Monumental and decorative design of the Novosibirsk metro as a representation of territorial identity

Abstract

This article analyzes the monumental and decorative design of the Novosibirsk Metro as a means of representing territorial identity. Territorial identity is considered as the unity of regional and urban identities. In its structure, in accordance with the research of E. V. Golovneva, four key components are distinguished: cognitive (geographical images and spatial representations), value (semantic and evaluative characteristics of the region), emotional (response stereotypes and prevailing emotions), and regulatory (ways of behavior and orientation in space). A brief excursion into the history of the construction of the Novosibirsk Metro is provided, allowing us to consider the artistic design of the stations in a historical and sociocultural context. It is shown how architectural and artistic solutions in the design of the Novosibirsk Metro stations have become an active means of representing and transmitting local identity. The embodiment of the regulatory component of regional identity is examined using the design of the Sibirskaya, Rechnoy Vokzal, and Garina-Mikhailovskogo stations, which reinforce images of Siberian nature and cities. The value component is identified in the design of the Oktyabrskaya, Krasny Prospekt, and Lenina Square stations, which primarily reference key stages in Siberian history. The sensory-emotional component is characterized as a sense of pride and admiration for achievements in science, art, and sports, reflected in the design of the Studencheskaya, Gagarinskaya, and Sportivnaya stations. Elements of the regulatory component are found in the design of Lenina Square and Marshal Pokryshkina stations, which convey ideas about Novosibirsk as a metropolitan, heroic space and shape specific behavioral strategies and practices among residents. It is concluded that the Novosibirsk metro is a holistic artistic ensemble in which key meanings of territorial identity are enshrined by means of monumental and decorative art.