HSE’s Development Projects Named Among the World’s Top 15 Urban Development Practices
A development project for Novy Urengoy, prepared by the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism at the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development (FURD), has been shortlisted for the Guangzhou Award for Urban Innovation, one of the world’s leading international competitions in urban planning.
A total of 381 applications were submitted by 248 cities across 60 countries. An international jury selected only 15 initiatives to advance to the final stage of the competition.
The Guangzhou Award for Urban Innovation was established with the support of UNESCO, the Metropolis World Association of the Major Metropolises, and the City of Guangzhou (China). The award is presented in conjunction with the Global Mayor’s Forum, held in Guangzhou.
The award recognises innovative initiatives that enhance the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of cities and regions while promoting prosperity and improving residents’ quality of life. This year’s shortlist includes projects from Russia, China, Turkey, the Netherlands, Greece, Morocco, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Uganda, Kenya, South Korea, and the Philippines. Russia is represented by the project ‘Cultural Process in an Arctic City: Expanding the Role of Art,’ submitted by the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development.
Victoria Khomich, First Deputy Dean and Head of International Affairs at the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development
‘We first learned about this award at the Global Mayor’s Forum in Guangzhou in December 2023, and this year we decided to submit our Russian project. We succeeded in showcasing our approaches to Arctic urban development and in highlighting our unique methods used in preparing master plans—approaches that are now being recognised internationally and viewed as examples that could be implemented in other regions. In addition to being a great source of pride for our faculty, this achievement provides an opportunity to demonstrate the distinct identity of Russian cities, their unique geographical and economic characteristics, and the commitment of local authorities and master-plan developers to a people-centred approach, which underpins all of our work in urban development. I am delighted that our ambitions, expertise and capabilities have been recognised as both relevant and valuable on the international stage. This marks an entirely new phase in our development.’
The submitted project is based on the Novy Urengoy Master Plan, developed in 2024 by the team at the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism within the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development. It showcases urban projects that have already been completed, along with established local initiatives that demonstrate the role of culture and the arts in the development of a modern Arctic city. The Gaz Art Centre, the School of Arts, and the Sova Art Residency have all become important drivers of urban development in Novy Urengoy.
Yuri Kulchitsky, Deputy Head of the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism at the HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development
‘Being shortlisted for the award confirms the success of Novy Urengoy’s commitment to the strategic development of culture. It demonstrates that, as Russian Arctic cities reshape their cultural and social landscape, they are developing innovations of global significance, and that Novy Urengoy is far more than simply Russia’s gas capital. We are particularly pleased that countries of the Global Majority are showing interest in successful solutions developed in Russian cities with unique conditions beyond the country’s largest metropolitan areas. Today, Russia’s global leadership extends beyond its major cities, giving us hope that we are moving towards a more balanced pattern of urban development.’
The HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development submitted three entries to the competition:
‘The Green Route: Enhancing Urban Connectivity and Nature in an Arctic City’
‘A Smart and Specialization-Tailored Lifelong Learning System in an Arctic City’
‘Cultural Process in an Arctic City: Expanding the Role of Art’.
The third submission was selected as one of the 15 best urban development initiatives worldwide.
The HSE Faculty of Urban and Regional Development has been contributing to the strategic development of Novy Urengoy for several years. In 2024, a team from the Vysokovsky Graduate School of Urbanism prepared the city’s master plan, setting out its key development priorities through to 2035. In 2025, the documentary film Time Capsule was released, exploring the future of Russia’s gas capital. In the film, the project team presents the fundamental principles and strategic priorities underpinning the city’s long-term development.
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