1. Chisinau, Moldova
+373 767 468 16
+7 985 410 4225
editorsoftheglobe@gmail.com
irbitskaya.com
IRINA IRBITSKAYA
(Irina Pronyakina)
Architect, urban planner
Independent consultant
MISSION
I am an advocate of the uklad model of urban development. An uklad is a
persistent way of life which is expressed spatially, characterized by a prevailing
culture, a shared sense of family and community, a shared sense of past and future,
a shared sense of land and property ownership, and a shared understanding of
work and leisure.
The uklad model is key to the sustainability of any development strategy.
EXPERTISE
• Urban
development
• Urban design
• Urban policy
• Architectural
design
• Cultural heritage
• Housing
• Master plan
• Transit-oriented
development
• Project appraisal
EXPERIENCE
2021 - present. Independent international consultant for architecture
and urban development
Russian-speaking markets. Memoranda of cooperation were signed to create local
working groups on urban planning, cultural heritage, digitalization of cities and
creative industries with professionals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan
and Moldova.
November 2021 - present. Advising the mayor’s office in Chisinau on
strategic urban development projects.
• redevelopment projects of three strategic areas of Chisinau, with 1.048
hectares of total area;
• implementation of TOD (Transit-oriented development) models;
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2. • creative hubs network in Chisinau based on municipal property in the
historical center of Chisinau;
• conferences on urban development and urban cultural heritage
September 2021 - present. Advising a World Bank project in Uzbek-
istan
• Preparatory work for the project “Pilot study on identifying opportuni-
ties and needs for mobilization of local potential for social and economic
development in Kagan city” in the framework of the World Bank project
“Medium-size cities integrated urban development project additional financ-
ing” for the national medium-size cities program in Uzbekistan.
2017 - present. UNDP consultant
• “Republic of Moldova: An uklad-based approach to protection and sustain-
able development of cultural heritage. How to protect cultural heritage
in spite of insufficient resources through individual daily practices.” Rec-
ommendation for Chisinau commissioned by UNDP Republic of Moldova
(2019).
2013 - 2021. Founder, first director, Center for Urban Competence,
Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
The center does expertise of housing projects and urban development and
planning. Since 2013, the center has produced dozens of reports with recom-
mendations to improve urban planning policies and residential construction for
various clients including the Ministry of Construction, President’s Administra-
tion, and Chamber of Commerce. Among the more important work of the Center
were:
• “A conceptual program of tourism infrastructure development in the Adler
district of Sochi” (2013)
• The National strategy “Development of Russian cities and a new model of
urban policy until 2035” (2016 - 2017)
2004 - 2021. Co-founder and principal architect of Platforma design
office
Since 2004, Platforma has designed more than hundred projects of various
sizes, including master plans, architectural concepts, urban and interior design,
research and development projects, and spatial strategies.
Over the last years, Platforma’s focus has moved to strategic consulting and
conceptual spatial and architectural design. The bureau supports the groups of
interior designers, urban environment and landscape designers.
Platforma’s selected work:
• Master Plan of the “Kommunarka” district (30 hectares, 2005)
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3. • “Parameters for compact cities in Russia” (2008), part of the current
town-planning policy of Moscow (2013)
• Master Plan for the “Leshkovo” residential block (16 hectares, 2007); won
the International Prize ARXAWARDS 2007
• Master Plan and architectural design of an urban block and a park in
Kaliningrad (13 hectares, 2008). Recommended by the Civic Chamber of
Russia to the Ministry of Economic Development as a standard for Russian
cities
• Master Plan of district “South” in Mineralnie Vody (441 hectares, 2007).
