The futuristic reality of the capital. Exploring the Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030 forum

The Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030 forum immerses visitors in a futuristic urban environment. But most of the technologies on display there are already in operation: innovative transportation, electronic services, renovated and updated polyclinics — things that the capital’s residents use on a daily basis. The forum has 134 venues throughout Moscow, including 11 central venues. Culture of Moscow gives more details about the intellectual and exhibition space in Gostiny Dvor and the Cultural City festival in Zaryadye Park. Their theme is the person of the future and the culture he/she creates and lives in.

Four values of the person of the future

Back in 2022, Moscow took first place in the UN-HABITAT City Prosperity Index, beating Hong Kong and Paris. This was not the end result, but just a landmark, and the development of the urban environment is still accelerating.

The Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030 forum site in Gostiny Dvor is an intellectual and exhibition space, Infinite Development with Eternal Values, a laboratory of urban development, in which the city speaks to residents in the language of emotional imagery, science and aesthetic perception. Opening flowers, meditative sculptures, laser and light effects — the space is beautiful. The giant scale of the sculptures emphasizes the position of people in the modern city: the city is for the people, not the other way around.

The symbol of the exhibition is the infinity sign, which is embodied in the architecture of the main hall space. Four sculptures, four values, and four themed areas that reveal those values. A heart, a DNA strand, a book and a model of a city are the symbols held by the sculptures which represent these values.

“From 11:00 to 21:00 every hour there is a laser show and a different composition is projected on each of the sculptures, which hold one of the values in their hands,” says Anastasia Zelkova, a tour guide at the exhibition space in Gostiny Dvor.

Love. Neural forest and emotional intelligence

Documents, water supply, heating, utility payments — these things have long been associated with the city. It’s different now. Moscow does not just perform the necessary functions of a city, but creates a comfortable, beautiful and positive environment that evokes an emotional response. “In a space dedicated to the value of love, we are greeted by a large heart and the inscription “Moscow loves you”. Many projects that appear in the city are the fruit of ideas and requests from residents themselves, for example, through the Active Citizen project,” says the guide.

The exhibition site offers an opportunity to learn how digital technology is helping the city take care of its residents. From online doctor’s appointments to virtual laboratories and a digital library, Moscow is applying digital services and artificial intelligence to solve everyday tasks.

In the love zone visitors see a neural forest. This spectacular photo zone takes them inside the cells and connections of the brain — again a reference to the fact that humans, and their endlessly evolving consciousness are at the center of attention. “It’s impressive how complex the brain is, how unique it is — the neural networks in a single brain are four times the circumference of the Earth in length,” says Anastasia Zelkova.

In the love zone, visitors can take an emotional intelligence test. This is an important indicator for productive teamwork, and many employers test candidates in this area.

Health. The dandelion and the delicate balance

“At the entrance to the health zone is a dandelion, a symbol that reminds us that our health is fragile,” continues Anastasia Zelkova. The zone explores how a person can influence their own health. The spectacular installations on addictions aim not to frighten but to illustrate: we see lungs fill with smoke and turn dark, the body that can’t handle overeating. Much attention has been paid to the brain — gut connection. Healthy eating is not only about healthy digestion, but also about conscious thinking. Visitors can also learn a lot about the harm caused by stress and ways to cope with it. The exhibition is also home to the Human Organism Museum, which shows visitors what they look like on the inside.

In the health zone, an AI network has brought Alexander Pushkin, Anton Chekhov and Hippocrates to life — they will also tell visitors how important it is to take care of themselves.

The Hormone Conductor interactive panel responds to movement and creates a melody — an illustration of how hormones need to work in the body in a coordinated manner, like an orchestra.

Knowledge. To learn at any age, to take pleasure in work, and to enjoy meaningful leisure

Study when you are young, work throughout your adult life, and then retire? The Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030 forum proposes an alternative approach: people can learn and enjoy life at any age, and the city will support them in this. The Knowledge Zone provides information about educational initiatives for all ages, from early development to the Moscow Longevity program.

“Boundaries are blurring, development and learning are lifelong processes. Moscow provides opportunities for this. And we need to make sure that we take advantage of these opportunities,” explains Anastasia Zelkova.

