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Motivated Brightness

Designed by "A.Len" Bureau, the residential complex on the Vasilyevsky Island can be understood as a modern transcription of a Saint Petersburg residential quarter.

15 December 2014
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Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Designing a new residential complex in Saint Petersburg - a city that, being virtually spoiled by the historically formed quarter building system, never did take the block building system seriously - is quite a challenge. Designing on the Vasilyevsky Island is a double challenge: too strong is the very tradition of the place and too palpable is the influence of the "square" planning, the main axis of the latter being neither a boulevard nor an avenue but the Smolenka River. And it is on the wave-built land of the Vasilyevsky Island, not far away from the Primorskaya metro station that the residential complex "Me, Romantic" will be built that will form one of the fragments of the city's "sea facade" with the facades of its economy-class residential houses. And it was this particular condition that made the task especially difficult. However, the authors made every effort to make the complex stand up to its location, be up-to-date, unconventional, and look great from the water area.

On the one hand, "Me, Romantic" is one of the economy-class residential complexes that overlook the so-called "Western High-Speed Diameter" Highway; on the other hand, this complex is the most unusual out of its peers. From the town-planning standpoint, this is a system of "starburst" layout objects put together to form a trapeze-shaped block. And, in spite of the fact that there is no "quarter" in that place in the traditional sense of the word - the houses that spread out in a fan-like fashion do not even always close up their ranks - the whole thing still functions as a "quarter", dividing the city life into what goes on inside the complex and outside of it. And as for the closeness, however incomplete and split in two by the future street, it still created this "inside-the-complex" world and helps to protect the inside territories from the chilling winds blowing from the Finnish Gulf. This is the algorithm inherent to the town-planning philosophy of this city where once upon a time every house was in effect a "residential complex" sporting its own grand entrance that opened up to a courtyard of its own, from which you could, passing through the arch, get into the neighboring yard, this neighboring yard being through its very address quality also almost "your own". And from the yard that was the last in line, through "your own" arch, you finally could get out on the street... The yards securely protected people from the sea winds, and any postman knew where he would find "seventh yard, twenty-first grand entrance, and apartment 137". 

In "Me, Romantic", you will not find the yards going deeper and deeper inside the land site - instead, you will find a system of interconnected and at the same time independent territories of the kindergartens, playgrounds, schools, roller-blade, skateboard, and bicycle trails, the whole thing looking like a modern transcription of the classic "my own courtyard" of Saint Petersburg. There is also an "own" observatory here - but this rather belongs to the fantasy projects of Saint Petersburg constructivism architects whose dream was to build a "commune" house "for the full and complete life cycle" where you could "grow your own heroes, your own dreamers, and even your own scientists". But then again, maybe it is this observatory that gave the complex its name... who knows? 

Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Генеральный план. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Master plan. Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Speaking of the space-and-volume solution, one must note that this project is dominated by pragmatism and the architects' ability to achieve great results and virtually fit a square peg into a round hole. Ultimately, on a rather narrow building site, two independent functional zones peacefully coexist: the residential and the commercial one, separated by a wide pedestrian boulevard. Each of the two, both visually and "space-wise" works for itself and for the surrounding residential quarters. The residential part consists of thirteen buildings from 6 to 20 floors high with all the described social infrastructure and underground parking garages that can only be entered from the outside thoroughfares. Occupying the land plot that is located at a little distance from the residential houses, the commercial part consists of a multifunctional business center, a hotel, and a multi-tier parking garage. 

The image, however, is quite a different thing. The facades are completely no-frills: just the intense color and the individual for each house balconies, protrusions, or stairway railings. However, in spite of the seemingly scarce arsenal of artistic means of expression, thanks to the bright palette of the volumes, a little shift in respect to one another, and the presence of windows of different sizes, one will not find here any monotony that is so characteristic of the multi-apartment houses. 

What is important is the fact that the rhythm, the shades of different colors, and the subtle plastics are subjected not only to the author's artistic will but are also based on the clear-cut theory that fills the flashy image with extra meaning. 