Approved by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Feder-
ation
• “Planning, architectural, financial and management model of qualitative
transformation in the city of Togliatti” (2014)
• “Spatial parameters and development tools for built-up areas in Yekaterin-
burg” (2015)
• Masterplan of the new city center in Novosibirsk city (30 hectares, 2017)
• Development strategy, masterplan and architectural concept of the new
village in the New Moscow region (14 hectsres, 2018)
• Masterplan of the old-industrial city block transformation to the city block
of the new city industry paradigm Kazan, Tatarstan. (3 hectares, 2020)
2015 - 2016. Architect-in-Residence at Moscow School of Manage-
ment Skolkovo
• “Transit-oriented development (TOD): social-economic, spatial, financial
and administrative models for 192 transit-oriented territories in Moscow
region”, as a head of research team
• “Urban planning and development of Russian monotowns and shrinking
cities”, as a consultant
2008 - 2012. Joint work with Vyacheslav Glazychev (1940 – 2012):
http://www.glazychev.ru/
• “Algorithm of development projects” for developers, municipal managers,
urban planners and architects
• “Social housing of the Russian Federationfor the Russian Housing Develop-
ment Foundation (RHDF)”
• Courses “Urban design and development of the regions”, “The political
economy of the city”
• “Concept of the Moscow agglomeration development” (an international con-
sortium team Chernihov A. A.) as an expert and manager for cooperation
between Russian and foreign participants.
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4. EDUCATION
1991 - 1996. Ural State University of Architecture and Art, Ekater-
inburg, Russia
1996 - 1999. Moscow Architectural Institute
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
2021 - present. Expert of the Guild Russian Creative Week
2019 - 2020. Head of the European project “Digital cities” of the workgroup of
the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure of the Republic of Moldova
2018 - 2019. Head of the expert group of the All-Russian competition of the best
projects for a comfortable urban environment in historical settlements, National
project ‘Housing and Urban Environment”, Ministry of Construction, Housing
and Utilities of the Russian Federation
2002 - 2008. Co-founder, member of the Dutch-Russian Architectural Forum
(DRAF), the Netherlands
• Gave a series of lectures on the Dutch architecture in the Union of Moscow
Architects.
• Led a number of international workshops for Russian clients.
2008 - present. Speaker, moderator, curator at international conferences, includ-
ing the Moscow Urban Forum
2017. Guest lecturer, Urban Planning Institute, Republic of Slovenia, Ljubljana
2011 - 2021. Lecturer, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public
Administration
2002 - 2003. Lecturer, Moscow Architectural Institute
EARLIER EXPERIENCE
2002 - 2004. Self-employed architect
The key achievement is the growth the orders scale from interior design up to
building design and urban planning and territory development concepts
The main works:
• Five realized interiors projects of apartments and cafes
• Four architectural concepts of shopping centers
• Architectural concept for an office building on the street B. Tulskaya.
Approved by the Architectural Council of Committee for Architecture and
Urban Planning of Moscow and constructed by “Ostogenka” bureau
4
5. • Program for revitalization of ex-industrial urban block, Stanislavskogo
street, Moscow
• Urban and architectural concept for revitalization of ex-industrial urban
block, Lesnaya street, Moscow
2000 - 2002. Architect at Creative Production Union “Reserve”
• Shopping mall “Kvadro” on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, Moscow, as a member
of design team
• Business center “Citidel” on Zemlianoy val street, Moscow, as a member
of design team
• Landscape design for Residential complex in Zagorskogo Lane, Moscow as
a main architect
2000 - 2002. Experimental design practice
• Experimental project “Constructivists House of Culture” became a partici-
pant of the exhibition “House of Culture”, Moscow, 2001
• Experimental project of an apartments house “Moving flats” was nominated
for national award “Golden Section”, 2002, and became participant of the
exhibition “Das andere Moskau. Neue Formen einer alten Stadt”, Berlin,
2003
1999 - 2000. Self-employed architect
• Project “Reconstruction and adaptation project for city block, Olsufevsky
Pereulok, Moscow”. Won the tender
1998. Leading architect at Rabinovich’s studio of State Unitary En-
terprise Moscow Research and Design Institute “Mosproekt 4”
• Project for Children’s Clinical Hospital №13 of N. F. Filatov. Zoologich-
eskaya street, Moscow, as a lead architect
1998. Concept design architect at Talkovsky’s studio of Central
Research-and-Design Institute for the resorts, tourists and clinics
buildings
• Architectural concept for the office building on Tsvetnoy blrd., Moscow.
• Urban and architectural concept for the Russian Consulate complex in
Odessa city (Ukraine).
