Perceiving Quality of Life in Modern Urban Space: Regional Aspect

The article discusses the problem of modern urban space planning, taking an individual Russian region (Nizhny Novgorod) as an example. The authors argue that neither the policy nor the mentality of government authorities and professionals in the field of architecture can ignore the habits, needs, expectations and views of city residents regarding the best comfortable urban space layout. A sociological survey conducted in Nizhny Novgorod has shown that a modern city dweller’s priorities include quality education, access to culture, visual uniqueness of the city and aesthetisation of its space (referring not only to the historic center but also to the residential district areas) that should define modern urban planning strategies. Various forms of social alienation caused by improper structuring of urban space are considered a problem for a modern Russian region: leisure isolationism, discomfort from perceiving residential district areas as periferic with simultaneously preferring virtual space to the physical urban one. In conclusion, recommendations for setting up urban environment layout are offered to urban planners

Making an urban university ‘green’: uniting administration and students towards synergy.

The authors study a case of increasing the environmental sustainability of Minin University. Specific obstacles found on the path of the ‘green’ development of urban universities is analyzed. Objective reasons for difficulties include the geographical position of the university, absence of traditional campus system, buildings’ age and condition, limited availability of financial resources and legal grounds for restructuring of buildings; centralized sewerage, heating and water supply as well as waste disposal; plus, the relatively low level of environmental culture of the population. Even when an urban university ‘inherits’ these issues from the city itself, the authors see a real opportunity to improve the environmental sustainability of the university by implementing a system that includes environmental projects by the university administration blended with student initiatives. The university administration prepares the application for the ‘green’ rating, administers a contest of student projects and the allocation of resources for those, as well as the renovation and restructuring of university premises. Students are responsible for planning relevant student associations’ agenda, generating ideas, participating in project workgroups, planning and driving environmental events. The authors conclude that it is possible to obtain a synergetic effect of the upstream development of the environmental sustainability of the university

Does Nothingness presume atemporality? Typical responses in modern European philosophy

The article is devoted to Nothingness as a philosophical category. Various thinkers in different times understood it in their own specific way. In the modern age the category became incredibly important and was substantially reconsidered. The question is, can Nothingness have any (imaginary or real) temporal features? The main point of the authors is that exactly in modern European metaphysics ‘yes' appeared as an answer to the above query. Nothing got a dynamic nature; it became a base for the Being, namely, the changeable and consequently temporal base. After such notions had shown up, some philosophers and physics responded by trying to find relevant ‘proofs' and deny Nothing's existence in the Universe and even Nothingness as a mental construct

Perceiving Quality of Life in Modern Urban Space: Regional Aspect

The article discusses the problem of modern urban space planning, taking an individual Russian region (Nizhny Novgorod) as an example. The authors argue that neither the policy nor the mentality of government authorities and professionals in the field of architecture can ignore the habits, needs, expectations and views of city residents regarding the best comfortable urban space layout. A sociological survey conducted in Nizhny Novgorod has shown that a modern city dweller’s priorities include quality education, access to culture, visual uniqueness of the city and aesthetisation of its space (referring not only to the historic center but also to the residential district areas) that should define modern urban planning strategies. Various forms of social alienation caused by improper structuring of urban space are considered a problem for a modern Russian region: leisure isolationism, discomfort from perceiving residential district areas as periferic with simultaneously preferring virtual space to the physical urban one. In conclusion, recommendations for setting up urban environment layout are offered to urban planners

Perceiving Quality of Life in Modern Urban Space: Regional Aspect

The article discusses the problem of modern urban space planning, taking an individual Russian region (Nizhny Novgorod) as an example. The authors argue that neither the policy nor the mentality of government authorities and professionals in the field of architecture can ignore the habits, needs, expectations and views of city residents regarding the best comfortable urban space layout. A sociological survey conducted in Nizhny Novgorod has shown that a modern city dweller’s priorities include quality education, access to culture, visual uniqueness of the city and aesthetisation of its space (referring not only to the historic center but also to the residential district areas) that should define modern urban planning strategies. Various forms of social alienation caused by improper structuring of urban space are considered a problem for a modern Russian region: leisure isolationism, discomfort from perceiving residential district areas as periferic with simultaneously preferring virtual space to the physical urban one. In conclusion, recommendations for setting up urban environment layout are offered to urban planners