Morphological metamorphoses: assessing the sustainability of new developments in the historical centres of major Russian cities

Abstract International heritage discourse increasingly embraces the historic urban landscape (HUL) approach, which treats heritage and the historic urban environment as dynamic resources for city development. In postsocialist cities, this approach is challenged by rapid market-driven changes alongside the simultaneous emergence of new regulatory frameworks and urban institutions. This study investigates how the historical cores of major Russian cities evolved during the post-Soviet period (1991–2024). Applying GIS-based morphological analysis, we identify seven transformation scenarios present in six metropolises in Russia, illustrating a comprehensive mosaic of postsocialist urban change. Our findings reveal that the Russian regulatory system has not adequately addressed morphological parameters as subjects of regulation, leading to large-scale development in historical cores and significant changes in the morphological characteristics of the built environment. The most vulnerable parameters include lot size and configuration, granularity, density, building orientation relative to the street front, and building height. Furthermore, many new constructions lack sustainability, neglect environmental considerations, and fail to integrate with the existing urban fabric. Such practices, by destroying historically formed value, do not create a heritage for new generations. Despite common challenges, outcomes vary significantly among the selected cities: some historical cores face high-rise development with abandoned and deteriorating historic structures, whereas others experience small-scale incremental development with new building typologies integrated into the urban tissue. This study underscores the importance of integrating morphological parameters into planning regulations and promoting incremental, parcel-sensitive densification to sustain adaptive potential, heritage value, and environmental performance.