Sergey Oreshkin is sharing about his original idea: "The project is based on the ideas of suprematism of the 1920's - such as Ritweld's research of colors. Every color that we used in our project is non-monochromatic; it is a sophisticated combination of pixels of different shades that create a special tone when viewed from a distance". Indeed, the bright mosaic of the facades of this project is significantly different from the traditional pixel decoration that looks pretty much like enlarged computer graphics: in our case, the pixels are different - they look more like a pointillist's strokes rather than like a digital color that was stretched out. 

The bright inserts create the accents and make interesting contrasts; besides, the colors that are used by the architects are also rather unconventional, or, rather, they are unconventionally numerous. The naturally expected "acid" green, orange and sunny yellow are added by violet - a dangerous color to play with - that totally embraces one of the large buildings and, thanks to the multitude of red, black, gray, or yellow inserts, does not look gloomy at all (as one might have feared) but rather tasty, like maybe some sort of a merry berry. The color combinations are really numerous, and among them, there are some really unexpected or, rather, "non-hackneyed" ones. The "Mondrian" black-and-white-and-red-and-yellow set is intervened, for example, not by the expected blue but by the already-mentioned berry-violet, its spots getting at times more dense, at times more sparse, and at times stretching into stripes, looking like maybe a TV color bar test pattern or some op-art picture meant to test your eyesight. At times the prevailing life-affirming tone gets inverted, and the background part is played by the dark gray - against such background, the bright spectral inserts look almost glowing and remind some kind of lens flares. The variety of the rhythm and color combinations is picked up by the windows: the bands give way to squares, the windows of vertical and horizontal proportions on the side walls of the buildings line up to make shaky zigzags - but all these things, the color and the form is subjected to the subtle polyphonic rhythm and looks as a single harmonious whole - possibly, held together by some sophisticated code or principle based on the already-mentioned Ritweld's research. One should hardly say now that no two buildings here are exactly alike, each volume being distinctively individual, although the common rhythm and the tension of colors still hold their family together. 

Saying "nothing extra", we should note that on the outside there are neither balconies nor stanzas that in today's houses, according to Sergey Oreshkin's apt comparison, line up into glass vertical "medical thermometers" set up against the building. Here all the balconies are sunken in, leaving the part of the mosaic picture up to the facade. Besides, the architects paid special attention to the verticals of the staircases and optimized their design solutions. 

Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Everybody has long since grown used to the fact that when buying an apartment, we are in fact buying the square meters of the concrete floors and the outside walls hardly capable of protecting these square meters from the wind and the rain - because the windows are just not there! We buy the square meters of the structures that are yet to be turned into square meters of the human dwelling. What makes "Me, Romantic" different from the city's other residential complexes is the "turn-key" status of all of its apartments: they come with the furniture, household appliances, and even some decor elements. Of course, one could argue whether it is a good thing or not that there are but three design options: "Classical", "Oriental", and "High-Tech" - but still, they are there and therefore we are still buying a place one can live in. As for the design, it can always be remodeled to fit your own taste - the slide down is generally easier and quicker. 

Special mention must be given to the architecture of the schools and kindergartens. We all remember the dull bleak houses to which our still sleepy parents would drag us every morning. The schools were just as bad. What made things worse, some of us had to actually commute to get there, which was quite an ordeal in itself. Things are entirely different here: the little houses look more like a set of nice playing cubes that you can build anything out of. And these cubes are scattered right under the windows of your own apartments. Even from above they look sweet and cheerful - it is the roof, "the fifth facade" that comes into play. And the entire complex leaves an impression of freshness and brightness that the rainy Saint Petersburg is in such a desperate need of.

Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Вариант отделки двухкомнатной квартиры. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Design of a two-room apartment. Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Пример отделки квартиры-студии. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Design of a studio apartment. Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Планы 1 этажа корпусов 3 и 5. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Plans of the first floor of Buildings 3 and 5. 
Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len"
открыть большое изображение

Фасады корпуса 11. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Facades of Building 11. Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Цветовое решение фасадов. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Color solution of the facades. Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Фасады корпуса 11. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Facades of Building 11. Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Фасады корпуса 7. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Facades of Building 7. Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Ограждения. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Fencings. Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение

Фасады. Жилой комплекс на Васильевском острове © «А.Лен»
Facades. Residential complex at the Vasilyevsky Island © "A.Len" открыть большое изображение


15 December 2014

Headlines now
Inverted Fortress
This year, there has been no shortage of intriguing architectural ideas around the Omsk airport. The project developed by the architectural company KPLN appeals to Omsk’s history as a wooden fortress that it was back in the day, but transforms the concept of a fortress beyond recognition: it “shaves off” the conical ends of “wooden logs”, then enlarges them, and then flips them over. The result is a hypostyle – a forest of conical columns on point supports, with skylights on top.
The Paradox of the Temporary
The concept of the Russian pavilion for EXPO 2025 in Osaka, proposed by the Wowhaus architects, is the last of the six projects we gathered from the 2022 competition. It is again worth noting that the results of this competition were not finalized due to the cancellation of Russia’s participation in World Expo 2025. It should be mentioned that Wowhaus created three versions for this competition, but only one is being presented, and it can’t be said that this version is thoroughly developed – rather, it is done in the spirit of a “student assignment”. Nevertheless, the project is interesting in its paradoxical nature: the architects emphasized the temporary character of the pavilion, and in its bubble-like forms sought to reflect the paradoxes of space and time.
The Forum of Time
The competition project for the Russian Pavilion at EXPO 2025 in Osaka designed by Aleksey Orlov and Arena Project Institute consists of cones and conical funnels connected into a non-trivial composition, where one can feel the hand of architects who have worked extensively with stadiums and other sports facilities. It’s very interesting to delve into its logic, structurally built on the theme of clocks, hourglasses and even sundials. Additionally, the architects have turned the exhibition pavilion into a series of interconnected amphitheaters, which is also highly relevant for world exhibitions. We are reminding you that the competition results were never announced.
Mirrors Everywhere
The project by Sergey Nebotov, Anastasia Gritskova, and the architectural company “Novoe” was created for the Russian pavilion at EXPO 2025, but within the framework of another competition, which, as we learned, took place even earlier, in 2021. At that time, the competition theme was “digital twins”, and there was minimal time for work, so the project, according to the architect himself, was more of a “student assignment”. Nevertheless, this project is interesting for its plan bordering on similarity with Baroque projects and the emblem of the exhibition, as well as its diverse and comprehensive reflectiveness.
The Steppe Is Full of Beauty and Freedom
The goal of the exhibition “Dikoe Pole” (“Wild Field”) at the State Historical Museum was to move away from the archaeological listing of valuable items and to create an image of the steppe and nomads that was multidirectional and emotional – in other words, artistic. To achieve this goal, it was important to include works of contemporary art. One such work is the scenography of the exhibition space developed by CHART studio.
The Snowstorm Fish
The next project from the unfinished competition for the Russian Pavilion at EXPO 2025, which will be held in Osaka, Japan, is by Dashi Namdakov and Parsec Architects. The pavilion describes itself as an “architectural/sculptural” one, with its shape clearly reminiscent of abstract sculpture of the 1970s. It complements its program with a meditative hall named “Mendeleev’s Dreams”, and offers its visitors to slide from its roof at the end of the tour.
The Mirror of Your Soul
