About Us

In 2011 we set up a research group for Analysis of the Institutional Factors of Spatial Development of Urban Agglomerations as part of the cooperation between the HSE St Petersburg campus and the International Centre for Social and Economic Research - Leontief Centre. The members of the group were teachers, university students and researchers at the Leontief Centre. The research work was conducted between February and December 2011.

In June 2011 the research group grew into the Laboratory of Urban Studies (LUI [LUS?]) which functions as a sub-department of HSE St Petersburg.

The Head of the laboratory is Leonid Limonov.

The aim of the laboratory is to research the development processes of Russian cities and agglomerations, factors that determine their economic and social development and the way building and city environments take shape in the current circumstances.

The laboratory aims to attract undergraduate and master’s students to work as junior researchers on its projects and to set them on the path towards PhDs.

Key areas of work:

• Conducting research
• Organising seminars and conferences
• Taking part in International Conferences and Associations
• Attracting foreign partners to joint projects and teaching   

Areas of Research:

• Spatial Development of Urban Agglomerations
• Typology of Russian Cities through clustering analysis
• Analysis of Factors in the Economic Development of Cities and Agglomerations
• Institutional Factors in Urban Development
• Comparative Research of Factors in Urban Development and Urban Systems

2012 Research Project:

Spatial Development Factors in the Suburbs of Russian Megacities (like the St Petersburg Agglomeration) 

2013 Research Project:

Post-Soviet Economic Development of Russian Cities

With the help of research assistants in 2014 we worked on forming a database of municipal and industrial statistics which are essential for analyzing the processes of concentrations and specialisations in cities. We made a map of the spatial allocation of businesses in different sectors.