Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design(https://strelka.com/en/) is a non-profit international educational project, founded in 2009 and located in Moscow. Strelka incorporates an education programme on urbanism and urban development aimed at professionals with a higher education, a public summer programme, the Strelka Press publishing house, and KB Strelka, the consulting arm of the Institute. Strelka has been listed among the top-100 best architecture schools in 2014, according to Domus magazine.[1]
The Institute has been directed since 2013 by Varvara Melnikova.
Education programme
The Institute aims to educate the next generation of architects, designers and media professionals, enabling them to shape the 21st century world.[2] Each year, Strelka welcomes young professionals and gives them the opportunity to work together with experts in the fields of urbanism, architecture and communications from all over the world. During this nine-month post-graduate programme, the researchers explore the issues related to Russia’s urban development through a multidisciplinary method conducted in English. Experimental methods, a holistic approach to architecture, media and design, and an emphasis on research are the main characteristics of the programme. The prominent architect and architecture theorist, Rem Koolhaas (AMO/OMA), contributed to the designing of the Institute’s education programme.[3]
Since 2010, Yuri Grigoryan, architect and head of the Meganom architectural bureau], has served as director of the education programme.
Since 2012, the curriculum has been designed by two programming directors: Anastassia Smirnova – partner in the Rotterdam-based architecture and research bureau SVESMI, and David Erixon – founder of the Hyper Island school, and member of the Megafon board of directors.
The theme, programme structure and list of lecturers are updated every year. The 2013/14 programme includes a three-month introductory course composed of discussions, lectures and seminars, an urban development contest, work in one of four research studios, and a final exhibition of student projects.
Since 2016, Benjamin H. Bratton, design theorist and author of The Stack: On Software and Sovereignty, is programme director. The program theme, The New Normal, focuses on long-term urban futures in relation to technological, geographic and ecological complexities.
Some notable faculty at the Strelka Institute has been : Keller Easterling, Benjamin H. Bratton, Winy Maas, Brendan McGetrick, Anastassia Smirnova, Felix Madrazo, METASITU (Eduardo Cassina and Liva Dudareva), Joseph Grima, Laura Baird, metahaven (Vinca Kruk and Daniel van der Velden), Reinier De Graaf, Carlo Ratti, and Rem Koolhaas.
Summer at Strelka
From the end of May until mid September, Strelka’s courtyard hosts a public programme that is open to all. Its programme includes: lectures by prominent architects, urbanists, designers, social activists and scholars; discussions on topical urban issues; workshops; film screenings; theatre performances; concerts and fairs.
Strelka Press
Strelka Press publishes books and essays on modern issues of architecture, design and urban development in both English and Russian. The publishing house releases both printed and digital books.[10] Strelka Press is based in London and Moscow. Senior editors of the publishing programme – Justin McGuirk and Andrey Kurilkin. Strelka Press has published books by Rem Koolhaas, Boris Groys, William Mitchell, Donald Norman, Keller Easterling, Vladimir Paperny, and others.