"Lenigradka" Embankment

In this issue, we are covering the projects prepared by the winners and the finalists of the contest for the best concept of "Dimamo" Boulevard in Moscow.

Written by:
Polina Sadova
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

03 March 2015

Contest Results

The contest lasted from October 2014 to January 2015 as part of the educational program "Leningradka Embankment" launched by MARCH Architectural School. Under the guidance of the contest curator, architect Ilia Mukosey, the students did a research of the Dinamo Boulevard and determined its problem spots. The boulevard was considered in conjunction with its adjacent square, the Dinamo Stadium, and the Petrovsky Park. Then the contestants were to come up with specific solutions for the problems that they discovered. In late January, there took place the defense of the students' projects, seven of which were forwarded on to the consideration of the judging panel. The organizers also conducted an online popular vote.

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Contest winners

The First Place + People's Choice Award
Ksenia Zvereva

zooming — Visualization of a fragment of the boulevard. Concept of "Dinamo" Boulevard. Author: Ksenia Zvereva

The concept is all about the sonic diversity of the territory. Using the mobile application for measuring the noise level, Ksenia determined the places that are most susceptible to the noise pollution. For example, a large level of noise was discovered opposite the "slab" of a large residential building whose facade reflects the sound. According to the conclusions made by the authors of the project, the reason for the noise pollution of the boulevard is "the absence of the medium green belt". The bushes and the small trees might absorb the noise close to the ground. Strengthening this medium green belt became the key idea of the project. However, according to the architect, there is no necessity to get rid of the noise altogether - because it forms the unique "sonic portrait" of this particular territory. Because of that, it is proposed that at some places the city noise should be kept as it is, and sometimes even augmented with extra sources of sound, fountains for example. Thus, the boulevard gets a peculiar "sonic tour route". Developing her idea of sonic variety, Ksenia proposed to organize, under the junction flyover, a yoga center that will be opposed to the noisy and crowded stadium and at the same time will support the sport theme intrinsic to this place.

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The Second Place
Anastasia Rozhkova

The project is aimed at organizing and comfortably using the boulevard in spite of the proximity of a construction site and a noisy highway. Anastasia proposes to create a covered boulevard whose vertical green belt will protect it from the world outside. There is a bar counter that runs directly along the pedestrian path. Across from it, the authors place a blackboard where anybody can leave a note. Here one can organize weekend bazaars and flea markets, the kind that you can see on the boulevards of European cities.

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The Third Place
Daria Gerasimova

Daria Gerasimova's project is based on the idea of accessibility of the boulevard and the square for the handicapped people. In order to make the territory accessible, the authors propose to replace some of the stairways with zigzag ramps. Besides, according to the author, "Dinamo" Stadium lacks the necessary bicycle infrastructure. In its contest project, for Park of Physical Culture and Sport, "Praktika" proposes to create a bicycle ring that would belt both the park and the stadium. Daria thinks that it is necessary to expand the ring as far as the Petrovsky Park, and, when it runs through the square, elevate the bicycle track over the ground level so as to avoid interfering with the flows of pedestrians and the support crowds during the games. In the center of the square, there is a bicycle renting point and a small cafe. The circular ramp will allow for the cyclists to get up the the level of the bicycle track.

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Contest Finalists

Anton Timofeev

The author dedicated his research to the automotive situation on the highways adjacent to the boulevard. His conclusion runs as follows: in the nearest future, a large part of the local population will be forced to opt out of using their cars in favor of public transportation, and the necessity of multi-level road junctions will be no longer there. The flyovers are turned into linear parks, similar to New-York's High Line. Anton suggests to start preparing people for these changes today. The three-phase scenario that the author has come up with is called "Crutch - Trail - Seizure". The idea is about adding a pedestrian and bicycle trail "crutch" to the flyover. With time, they will also be able to "seize" the carriage way. The space under the flyover may be used as expo space for organizing fairs and exhibitions.

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Andrew Fomichev

According to the research done by Andrew Fomichev, the place that suffers the most from the adverse effects of the highway is the square between the pavilions of the "Dinamo" metro station as well as the part of the boulevard not covered by the flyover. The author also paid attention to the bus stops and retail kiosks scattered chaotically along the Leningrad Avenue. As the key idea, Andrew proposed to implement, on the sidewalk running along the Leningrad Avenue, a modular "transformer" structure. This structure consists, among other things, of "green modules" (bushes in tubs), bus stop modules, cafe modules, and others. The structure can be adjusted and fine-tuned to fit the current specific tasks. By relocating the mobile benches and tubs, for example, one could use the territory as a festival venue, a promenade, or even a skating rink in the wintertime.

