New Baku

The oil and gas industry have allowed its economy to have multiplied by three in the last decade amid one of the worst global financial crisis. The country has made positive growth rates even in the worst years of the recession and has a surplus of foreign exchange reserves of more than 35,000 million euros. However, the Azerbaijani government is convinced that it must improve its economic model:

one day the oil and gas reserves will run out and they should be prepared for that. Today oil and gas account for 65% of the country's GDP and the economic agents feel it's time to attract foreign investment so that the weight of the energy sector diminishes. "Our major macroeconomic indicators are stable. GDP has weathered face of recession, we have controlled inflation, there is minimal unemployment, we have dramatically reduced poverty and the standard of living of the population equals that of many developed countries. It is time to consolidate this growth. We want to double GDP by 2020 and at the same time, reduce our dependence on oil and gas"
Sevinc Hasanova, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Azerbaijan

TOURISM

On the opposite side is tourism, one of the twenty-first century most successful industries and large absent in Baku. Today it only contributes 2% of GDP in the economy of the Azeri capital, an insignificant percentage compared to cities like Alicante in Spain (20%) or Dubai in the UAE (31%). Being aware of its great potential, now Azerbaijan wants to bet on tourism as an economic engine to replace the energy. The authorities want to present their plans to the world. They have launched a campaign for world recognition through the organization of major international events such as the Festival of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 or upcoming 2015 European Games. In addition, last year an agreement with Club Atletico Madrid was signed so that the football club wears the name of the country on its t-shirt. Azerbaijan is rich, now it wants to be famous. NEW DUBAI? This transformation of Azerbaijan is especially reflected in the mutation of its capital Baku: skyscrapers, megaprojects, artificial islands, futuristic buildings by star architects, luxury shops and hotels... Baku is following the Dubai model. However, many differences between the historical, geographical and temporal context of these two scenarios suggest that this is not a proper model for Baku. First, today the global economic situation is very different from that found by Dubai in the 90’s and that allowed it to attract investors from around the world. Besides, the potential of Dubai to become a global city was driven by its geographical location with direct access to the open sea, a lack that Baku should assimilate. Moreover, Baku generates 80% of the budget of Azerbaijan and its wealth is distributed throughout the country, while Dubai doesn’t need to feed others. The Dubaization that Baku has initiated increases its social contrasts, causing that underdevelopment and glamour coexist very close. Finally, the most important difference between the two cities is that Dubai was born in a desert and built from scratch, while in Baku we find a history and culture that are worth respecting due to their great potential. That’s why we defend Baku should not become New Dubai. But New Baku. THE COASTLINE

We are especially interested in the coastline due to three reasons:

One. Environmental need

The contrast between the offer in summer (sun and sand, crowded) and winter (null, desert) assumes that in winter we are before an uninhabited landscape that no one cares about. This causes that the coastline is deeply contaminated. Making up before summer and abandoning when winter comes it's been a habit for decades. This unsustainable cycle has environmental and economic impacts that have not been addressed so far. Also, the water of the Caspian Sea has been suffering the pollution from the oil and gas extraction for many years, primarily as unfortunate legacy of the Soviet period. Similarly, the discharge of wastewater without purification, industrial discharges and those from agriculture, among others, have caused that today water status is unacceptable. Baku is the dirtiest city in the world according to Forbes list (2008). This negative image is deeply affecting its attractiveness and we understand this matter as a priority. Cultural and social opportunity: water

Throughout its history Baku and the Bakuvians have been always associated with water. On the one hand, the development of the city has always been linked to the Caspian Sea and the port was very important in its evolution as capital. Moreover, the traditional Hamam and the bath houses are responsible for defining the Azeri society and culture. Today the city is losing this direct contact with water and the bath houses that once offered their services at the port were dismantled time ago. In this way, Baku lost one of the main keys to understand the relationship between the city and the sea. Three. Cultural and media opportunity: singularities
Baku’s coastline is very special thanks to the accumulation of extremely authentic situations that we understand as opportunities: amusement parks, ancient bath houses, abandoned docks, the sunken castle, the pipelines, the James Bond’s territory, the construction of Khazar Islands... They all define an anomalous, bizarre, singular and unique landscape, exclusive to the city of Baku. PROPOSAL

We propose this essence of Baku as the principal actor of a tourism model based on authenticity and against any costume, makeup and simulation. Baku should not be changed to adapt to a predetermined western tourism model. We design a specific model according to the qualities and quirks that really make of Baku a unique city in the world. Our project is a tourist infrastructure that connects and transforms the scenarios chosen along Baku’s coastline. Each of these points has certain physical characteristics that make it unique and belong to a particular orthodoxy. Its transformation consists of adding value to what already exists while responding to a tourism demand. Caspian Sea water is the structuring element that gives continuity to the project, being the means by which these singular points are connected. We aim to offer a unique experience to discover the peculiarities of the coastline and the attractions of the Caspian Sea through a trip aboard the Gəminin, device created specifically for the city and that will also provide the media character Baku is looking for.