1st model work

Work in progress…

mapping and analysing

Social antrophology text + presentation

View more documents from Ina Bakka Sem-Olsen.

Upcoming architecture biennale in Moscow

The topic of the biennale shows the present issues to be dealt with in Russian urbanism and architecture, topics I will address in my project.

http://moscowarchbiennale.ru/1361

I am attending the biennale between 29th may-05th june. Give me a note if you want to join me.

Liminal flux

The situation in Nikel is not necessarily unique, but the closeness to Norway makes the difference so very obvious. The towns position as liminal to its own future, yet reluctant or powerless to change its path, leaves its inhabitants in a flux between flight or surrender in a struggle for the city to reproduce the story of itself and its identity as a company town.
Yet there is no certainty this is neither the wrong nor the right way to see the situation. As strangers, again, this is interpreted with a background that differs from what might be the background of the inhabitants of Nikel.

Is the story reproduced? Is there a local initiative for a future – which kind of future? Which kind of initiative?

Somebody’s hometown.

Everyplace is someone’s hometown – what constitutes this? Even every horrible place leaves people emotional to what it is, what it has been, or have become, and a somewhat aspiration for its future.
Some abandon their hometown for better possibilities, but some don’t. How come these don’t? What is the profound feelings steering their belonging? Or what are the possibilities for prosperity, hidden from the bare eyes of a stranger?
Or is it merely an acceptance of the prevailing situation.

What is then the identity and sense of belonging in the situation of Nikel? How is it expressed? What qualities are expressed?

Can this make a foundation for a future for the town of Nikel and its inhabitants?

Poignant differences

This Russian town so close to the Norwegian border but yet so very different. How is it to live in this town? How do they define themselves, their town and their identity? In which way do they feel a sense of belonging to their place and how is it articulated? Most of us ground our self and our background in an identity, and the term of identity in some way or the other refers to a place of belonging.

We are strangers in this situation in Nikel, our perception of the place is not valid in the same way.
Our perception is coloured by the many news flashes from this city, the pollution, the dead nature and the inevitable misery of the people living there. The people living under these conditions are more than often presented in generalised and anonymised terms subsumed to their own reality.
However the situation, people still live in Nikel and their perception of their place is different.

Uncertain future

The future of Nikel is uncertain. After being a company town all its existence –first Finnish then Russian since after the WW2. The company running the city have provided the security of the existence of Nikel. But now the melter will be shut down within a few years. What will then be the future of the city and its people?
The town has already been shrinking. In 1989 was the number of inhabitants 21838, in 2005 there was 15900 inhabitants. And it continues to loose its inhabitants. By estimates the number of inhabitants in 2020 will be closer to 12000.

This leaves the town with empty buildings, “wholes” in its structure and a sad prospect for life.

What will then be the future of Nikel and its inhabitants?
Will the government resettle Nikels population like have been done before to numerous monocities across the Russian territory? Will the town continue to dissolve until it disappears by itself?
For what premises should the town of Nikel be maintained or should it not?

A Russian company town

Nikel is a Russian company town close to the Norwegian border, at location N 69*40`11“, E 30*23`71“in the arctic north. Harsh climatic conditions, long dark winters and short summers, pollution from the local combinat and an uncertain future.
Still people find their home here like anywhere else.