A robotic arm that plays the cello will surprise the visitors. It’s an installation called Music and the Brain, and it’s about the effect of music on perception.

With the help of an interactive quest, visitors can find out about their flexible skills, such as communication skills, teamwork, and leadership skills. The latest equipment for brain stimulation and stress management is also demonstrated.

Technology. Not a future but a reality, not a luxury but a necessity

The most popular and crowded room is the technology zone. Here visitors learn about the layout of the new Moskvich electric car, how to operate the Lastochka train, and how technologies are applied in the field of medicine. They can also experience the work of a surgeon: it is safe to perform surgery in a minimally invasive way, the real doctors train on such high-quality and realistic mannequins. It also provides information on how Moscow colleges can help students to mastering modern professions.

An interactive exhibit with a Tesla coil and a robot artist cause a stir. Ivan Kolomiets, whose work is on display in this zone, tells us: “He can paint in any style, for example, in our case, with broad brush strokes. I am required to choose an image and mix the colors. Other than that, he does absolutely fine on his own”.

The Digital Person — A Hologram is a guide to the services of the future that are already up and running and constantly evolving. It is an interactive image of a citizen integrated in the key urban systems. The focus is on digital solutions for education, health and social care. They help make life more comfortable and safe. In this area visitors can see how computer vision works or have their thinking style analyzed.

The main concepts explored in the Gostiny Dvor site are all present in the show Brain. The universe within us. Panoramic projections, a dynamic LED floor, stunning graphics and animation immerse visitors in the workings of the human brain, which is conveyed through the language of images. Pre — registration is required for this event, but everything else is open to the public without registration.

Cultural City Festival. Classics and the future

Across the street is a completely different venue: the Cultural City Festival in Zaryadye Park. Maria Babkina, the main stage director, revealed details of the event in an exclusive interview: Cultural City is about the collective image of Moscow’s culture, but with a focus on classic media.

A synthesis of music, theater, poetry and technology: each event has a unique format. Artificial intelligence has made it possible to bring paintings by famous artists to life and set them to music. “I don’t think this has ever happened before. There are movie soundtracks, and we have created soundtracks for paintings. We have a stormy sea, Aivazovsky’s painting the Ninth Wave, accompanied by music”, says Maria Babkina.

Neuroconductor or human?

Artists from the Bolshoi Theater during the Selen Orchestra’s concert Sergei Rachmaninoff. Five Shades of Love were very appreciative of the visual effects potential offered by the main stage. “I think that multimedia technology in the theater is very interesting and exciting. Classical art will always live on. And even if there are flying cars and robots around us, we will still listen to classical music and sing, “ shares Anna Yurkus, a graduate of the Bolshoi Theatre Youth Opera Program and guest soloist at the Bolshoi Theatre.

The organizers use neural networks to generate video and visual effects for concerts, but they note that a human is necessary! “This is a completely different sound, and the tasks for the artificial intelligence systems are also given by people,” says Maria Babkina.

The festival boldly experiments with genres. “We will have a concert given by rapper ST accompanied by a symphony orchestra. It’s a big challenge for him,” says the head writer and director. Of particular interest is a program featuring hits from the 1990s and 2000s with a symphony orchestra. All concerts are free, but some will require registration.

Dancing chandelier and open rehearsals

“We don’t close the venue, and some of our spectators come specially to watch the rehearsals,” says Maria Babkina.

The technological star of the festival is the kinetic chandelier. “We have an amazing story with light — lasers, special effects and the kinetic chandelier. It changes shape and color and can go down almost to the floor as it “dances” to the music,” the director continues.

Technology is our reality and future, but the most important thing is the human being and the city. Only a person can appreciate sunsets against the backdrop of the ancient Kremlin. “Evening concerts start at 21:00 because we have no stage backdrop. The viewer sees stunning Moscow sunsets against the background of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and the Kremlin towers. Of course, no artificial intelligence, no video content can rival what nature creates,” concludes Maria Babkina.

“Cultural City gives us an idea of what arts sector in the capital may look like in a few years. Symphonies get a new interpretation through digital design, masterpieces of painting are reflected in music, and literary works turn into performances created with the help of modern technologies,” said Alexey Fursin, Minister of the Moscow City Government and Head of the Moscow City Department of Culture.

The Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030 forum will last until September 14.