Contested Spaces : Citizens’ Reactions against In-fill Construction in St-Petersburg
In the last few years, St-Petersburg in Russia has witnessed a major growth in the number of real-estate projects all over the city, thus increasing the density of the built environment. Very often, though, the new projects are built on green spaces (parks, courtyards or public squares) until then considered to belong to the public domain. The phenomenon, known as in-fill construction, has given rise to considerable discontent within the population of the city. More and more, citizens are contesting the legitimacy of these projects. A citizen mobilization is thus slowly emerging throughout the city to protect public spaces. This article examines two cases where citizens have decided to fight to protect their surroundings. The theoretical standpoint used here is drawn from a critical theoretical discourse, which sees place as an arena where social dynamics and conflicts emerge. The cases studied here reveal that the citizen’s struggle is more than a fight for a specific urban space. It also questions several issues pertaining to the new social processes brought about by the end of soviet era.