Nature abhors a vacuum: PROUrban Forum to replace PROEstate Forum in St. Petersburg

On 25 November 2013 the General Staff Building of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg for the first time hosted the PROUrban Forum, included on the official agenda of the Holland-Russia Cross-Year 2013. The event is intended to become an annual gathering of urbanists, developers, planners and government officials who meet to discuss challenges of the investment policy and spatial development of St. Petersburg.

The PROUrban 2013 was sponsored by the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in St. Petersburg, the State Hermitage Museum and Russian Guild of Developers and Realtors, which Maxima Legal is a member of. The first forum focussed on the role of culture and business in the development of historical cities.

Yevgeny Druzhinin, head of real estate and construction practice at Maxima Legal, has shared his opinion on the Forum agenda:

"Today we have discussed our common perspectives and the Dutch experience in urban development by extrapolating it to the realities of St. Petersburg. However, sadly enough, a progressive European approach to the organisation of urban spaces has still a long way to go to take root on Russian soil. Lengthy arguments cannot solve problems, action is needed. Our company, for its part, is providing legal support to developers that implement investment projects aimed at contributing to the emergence of new “growth points” in St. Petersburg and are in line with the idea of preserving its historical identity".