Chinese" markets in Post-Soviet transformations of urban space (the case of Irkutsk)

The paper is devoted to research of the function of "Chinese" markets in the processes of Post-Soviet urban transformation. The example of Irkutsk shows how the markets interact with the city and consequences of these interactions. "Chinese" markets transformed into integral part of the city infrastructure and consequently became an important factor of development of urban space. The important result of market integration lay in the fact that the market interrelation with the urban space is not in the research field. Hence, the aim of the study is determination and analysis of "Chinese" market's role in the processes of urban space organization in Irkutsk. The empirical basis of study is the results of observation of the largest Irkutsk "Chinese" markets - "Shankhai" ("Shanghai") and "Kitai-gorod" ("China-town"). Transformations of "Shankhai" reveal interrelation between reshaping of "Chinese" market and city's spatial changes. This market changed many forms from the open market (like a grass-root place of bargain) to the container market and later to the contemporary shopping mall. Nevertheless, despite the form modifications the essence of "market" relations remains unchanged. "Shankhai" plays formative role for the central part of the city as the area of bargain and its infrastructure. The second case of "Kitai-gorod" appeared as a result of attempts to control the future development processes of "Shankhai". In this case, the formative role of market is enhanced and demonstrates another way to "Chinese" market's influence on organization of urban space. The market is located in the city's peripheral so it strengthens the spatial connections between the city areas and ensures the integration of outskirts in urban social space. At the same time, it contributed to the separation of the new "Chinese" market from "Shankhai". The changes of Irkutsk "Chinese" markets demonstrate their role in city development processes. "Chinese" markets have economic function, which is closely related with their social importance. The markets are the basis of new urban localities, which define development of spatial and social development of the city. Markets provide people-to-people and human-space interactions. They determine the multifunctionality of urban space and the system of the intercity connections. In this way, the "Chinese" markets have a special meaning: despite their new forms, these markets set the context for further spatial development of Irkutsk. On the one hand, transformation of "Chinese" markets is the answer to changes in social life of the city, but on the other hand, this is evolution of urban development mechanism.

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