russia Has Eliminated Independent Control of Architectural Landmarks

The rf has passed a law that, effective March 1, 2027, abolishes mandatory state historical and cultural review of restoration projects. The amendments were passed by the duma in late May, and putin signed the bill just two weeks later. For a country that has used its architectural heritage as a propaganda tool for decades, this appears to be the dismantling of even this facade.

Until now, any restoration project involving a cultural heritage site was reviewed by independent experts certified by the ministry of culture – scholars, historians, art historians, and architects. It was illegal to begin any work without their approval. Now this rule has been abolished. Instead of a full-fledged expert review, the authorities plan to create some sort of “scientific and methodological councils”, whose conclusions officials will be free to ignore. State heritage protection agencies will no longer approve projects, while contractors will be given free rein.

The most dangerous aspect of the reform isn’t even this. Current legislation required agencies to publish the results of all inspections and expert reviews in the public domain. It was precisely thanks to this that any local historian or concerned citizen could notice in time that an old estate was about to be clad in siding or demolished, and raise a fuss in the media. Starting in the spring of 2027, it will become practically impossible to find out exactly what developers plan to do with a historic building.

Architects and activists reacted strongly. There is a widespread belief among citizens that the law was pushed through by large developers, who have long been hindered by restrictions on the redevelopment of old neighborhoods. In a country where corruption in the construction industry has long been the norm, the elimination of independent control of architectural landmarks means one thing: anything that isn’t demolished by 2027 may be demolished afterward.