists) and to temporary visitors and tourists.

It is important to note that in conditions of extreme climatic conditions, it seems impossible to form a settlement based solely on recreational, tourist or cultural and cognitive functions, they can only be formed together in the above-mentioned "strong" development vectors, where a large place of employment is initially formed. Nevertheless, the further development of recreational, tourist or cultural and educational functions on the basis of established settlements will allow attracting tourists and popularizing northern routes both among the population of our country and among foreign tourists.

The typological appearance of the new settlements of the North. As noted above, the life cycle of the northern city is determined by the physical and geographical conditions of the environment, the functional content of the city, as well as the composition of the population. These three factors directly affect the appearance of the settlement, its architectural, spatial, and planning features (Figure 5), such as:

- Solving the issue of interaction with the climate;

-        Mutual arrangement of functional zones;

- Estimated life of the building;

-        The principle of territory development;

-        Interaction with the environment, etc.

Thus, we propose an approach to the formation of the typological appearance of settlements, which consists in a consistent analysis and determination of the characteristics of the settlement, first through the prism of the three specified factors (climate, function, population), and then through the choice of architectural, spatial and planning characteristics of the settlement. This approach leads us to the formation of the typological appearance of the settlement.

Figure 5. Architectural, spatial and planning features of Northern cities

Conclusion. Prospects for further research. The life cycle is the concept of symbiosis and interaction of several variables, the process is unstable and subject to change, but available for prediction.

As a result of the conducted research, we come to the conclusion that the life cycle of the northern city is determined by the following factors:

- - Severity of physical and geographical conditions of the area;

- - Presence of the development vector(s);

- - The composition of the population.

Depending on various combinations of the values of the above factors, the appearance of the northern city is formed. When forming new settlements, it is necessary to take into account previous experience, current trends and, equally important, to predict possible vectors of urban development, as well as adjust them based on the current situation for their most effective existence.

The described research is supposed to be continued and used to identify the principles of urban development in extreme climatic conditions of the North using specific examples.