1997 - 1998. Architect for conceptual design and modeling at Solopov
studio of State Unitary Enterprise Moscow Research and Design In-
stitute “Mosproekt 4”
• Urban and architectural concepts for urban blocks, as a member of con-
ceptual architect team.
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6. • Urban and architectural concept for new International railway station at
the Moscow City, as a member of conceptual architect team.
• Urban and architectural concept for reconstruction Borovitskaya square in
Moscow, as a member of conceptual architect team.
1998. Charity practice
• Interior design project for the House of social rehabilitation of poor children
“Movement F foundation”
1997. Architect for conceptual design at Kuzmin’s studio of
State Unitary Enterprise Moscow Research and Design Institute
“Mosproekt 2”
• Urban and architectural concepts of urban blocks, as a member of concep-
tual architect team
1994 - 1997. Self-employed designer
• Design work for showcases, signboards and logos, as a head of designers
group
RECENT INVITED TALKS AND LECTURES
• “Of the river and time”, public talk, Artcor, conference “A vision for
Chisinau”, 15 December 2021, Chisinau, Moldova
• “The uklad-based method for human-centered architecture and urban
transformation”, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture, 11 May
2021
• “The uklad-based approach and Digital Cities”, international RANEPA
(Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration) zoom-
conference “Digital Cities”, 20 November, 2020
• “The uklad-based approach and Digital Cities”, international OECD zoom-
conference, 18 November, 2020
• “Digital Cities”, open online lecture, 3 September 2020, Bonn, Germany
• “The architect in the culture gaps conditions”, open online lecture, 20
August 2020, Bonn, Germany
• “About Meta-architecture” online lecture, School of chief city architects,
12 August 2020, Yekaterinburg, Russia
• “The national digital agency model for urban development. The case
study in Moldova”, RANEPA Interregional expert webinar “Foreign spatial
development management experience and its applicability for Russia”, 19
June 2020
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7. • “The evolution of Smart city models and the transition to the Digital city
models”, RANEPA Interregional expert webinar “Smart city”, 16 June
2020
• “The Digital Cities in XXI century”, IV international Forum “Cities
sustainable development”, 12 June 2020, Chisinau, Moldova
• “Elements of architecture. The wall”, online lecture, School of chief city
architects, 28 May 2020, Yekaterinburg, Russia
• “An uklad-based approach to protection and sustainable development of
cultural heritage in Chisinau, Moldova”, Forum “The City identity model.
Continuity. Stability. Development”, 6-9 February 2020, Kazan, Tatarstan
• “Elements of architecture. The wall”, open lecture, Union of Moscow
architects, 17 January 2020, Moscow
• “Communicable cities”, open lecture, Marc Bloch library, 3 December 2019,
Chisinau, Moldova
• “Communicable cities”, lecture, 1 December 2019, Odessa, Ukraine
• “The role and activities of the national urban development agency in the
twenties”, lecture, Orhei City Hall, 12 November, 2019, Chisinau, Moldova
• “An uklad-based approach to protection and sustainable development
of cultural heritage in Chisinau, Moldova”, Urban Planning Institute,
Republic of Slovenia, 1 October 2019, Ljubljana
• “Elements of architecture. The wall” online lecture 22 August 2019, Audi-
toriya*, Moscow
• “About Meta-architecture” open lecture, 1 August 2019, Auditoriya*,
Moscow
• “Afterburn-leading: the tools of methodological support from the center
to regional projects”, “First architectural forum “On useful and beautiful
architecture”, 5 June 2019, Belgorod
• “Key sources of positive urban transformation” lecture, Kaluga mayor’s
office, 29 May 2019, Kaluga, Russia
• “The subject of discovery in architecture and urban planning”, ARCH
Moscow 2019 exhibition, 18 May 2019, Moscow
• “Incidents, accidents, catastrophes: urban planning in a language of emer-
gency services” lecture, Foundation for single-industry towns development
of, 5 April 2019, Moscow
• “An uklad-based approach to the urban transformations and the preserva-
tion of urban identity” open lecture, Marc Bloch library, 25 January 2019,
Chisinau, Moldova
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8. • “The architect in the culture gaps conditions” lecture, SCA-LAB, 8 De-