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Oleg Sazonov

The author of the project notes the important role of this territory as a link between two parks (Petrovsky and Dinamo). However, the square is not properly organized, and, according to the recent opinion poll, is not really popular with the local people. Oleg proposed to raise the popularity of this place by attracting to it the lovers of extreme sports. The composition is built around a half-pipe that performs, aside from its immediate sport function, a number of other ones (it houses the stadium's booking office, a stage for open-air festivals, a cafe, and a retail store). Ultimately, we see a picturesque enfilade of spaces with diverse functions, securely protected from the noise of the highway. Using this "structure", one can easily get from one park to the other. Yet another solution proposed by the author is creating a terminal for the above-ground transportation that will include the stops of all kinds of transport that runs through this area.

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Daria Zaitseva

This concept was inspired by the diverse architecture of this area. Here one can encounter all the architectural styles of the XX century as well as the Putevoy Palace built in 1780 upon the project of Mathew Kazakov. Daria proposed to create a collective image of the architecture of this area in the form of a "phantom" tower that might be built at the crossing of the Leningrad Avenue and the Third Transport Ring. According to Daria, if placed at the crossings of the Third Transport Ring with Moscow's thirteen main radial highways, such towers could become the basis for the city's new navigation system. Technically, the tower is a metal spike about four hundred feet tall, issuing steam, upon which images are projected. The judging panel gave a special mention to the model of the tower that Daria prepared. It consists of a steam generator and a pocket projector that projects the image of the tower onto a steam column.

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The judging panel of the contest

S.P. Shamanov, Deputy General Director of UK Dinamo
T.P. Dedinskaya, Deputy Head of Administrative Board of "Airport" District for trading and service issues.
Sergey Tchoban, architect, the managing partner of SPEECH architectural bureau
Oscar Mamleev, professor of Moscow Institute of Architecture, MARCH architectural school, and the International Academy of Architecture, Architectural Association School of Architecture (London, UK)
A.A. Voskresensky, editor-in-chief of "Commersant. Dom" Magazine
Y.G. Saprykin, journalist, former editor-in-chief of "Afisha" Magazine
Julius Borisov, co-founder of the architectural bureau UNK project
S.A. Nikitin, urbanist historian, leader of "Moscultprog" Group and the founder of the international project "Velonoch" ("Night of a Bicycle")
M.L. Zvyagintseva, artist and curator of public art projects, member of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia, and Union of Artists of Moscow

03 March 2015

Headlines now

Review

Living in the Architecture of One’s Own Making

Do architects design houses for themselves? You bet! In this article, we are examining a new book by TATLIN publishing house. This book – unprecedented for Russia – features 52 private homes designed and built by contemporary architects for themselves. It includes houses that are famous, even iconic, as well as lesser-known ones; large and small, stylish and eccentric. To some extent, the book reflects the history of Russian architecture over the past 30 years.

Object

A City Block Isoline

Another competition project for a residential complex on the banks of the Volga in Nizhny Novgorod has been prepared by Studio 44. A team of architects led by Ivan Kozhin concluded that using a regular block layout in such a location would be inappropriate and developed a “custom design” approach: a chain of parceled multi-section buildings stretching along the entire embankment. Let’s explore the features and advantages of this unconventional method.

Report

Competition: The Price of Creativity?

Any day now, we’re expecting the results of a competition held by the “Samolet” development group for a plot in Kommunarka. In the meantime, we share the impressions of Editor-in-Chief Julia Tarabarina, who managed to conduct a public talk. Though technically focused on the interaction between developers and architects, the public talk turned into a discussion about the pros and cons of architectural competitions.

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Terraced Design

The “River Park” residential complex has confidently and securely shaped the Nagatinsky Backwater shoreline. Featuring a public embankment, elevated courtyards connected by pedestrian bridges, and brick façades, the development invites exploration of its nuanced response to the surrounding context, as well as hints of the architects’ megalithic design thinking.

A Kremlin’s Core and Meteorite Fragments

We continue our coverage of the competition projects for the residential district that the development company GloraX plans to build along the embankment of the Rowing Channel in Nizhny Novgorod. ASADOV Architects approached the concept through a deep dive into local identity, using storytelling to pinpoint a central idea for the design: the master plan and composition are imagined as if a meteorite had struck a “proto-Kremlin”. Sounds weird? Find more details below!