We continue to publish projects from the competition for the design of the Russian Pavilion at EXPO in Osaka 2025. We are reminding you that the results of the competition have not been announced, and hardly will ever be. The pavilion designed by ASADOV Architects combines a forest log cabin, the image of a hyper transition, and sculptures made of glowing threads – it focuses primarily on the scenography of the exhibition, which the pavilion builds sequentially like a string of impressions, dedicating it to the paradoxes of the Russian soul.
Part of the Ideal
In 2025, another World Expo will take place in Osaka, Japan, in which Russia will not participate. However, a competition for the Russian pavilion was indeed held, with six projects participating. The results were never announced as Russia’s participation was canceled; the competition has no winners. Nevertheless, Expo pavilion projects are typically designed for a bold and interesting architectural statement, so we’ve gathered all the six projects and will be publishing articles about them in random order. The first one is the project by Vladimir Plotkin and Reserve Union, which is distinguished by the clarity of its stereometric shape, the boldness of its structure, and the multiplicity of possible interpretations.
The Fortress by the River
ASADOV Architects have developed a concept for a new residential district in the center of Kemerovo. To combat the harsh climate and monotonous everyday life, the architects proposed a block type of development with dominant towers, good insolation, facades detailed at eye level, and event programming.
In the Rhombus Grid
Construction has begun on the building of the OMK (United Metallurgical Company) Corporate University in Nizhny Novgorod’s town of Vyksa, designed by Ostozhenka Architects. The most interesting aspect of the project is how the architects immersed it in the context: “extracting” a diagonal motif from the planning grid of Vyksa, they aligned the building, the square, and the park to match it. A truly masterful work with urban planning context on several different levels of perception has long since become the signature technique of Ostozhenka.
​Generational Connection
Another modern estate, designed by Roman Leonidov, is located in the Moscow region and brings together three generations of one family under one roof. To fit on a narrow plot without depriving anyone of personal space, the architects opted for a zigzag plan. The main volume in the house structure is accentuated by mezzanines with a reverse-sloped roof and ceilings featuring exposed beams.
Three Dimensions of the City
We began to delve into the project by Sergey Skuratov, the residential complex “Depo” in Minsk, located at Victory Square, and it fascinated us completely. The project has at least several dimensions to it: historical – at some point, the developer decided to discontinue further collaboration with Sergey Skuratov Architects, but the concept was approved, and its implementation continues, mostly in accordance with the proposed ideas. The spatial and urban planning dimension – the architects both argue with the city and play along with it, deciphering nuances, and finding axes. And, finally, the tactile dimension – the constructed buildings also have their own intriguing features. Thus, this article also has two parts: it dwells on what has been built and what was conceived
New “Flight”
Architects from “Mezonproject” have developed a project for the reconstruction of the regional youth center “Polyot”(“Flight”) in the city of Oryol. The summer youth center, built back in the late 1970s, will now become year-round and acquire many additional functions.
The Yauza Towers
In Moscow, there aren’t that many buildings or projects designed by Nikita Yavein and Studio 44. In this article, we present to you the concept of a large multifunctional complex on the Yauza River, located between two parks, featuring a promenade, a crossroads of two pedestrian streets, a highly developed public space, and an original architectural solution. This solution combines a sophisticated, asymmetric façade grid, reminiscent of a game of fifteen puzzle, and bold protrusions of the upper parts of the buildings, completely masking the technical floors and sculpting the complex’s silhouette.
Architecture and Leisure Park
For the suburban hotel complex, which envisages various formats of leisure, the architectural company T+T Architects proposed several types of accommodation, ranging from the classic “standard” in a common building to a “cave in the hill” and a “house in a tree”. An additional challenge consisted in integrating a few classic-style residences already existing on this territory into the “architectural forest park”.
The U-House
The Jois complex combines height with terraces, bringing the most expensive apartments from penthouses down to the bottom floors. The powerful iconic image of the U-shaped building is the result of the creative search for a new standard of living in high-rise buildings by the architects of “Genpro”.
Black and White
In this article, we specifically discuss the interiors of the ATOM Pavilion at VDNKh. Interior design is a crucial component of the overall concept in this case, and precision and meticulous execution were highly important for the architects. Julia Tryaskina, head of UNK interiors, shares some of the developments.
The “Snake” Mountain
The competition project for the seaside resort complex “Serpentine” combines several typologies: apartments of different classes, villas, and hotel rooms. For each of these typologies, the KPLN architects employ one of the images that are drawn from the natural environment – a serpentine road, a mountain stream, and rolling waves.
