Unmatched Rybinsk Project

A unique project, unparalleled in Russia, was implemented in Rybinsk. It was initiated by the city community that in 2017 came up with an initiative to return old signs to the streets and “reboot” the urban space.

The original idea of “dressing up” the city in the style of the late 19th- early 20th centuries, updating the facades of buildings and changing signage in accordance with the time of construction was reflected in the normative legal acts of Rybinsk. A mechanism had been developed for implementing and providing subsidies to project participants from the city budget.

The city government supported the project by developing new rules for landscaping in the historical center of the city, elaborated a new Procedure for placing information structures (a design code), provided partial compensation from the budget of funds spent by customers of signage. This served as an impulse for a comprehensive, smart renovation of the central part of the city, and regeneration of the historical space began. The first stylized signs were placed on the renovated facades of Red Square formed exclusively by buildings - monuments of history and culture of the late 18th-early 20th centuries. The space of the Square had been radically transformed by landscaping.

The project of the historical design code of the city center of Rybinsk has no analogues in Russia. Rybinsk has been distinguished for centuries by its originality and dissimilarity from other cities of the Yaroslavl region, and this is reflected in the history and architecture, as well as in the character of inhabitants. Rybinsk has preserved the historical center of the 19th-early 20th centuries practically without distortions of the Soviet period. Houses stand with a “solid façade”, have a rich decor and form a single melody of the old merchant city, noisy, trading, inviting. In this ensemble, buildings speak the living language of history through amazing signs of shops, cafes, banks, offices, made by artisans and artists. Signs proudly display the following names: “Деловой костюмъ” (Business Suit), “Конторский домъ” (Office House), “Изделiя изъ золота, серебра. Ремонтъ, скупка, обменъ. Изготовленiе по каталогамъ” (Products Made of Gold, Silver. Repair, Purchase, Exchange. Manufactured according to Catalogues). They are not props: behind them are real shops and offices. The signs are made by hand, using natural, historically accurate materials, paints, fonts and forgotten phrases of the Russian language. The manufacture of signage has been started by enthusiasts who studied ancient spelling, fonts and technologies that were in use before 1917.

The continuation of the article is available via the link.

Based on the materials of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning of the city of Rybinsk

14.11.2024

Back to the list