Sustainable urban development: the case of Tula’s historical center

The study of contemporary development aspects of the urban environment in Russian historical cities is central to many research efforts dedicated to preserving the historical and cultural landscape. The primary goal of this research was to identify the development potential within the urban planning and spatial structure of central areas in historical cities, using Tula as a case study. The main challenges, principles, and optimal methods for reconstructing individual objects, areas, and the historically established planning structure of the city center were examined through the realized project of comprehensive area improvement and the creation of a modern public space, specifically the Kazanskaya Embankment, Metallistov Street, and Krestovozdvizhenskaya Square, adjacent to the Tula Kremlin. The research proposed an optimal strategic development solution for the historically formed urban environment: the reconstruction of selected cultural heritage objects and areas closed to public access, which had not previously been integrated into the city’s social and cultural life. The changes to the urban environment were identified at both the urban planning and architectural design levels and analyzed considering urban-ecological and economic factors.