Opal from Anna Mons’ Ring
The project of a small business center located near Tupolev Plaza and Radio Street proclaims the necessity of modern architecture in a specific area of Moscow commonly known as “Nemetskaya Sloboda” or “German settlement”. It substantiates its thesis with the thoroughness of details, a multitude of proposed and rejected form variants, and even a detailed description of the surrounding area. The project is interesting indeed, and it is even more interesting to see what will come of it.
Feed ’Em All
A “House of Russian Cuisine” was designed and built by KROST Group at VDNKh for the “Rossiya” exhibition in record-breaking time. The pavilion is masterfully constructed in terms of the standards of modern public catering industry multiplied by the bustling cultural program of the exhibition, and it interprets the stylistically diverse character of VDNKh just as successfully. At the same time, much of its interior design can be traced back to the prototypes of the 1960s – so much so that even scenes from iconic Soviet movies of those years persistently come to mind.
The Ensemble at the Mosque
OSA prepared a master plan for a district in the southern part of Derbent. The main task of the master plan is to initiate the formation of a modern comfortable environment in this city. The organization of residential areas is subordinated to the city’s spiritual center: depending on the location relative to the cathedral mosque, the houses are distinguished by façade and plastique solutions. The program also includes a “hospitality center”, administrative buildings, an educational cluster, and even an air bridge.
Pargolovo Protestantism
A Protestant church is being built in St. Petersburg by the project of SLOI architects. One of the main features of the building is a wooden roof with 25-meter spans, which, among other things, forms the interior of the prayer hall. Also, there are other interesting details – we are telling you more about them.
The Shape of the Inconceivable
The ATOM Pavilion at VDNKh brings to mind a famous maxim of all architects and critics: “You’ve come up with it? Now build it!” You rarely see such a selfless immersion in implementation of the project, and the formidable structural and engineering tasks set by UNK architects to themselves are presented here as an integral and important part of the architectural idea. The challenge matches the obliging status of the place – after all, it is an “exhibition of achievements”, and the pavilion is dedicated to the nuclear energy industry. Let’s take a closer look: from the outside, from the inside, and from the underside too.
​Rays of the Desert
A school for 1750 students is going to be built in Dubai, designed by IND Architects. The architects took into account the local specifics, and proposed a radial layout and spaces, in which the children will be comfortable throughout the day.
The Dairy Theme
The concept of an office of a cheese-making company, designed for the enclosed area of a dairy factory, at least partially refers to industrial architecture. Perhaps that is why this concept is very simple, which seems the appropriate thing to do here. The building is enlivened by literally a couple of “master strokes”: the turning of the corner accentuates the entrance, and the shade of glass responds to the theme of “milk rivers” from Russian fairy tales.
The Road to the Temple
Under a grant from the Small Towns Competition, the main street and temple area of the village of Nikolo-Berezovka near Neftekamsk has been improved. A consortium of APRELarchitects and Novaya Zemlya is turning the village into an open-air museum and integrating ruined buildings into public life.
​Towers Leaning Towards the Sun
The three towers of the residential complex “Novodanilovskaya 8” are new and the tallest neighbors of the Danilovsky Manufactory, “Fort”, and “Plaza”, complementing a whole cluster of modern buildings designed by renowned masters. At the same time, the towers are unique for this setting – they are residential, they are the tallest ones here, and they are located on a challenging site. In this article, we explore how architects Andrey Romanov and Ekaterina Kuznetsova tackled this far-from-trivial task.
In the spirit of ROSTA posters
The new Rostselmash tractor factory, conceptualized by ASADOV Architects, is currently being completed in Rostov-on-Don. References to the Soviet architecture of the 1920’s and 1960’s resonate with the mission and strategic importance of the enterprise, and are also in line with the client’s wish: to pay homage to Rostov’s constructivism.
The Northern Thebaid
The central part of Ferapontovo village, adjacent to the famous monastery with frescoes by Dionisy, has been improved according to the project by APRELarchitects. Now the place offers basic services for tourists, as well as a place for the villagers’ leisure.
Brilliant Production
The architects from London-based MOST Architecture have designed the space for the high-tech production of Charge Cars, a high-performance production facility for high-speed electric cars that are assembled in the shell of legendary Ford Mustangs. The founders of both the company and the car assembly startup are Russians who were educated in their home country.