strelka institute in moscow suspends programs 'indefinitely'

‘impermissible to carry on business as usual’ — strelka

moscow‘s leading architecture school, the strelka institute for media, architecture and design, is standing in solidarity with ukraine by pausing all its activities indefinitely. the announcement was made on the school’s social media accounts on february 28th, 2022, four days after russia declared its ‘special military operation’ in ukraine:

‘strelka institute for media, architecture and design is putting all work and programs on hold indefinitely.

we consider it impermissible to carry on business as usual in the present situation while lives in ukraine are being lost.

since its foundation, the institute’s work has been focused on researching cities and developing ideas for a planetary future. while this mission remains essential, for a productive conversation about the future, there needs to be peace.

establishing dialogue and cessation of hostilities in ukraine is the single most important goal right now.

strelka institute stands in solidarity with everyone pleading for an immediate end to this armed conflict.’

images courtesy of strelka institute

design theorist and strelka program director benjamin bratton responded to the statement via twitter, calling russia’s invasion of ukraine both ‘horrific’ and ‘unacceptable’:

It is with both sadness and resolve that we announce the suspension of The Terraforming program at Strelka Institute.
The present situation is horrific, demoralizing and unacceptable.
Our program is drawn from 20+ countries.
— Benjamin Bratton (@bratton) February 28, 2022

the strelka institute was founded in moscow in 2009 by entrepreneur and philanthropist alexander mamut, with a mission to change the physical and cultural landscapes of russian cities. the non-profit school has since gained prominence thanks to its alternative educational program that was designed in part by rem koolhaas (AMO/OMA).

the decision to halt all work and programs joins a growing chorus of architects and designers who have pledged to stop work in russia in protest of the ongoing russia-ukraine conflict. the artists and curator of the russian pavilion have also pulled out of the venice art biennale 2022, condemning the russian government’s actions as ‘simply intolerable’.