cember 2018, Yekaterinburg, Russia
• “Urban Transformation: The Rules of the growth” lecture course, “The
Urban environment”, Moscow Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineer-
ing / Moscow information technology university 26-30 November, 2018,
Moscow
• “An uklad-based approach to the urban transformations and national,
regional and local policy making”, Vyksa urban forum, Plenary session “The
main mechanisms for the development of a comfortable urban environment
in Russia and the world”, 5 October 2018, Vyksa, Russia
• “The subject of discovery in architecture and urban planning” lecture,
Research and Design Institute for the Masterplan of the City of Moscow,
28 September 2018, Moscow
• “The only evolutionary model of the urban transformation is possible”,
Rusregions.com, 10 Sept, 2018
• “It is necessary to change the logic of the urban governance system”,
PLTF.RU, July, 2018
• “Citizens are conscious of the physical environment only when they can
influence to it”, Urbaneconomics.ru, 01 June. 2018
• “An uklad-based approach to sport mega-events project”, “International
congress “Architecture 2018: Sport”, 28 March 2018, Moscow
• “National programs “A, Be, Ve”, expert council on small towns, Civic
Chamber, 21 December 2017, Moscow
• “National programs “A, Be, Ve”, E.G. Yasin’s seminar on economic policy
in a period of a transition, High School of Economics, 21 December 2017,
Moscow
• “Incidents, accidents, catastrophes: urban planning in a language of emer-
gency services”, panel discussion at the Young Legislators Chamber, the
Federation Council, 11 December 2017, Moscow
• “Doma Kultury. Regeneration of Soviet socio-cultural centers into new
urban nodes”, Urban Planning Institute, Republic of Slovenia, 28 November
2017, Ljubljana
• “National programs “A, Be, Ve”, Arch-Biennale, 13 November 2017, In-
nopolis, Tatarstan
• “Doktor Gorodov”, panel discussion of the role of a city’s principal architect,
Zodchestvo Festival, 6 October 2017, Moscow
• “A nightmare scenario: critical depopulation of the planet”, International
Climate Forum, 21 August 2017, Moscow
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9. • “An uklad-based approach to urban transformation”, the Federation Coun-
cil, 14 June 2017, Moscow
• “The stakeholder forum as an instrument of qualitative urban transforma-
tion”, Arch-Moskva, 24 May 2017
• “Uklad-oriented methods in urban transformation”, Arch-Moskva, 24 May
2017
RECENT INTERVIEWS
• “How to restore territories from scratch and what to focus on?”, oxu.az, 5
January 2021
• “What is an uklad?”, republic.ru, 23 November 2021
• “The task of rebuilding Baku into a city of small towns”, media.az, 17
September 2020
• “Foodhalls instead of collective farms: why St Petersburg is destroying its
own markets”, RosBusinessConsulting, 28 December 2017
• “Developing small towns vs developing agglomerations”, “Platforma” Social
design center, 16 December 2017
• “A study: how Strelka’s business works”, incrussia.ru, 2 November 2017
• “A nature park: urban design at the Kremlin wall”, Expert-online, 13
September 2017
• “Parks that cost billions: who pays for Moscow’s beautification”, IA
REGNUM, 8 September 2017.
• “A road police station and a giant ship: ten of the most curious playgrounds
in Moscow”, M24, 1 September 2017.
• “How human dramas dictate rules of architecture”, Moscow Counsellor of
Architecture, Moscow, 10 August 2017
• “No way: Moscow’s backyards will be shut off from the public”, Davy-
dov.Index, 27 June 2017
• “Renovation: conflict or contract”, RosBusinessConsulting Plus One, 22
June 2017
• “Irina Irbitskaya, urbanist”, RosBusinessConsulting Plus One, 15 June
2017.
• “Transmigration of souls: how different countries approach residential
renovation”, Banki.ru, 6 June 2017
• “Wake up as a Muscovite”, M24, 29 May 2017
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10. • “Urban planner Irina Irbitskaya: “The ’khrushchovki’ residents should
become developers”, RosBusinessConsulting Real Estate, 18 April 2017
• “A wake-up shake-by-the-shoulder for the authorities”, Director Center of
Urban Competence on the ’khrushchyovki” demolition’, Kommersant, 29
March 2017
TV
• “Unfinished construction in Russia”, “Reflections”, OTR, 20 October 2017
• “How territorial improvement influences business”, 21 October 2017
• “Urbanizing life”, “Reflections”, OTR, 3 October 2017.