Contest Results

The Volga Regatta

GloraX plans to develop a residential complex spanning 14 hectares along the Volga River in Nizhny Novgorod. The winning design in a closed-door competition, created by GORA Architects, features housing typologies ranging from townhouses to terraced high-rise slabs, a balance of functions, diverse ways of engaging with the water, and even a dedicated island (no less!) for the city residents.

Object

A New Track

We took a thorough look at D_Station, a railcar repair depot dating back to 1906, recently reconstructed while preserving its century-old industrial structure, upon the project by Sergey Trukhanov and T+T Architects. Though work on the interiors – set to house restaurants and public spaces – is still underway, the building’s exterior already offers plenty to see. Visitors can explore the blend of old and new brickwork, appreciate the architect’s unique interpretation of ruin aesthetics, and enjoy the newly built pedestrian route that connects the Citydel Business Center’s arches to Kazakova Street.

Report

Four Different Surveys

The “Explore the City” competition, organized this year by the Genplan Institute of Moscow, stands out as a pretty unconventional one for the architectural field but aligns perfectly well with the character of urban planning work. The winning project analyzed contemporary residential complexes, combining urban planning insights with a realtor’s perspective to propose a hybrid approach. Other entries explored public centers, motivations for car ownership, and housing vacancy rates. A fifth participant withdrew. Here’s a closer look at the four completed works.

Report

Scheduled Evolution

ASADOV Architects unveiled the EvyCenter pavilion, a microcultural hub for fostering personal growth, organizing workshops, and doing gymnastics. Additionally, this pavilion serves as a prototype for a scalable country house, drawing inspiration from the “Loskutok” project, and constructed from CLT panels in a factory. This marks the beginning of a developer project initiated by the architectural firm (sic!), which is seeking partners to expand both small Evy settlements and even larger Evy cities, which are, according to Andrey Asadov, aimed at fostering the “evolutionary” development of the people who will inhabit them.

Object

The Golden Crown

The concept for a dental clinic in Yekaterinburg, developed by CNTR Studio, revolves around the idea of a “mouth full of gold”: pristine white porcelain stoneware walls are complemented by matte brass details. To avoid an overly literal interpretation, the architects focused on the building’s proportions, skillfully navigating between sunlight requirements and fire safety regulations.

News

Flexibility and Integration

Not long ago, we covered the project for the fourth phase of the ÁLIA residential complex, designed by APEX. Now, we’ve been shown different fence concepts they developed to enclose the complex’s private courtyards, incorporating a variety of public functions. We believe that the sheer fact that the complex’s architects were involved in such a detail as fencing speaks volumes.

Object

A Step Forward

The HIDE residential complex represents a major milestone for ADM architects and their leaders Andrey Romanov and Ekaterina Kuznetsova in their quest for a fresh high-rise aesthetic – one that is flexible and layered, capable of bringing vibrancy to mass and silhouette while shaping form. Over recent years, this approach has become ADM’s “signature style”, with the golden HIDE tower playing a pivotal role in its evolution. Here, we delve into the project’s story, explore the details of the complex’s design, and uncover its core essence.

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Gold in the Sands

A new office for a transcontinental company specializing in resource extraction and processing has opened in Dubai. Designed by T+T Architects, masters of creating spaces that are contemporary, diverse, flexible, and original, this project exemplifies their expertise. On the executive floor, a massive brass-clad partition dominates, while layered textures of compressed earth create a contextually resonant backdrop.

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Layers and Levels of Flight

This project goes way back – Reserve Union won this architectural competition at the end of 2011, and the building was completed in 2018, so it’s practically “archival”. However, despite being relatively unknown, the building can hardly be considered “dated” and remains a prime example of architectural expression, particularly in the headquarters genre. And it’s especially fitting for an aviation company office. In some ways, it resembles the Aeroflot headquarters at Sheremetyevo but with its own unique identity, following the signature style of Vladimir Plotkin. In this article, we take an in-depth look at the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) headquarters in the Moscow agglomeration town of Zhukovsky, supplemented by recent photographs from Alexey Naroditsky – a shoot that became only recently possible due to the fact that improvements were finally made in the surrounding area.

Object

Light and Shadow

In this article, we delve into the architectural design of the “Chaika” house by DNK ag architects, which was recently completed in 2023 as part of the collection of signature designs at ZILArt. As is well-known, all the buildings in this complex follow a design code, yet each one is distinct. This particular building stands out not only for its whiteness and minimalism but also for the refined use of a limited number of techniques that, together, create what can confidently be called synergy.

