Curonian Spit - a place to live!

Abstract

Curonian Spit is a peninsula on the seaside which is shared together with Lithuania and Russia (Kaliningrad). Since it is only accessible by water transport on Lithuanian side, it becomes hardly reachable island for Lithuanians. Due to its unique cultural landscape place also has UNESCO status under criteria V. After independence major constructions were banned in Curonian Spit National Park. Because this place is one of the main resort destinations and brings a lot of income during the summer time, the land value is continuously rising up and people are competing for the few Soviet Union houses that are left and can be reconstructed. Consequently, people who actually grew up in the area or work in the site can not afford housing anymore. Thesis raises the questions such as: what is the future of preservation? How can we use existing values in the Curonian Spit for sustainable development that would improve livability for local people? The project aim is to combine legal systems with human needs on the preserved site creating sustainable development plan that would create new cultural identity to the place.