A BOULEVARD FOR EVERYONE

The fact that the seafront Boule-vard - the main vista in Baku - is not in best condition is proven by the January decree, "On setting up a seafront boulevard department at the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan" issued by President Ilham Aliyev. The document points out that at a time of active socio-economic development in the country, the appearance of the Azerbaijani capital is changing, which is why it is very important to preserve and restore this natural complex which is of special importance in terms of town planning, tourist infrastructure and the environmental security of a developing Baku. Thus, reconstruction in line with the demands of modern architecture makes it necessary to improve and centralize the system of managing the seafront Boulevard.

A place to relax?

What does the seafront Boulevard lack today? It is both easy and difficult to answer this question. Specialists will discuss and analyze this issue pragmatically, as professionals do - without rhetorical deviation or sentimental discussion. The decree was issued in January, and it is not known yet what conclusions the architects and designers will draw - will the Boulevard be expanded and what will be its new look? God has given us a bay - something that makes our city different from many others. What have we done with this gift of fate? We laid out a Boulevard and planted trees. We remember the pictures of the old boulevard - calm, clean and peaceful - the sound of the breaking waves and seagulls, and families, children and loving couples.

Many will ask - don't we have all of this today? We do, but there is no central concept. At present the Boulevard is a jumble - islands of musical fountains and isolated clean areas among general chaos. There is no common theme to unify the park. Nor is there the main requirement - an architectural intellect to differentiate the seafront boulevard from that of the Soviet period. A stroll along the Boulevard leaves an unpleasant impression - noise and music which may be too loud and diverse within a relatively small area. You can also add the mechanical sounds of gaming machines, talking scales that desperately and insistently urge you to check your weight, as well as carousels and other amusements, all over the place…

Of course, people seeking respite from their daily problems will not spend their leisure time on the Baku Boulevard today. Such a large Boulevard should meet not so much the requirements of modern architecture as the requirements of people of all ages. Of course, the ecological and psychological impacts of the park should be important considerations.

"The adoption by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev of the decree 'On setting up the seafront boulevard department at the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan" is, in some way, a continuation of the decree issued by former president Heydar Aliyev which granted the Boulevard the status of national park. This is a necessary and consistent decision," the vice president of the Union of Architects (UA) of Azerbaijan, prominent architect, vice-president of the International Academy of Architecture of Eastern Countries and Baku's chief architect, Elbay Qasimzada, said in an interview with R+.

He said that when the seafront Boulevard was granted the status of national park, the Baku city hall was instructed to designate its borders, from the marine passenger terminal to the palace of indoor games. "This happened in 2000. At the same time, the Baku State Institute for Town Planning compiled a general plan of the seafront Boulevard. Proceeding from the presidential decree, a new general plan will be compiled and the new borders of the Boulevard will be drawn up as far as the Cape of Soltan (Zig). Buildings will be relocated to the Cape of Soltan," the prominent architect said.

Qasimzada had difficulty saying what sort of design work will be carried out on the territory of the national park, but it is undeniably necessary, because the seafront Boulevard is the sea facade of Baku, the image and content of which should meet not just the requirements of aesthetics, but should also provide comfort, as a place of mass cultural recreation.

Reconsider…

"We have to acknowledge that the Boulevard is not tidy enough today. I think that the general plan of the seafront Boulevard should be reconsidered as a whole. I remember that when this plan was compiled by the Baku State Institute for Town Planning, together with Baku City Hall, we took account of various types of recreation - amusements for children, young people, a small place for old people - a place that should always be quiet. The Boulevard should be attractive to foreign guests as well. The seafront Boulevard should not just be a green recreational area and not just a place for entertainment. The national park should meet all the requirements of a modern site of mass cultural recreation," Qasimzada stressed.

At the same time, the architect noted that it is a shopping centre on the seafront Boulevard is not desirable. One is being built at the moment. In his opinion, this building will look somewhat out of place here. The architect observed that buildings related to trade are not usually built in areas of mass cultural recreation. "The thing is that shopping centres have a specific working mode: the delivery of goods, and the relevant roads and infrastructure are required. These are not suitable for an area where people relax," he said.

What is more, in the architect's view, the building currently under construction on the territory of the Boulevard is too big and will block the view of Baku from the sea. "Some may say who needs this view from the sea? But we have sea trips on boats. At the same time, we should not forget that Baku is becoming a centre of economic development in the Caucasus and new routes for sea transport - from Russia and Kazakhstan - will expand. Who can say that no maritime tourist transport will be established? Why shouldn't tourists and foreign citizens see the city when they approach Baku from the sea? The architecture of the new building is not so bad, however", Qasimzada pointed out.

At the same time, the prominent architect of Azerbaijan welcomed the construction of a mugam centre on the seafront Boulevard. "It is a wonderful project. It reflects our culture in the light of economic growth and the attractiveness of our capital in terms of tourism. The mugam centre will become a place where our national culture and other branches of Azerbaijani arts will be promoted," the architect concluded.

Tunnels and junctions

The prominent cultural figure, vice-president of the International Academy of Architecture of Eastern Countries, chairman of the auditing committee of the Union of Architects of Azerbaijan, professor and head of the design department of Azerbaijani State University of Architecture and Construction, Rafayil Hasanov, is also convinced that the architectural appearance of the seafront Boulevard and its concept should be changed.

He said that the adoption by the Azerbaijani president of the decree on setting up a seafront Boulevard department at the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan should have a positive effect on the preservation and restoration of the natural Boulevard complex.

"I think that the reconstruction of the seafront Boulevard in compliance with the requirements of modern architecture should begin first of all from decisions on the junctions in Neftcilar Avenue. It is necessary to create underpasses, passages, and pedestrian zones here. Neftcilar Avenue should work for the seafront Boulevard - it is necessary to design transport tunnels," thinks Hasanov.

According to the former general plan, the Boulevard should stretch to the settlement of Ahmadli. But this project was never implemented. The territory of the seafront Boulevard should have extended to 3.5 km, according to that plan. "Today we have to divide the Boulevard in a new, modern way and decide whether we want to see it as a place for children's recreation combined with adults' recreation, or whether it will be wholly a promenade," he said.

Hasanov said that the Union of Architects of Azerbaijan will not make any proposals in this regard. "I think that a certain group of experts will be set up on the basis of this decree and they will design the new appearance of the seafront Boulevard," the architect said.

However, Hasanov does not welcome the reconstruction of the fountain which was created by the well-known Azerbaijani architect, Mikayil Huseynov, on the territory of the Boulevard in front of Freedom Square. "Of course, there should be as many fountains as possible on the territory of the seafront Boulevard. But the fountain created by the prominent Azerbaijani architect Mikayil Huseynov should have been preserved. It is well-known that the Baku administration has now begun reconstruction of this fountain. This will be another musical fountain. But it seems to me that we should have been more respectful of Mikayil Huseynov's masterpiece. Of course, this fountain should be modernized so that it could retain Huseynov's hand and style," he said.

So people-in-the-street can only wait for the results of the work of the Cabinet of Ministers' specialists, who will soon present the Azerbaijani president with a draft statute on the management of the seafront Boulevard, clarify and endorse its borders and identify a list of all buildings located there. We would like to think that the Baku Boulevard will revive, and everyone - old people, children, youth and middle-aged people - will feel comfortable there. We want the Boulevard to become our pride and not just for Baku residents, but also foreign visitors to admire its beauty. And of course, environmentalists should ensure that the Baku Bay is cleared.