Structural transformation of small cities

Abstract

One of the key problems in urban planning is the present-day development of small cities experiencing negative consequences of new socio-economic reality. The need for searching the ways to raise the investment attractiveness of small cities becomes obvious as also the need to revise the goals of their planning structure development. On the example of Chistopol city possible ways of structural transformation, aimed at both preservation of small city natural attractiveness and opening up new opportunities for its urban development, are considered. One of the crucial goals of the research is to reveal the effective methods of small cities’ central part spatial transformation directed on satisfying new social needs of residents while maintaining the valuable historical heritage. As a result of comprehensive assessment of the current state of city’s central part spatial organization, its characteristic features are revealed and new city center formation model is proposed, which structural and functional organization is more complex and emphasizing the idea of creating high quality urban environment.