• “Public utilities: value for the price”, RosBusinessConsulting-TV, 14 June
2017
SELECTED EARLIER INTERVIEWS AND PUBLICATIONS
Permanent expert of regional and national media
• (Including RBC TV, the ITAR-TASS news agency, REGNUM, Russian
newspaper, Vesti-24, Moscow-FM, Radio Mayak, FM CITY, Kommersant-
FM, Kommersant, Business Russia, and others)
Selected articles
• “Basics of survival Russian city”, ’ Parade quarter” magazine, April 2011
• “Low-budget innovative ways of territories development”, “Parade quarter”
magazine, February 2011
• “The by-highway urbanism”, “the ARX” magazine, April 2006
• “Elite Residence”, “Mir I Dom” magazine, March 2004
• “New Traditions of Francine Houben”, “Sovremenny Dom” magazine,
December 2002
• “How to avoid the mistakes in brick and concrete”, “Vremya MN” newspa-
per, June 2000
• “Dogmas in residential construction and how to deal with them”, the
newspaper “Vremya MN”, August 2000
• “The Kropotkinskaya embankment, 7 -. 9”, “Union of Russian architects’
newspaper”, April 1999
• “Never try to please the past”, “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”, December 1998
• “Syntheticism, not historicism”, “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”, October 1998
10
11. Selected publications
• “Opening of the Zaryadye Park and the future of city management in
Moscow”, “Republic”, 18 September 2017
• “The architecture of a park”, “Parade quarter” magazine, May 2010
• “The city gets another park”, “RJ” magazine, № 17, May 2009
• “The concept of a new district of Mineralnie Vody City: 1 million m2”,
“Architecturny Vestnik” magazine, January 2007
• “The new ethics of urban development”, “Sovremenny Dom” magazine,
March 2005
• “From Stalin’s times to the space age”, “Moscow Times”, a special issue
“Russia – Holland partners in trade”, 2004
• “Das andere Moskau. Neue Formen einer alten Stadt”, catalog “Moscow -
Berlin” of the exhibition in Berlin, July 2003
• “Discussion on innovation”, “Sovremenny Dom” magazine, March 2002
• “Is national architecture possible in Russia”, “Vek” newspaper, June 2000
Selected interviews
• “A big interview with Irina Irbitskaya”, “Meeting the words” issue, “Radio
Mayak”, April 2015
• “Deripaska advises to resettle Moscow instead of expanding”, “Editor’s
Choice” issue, “Radio Mayak”, February 2015
• “Evolution, no bursts”, “Urbanurban” online magazine, 2014
• “The Ideal city is a city where people can realize themselves”, “Business
of Russia” magazine, 2014
• “Back to pre-industrial age!” A new alternative to bedroom districts”,
“Future of St. Petersburg city”, almanac of V Urban Forum, 2013
• “The term ’affordable housing’ is forbidden in Moscow”, “Vesti-FM” radio,
December 2013
• “People want to know: the accommodation problem”, a talk show TVC
channel, April 2011
• “A Wider Circle” TV issue, “Zapadny Okrug”, August 2011
• “The area of attention”, issue, TV channel “Podmoskovie”, October 2011
• “A post-crisis urban planning” special issue, “Expert” magazine, №12
(698), March - April 2010
• “A New Arbat for Chkalovsk”, “Dvornik” newspaper, number 657, Decem-
ber 2008, Kaliningrad
11
12. • “Museums. Cultural Heritage”, “A Link of Times” issue, “Zvezda” TV
channel, April 2006
• “Space for Life”, “Domashny” TV channel, April 2006
• “The country house”, “Domashny” TV channel, April 2006
• “How to sell a flexible space”, “Polit.ru” online portal, July 2005
• “Moscow today and Moscow in 20 years”, “Data” issue, TVC channel, July
2002
• “The new architecture and new monuments in Moscow”, “Data” issue,
TVC channel, July 2001
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