Vicinity [noun.] - the surrounding area ; nearby

Located in the historical neighborhood of Millionka, in Vladivostok, Russia, Vicinity is an accomodation design, a home for travelers and wanderers exploring this disappearing area. Millionka is located in the center of the coastal city of Vladivostok in Russia. In the late 19th to early 20th century, it spontaneously emerged as a “Chinatown” in a city that was shifting from Chinese to Russian control. In 1936, the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs, a Russian police force, proceeded to arrest and deport thousands of Chinese people in Vladivostok; Millionka ceased to exist.

Vicinity is a place that guides people to seek fragments of the past, rediscovering memories and heritage. Assembled from the remains and debris of nearby buildings that had fallen into disrepair or outright collapsed, it is an information centre as well as a museum that showcases the district’s history and culture. The buildings of Vicinity blend with the surrounding neighborhood, and visitors can wander the courtyards of Millionka from their accommodation.

Vicinity is owned by Joy, an artist and photographer from Valparaíso, Chile. She moved back to Vladivostok recently to find her roots, as her great-grandfather started their family’s journey from Vladivostok in 1860. Her family traveled southward, living in Vũng Tàu, Vietnam; Victor Harbor, Australia; Vilanculos, Mozambique, and Valparaíso, Chile during the past 160 years. Joy wants to create a nostalgic place to commemorate and honour the people who have existed in this place for centuries, as well as a hub for people from the Millionka diaspora and their descendants to share their narratives. With a shared kitchen and dining space, tea ceremony room, and sauna, Vicinity aims to form a communal experience that brings people living there together. Boil a pot of tea, the incense is burning, slowly, let’s tell a story.