View

Casus Novae

A master plan was developed for a large residential area with a name of “DNS City”, but now that its implementation began, the plan has been arbitrarily reformatted and replaced with something that, while similar on the surface, is actually quite different. This is not the first time such a thing happens, but it’s always frustrating. With permission from the author, we are sharing Maria Elkina’s post.

Report

Treasure Hunting

The GAFA bureau, in collaboration with Tegola and Arkhitail, organized an expedition to the island of Kilpola in Karelia as part of Moskomarkhitektura’s “Open City” festival. There, amidst moss and rocks, the students sought answers to questions like: what is the sacred, where does it dwell, and what sustains it? Assisting the participants in this quest were landscape engineer Evgeny Levin, artist Nicholas Roerich, a moose, and the lack of cellular connection. Here’s how the story unfolded.

Object

Depths of the Earth, Streams of Water

In the Malaya Okhta district, the Akzent building, designed by Stepan Liphart, was constructed. It follows a classic tripartite structure, yet it’s what you might call “hand-drawn”: each façade is unique in its form and details, some of which aren’t immediately noticeable. In this article, we explore the context and, together with the architect, delve into how the form was developed.

Object

Fir Tree Dynamics

The “Airports of Region” holding is planning to build an airport in Karachay-Cherkessia, aiming to make the Arkhyz and Dombay resorts more accessible to travelers. The project that won in an invitation-only competition, submitted by Sergey Nikeshkin’s KPLN, blends natural imagery inspired by the shape of a conifer seed, open-air waiting spaces, majestic large trees, and a green roof elevated on needle-like columns. The result is both nature-inspired and WOW.

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A Brick Shell

In the process of designing a clubhouse situated among pine trees in a prestigious suburban area near Moscow, the architectural firm “A.Len” did the façade design part. The combination of different types of brick and masonry correlates with the volumetric and plastique solutions, further enhanced by the inclusion of wood-painted fragments and metal “glazing”.

Report

Word Forms

ATRIUM architects love ambitious challenges, and for the firm’s thirtieth anniversary, they boldly play a game of words with an exhibition that dives deep into a self-created vocabulary. They immerse their projects – especially art installations – into this glossary, as if plunging into a current of their own. You feel as if you’re flowing through the veins of pure art, immersed in a universe of vertical cities, educational spaces – of which the architects are true masters – and the cultural codes of various locations. But what truly captivates is the bold statement that Vera Butko and Anton Nadtochy make, both through their work and this exhibition: architecture, above all, is art – the art of working with form and space.

Object

Flexibility and Acuteness of Modernity

Luxurious, fluid, large “kokoshniks” and spiral barrel columns, as if made from colorful chewing gum: there seem to be no other mansion like this in Moscow, designed in the “Neo-Russian-Modern” style. And the “Teremok” on Malaya Kaluzhskaya, previously somewhat obscure, has “come alive with new colors” and gained visibility after its restoration for the office of the “architectural ecosystem” as the architects love to call themselves. It’s evident that Julius Borisov and the architects at UNK put their hearts into finding this new office and bringing it up to date. Let’s delve into the paradoxes of this mansion’s history and its plasticity. Spoiler: two versions of modernity meet here, both balancing on the razor’s edge of “what’s current”.

Interview

Yuri Vissarionov: “A modular house does not belong to the land”

It belongs to space, or to the air... It turns out that 3D printing is more effective when combined with a modular approach: the house is built in a workshop and then adapted to the site, including on uneven terrain. Yuri Vissarionov shares his latest experience in designing tourist complexes, both in central Russia and in the south. These include houseboats, homes printed from lightweight concrete using a 3D printer, and, of course, frame houses.

Object

Moscow’s First

“The quality of education largely depends on the quality of the educational environment”. This principle of the last decade has been realized by Sergey Skuratov in the project for the First Moscow Gymnasium on Rostovskaya Embankment in the Khamovniki district. The building seamlessly integrates into the complex urban landscape, responding both to the pedestrian flow of the city and the quiet alleyways. It skillfully takes advantage of the height differences and aligns with modern trends in educational space design. Let’s take a closer look.

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Looking at the Water

The site of Villa Sonata stretches from the road to the water’s edge, offering its own shoreline, pier, and a picturesque river panorama. To reveal these sweeping views, Roman Leonidov “cut” the façade diagonally parallel to the river, thus getting two main axes for the house and, consequently, “two heads”. The internal core – two double-height spaces, a living room and a conservatory, with a “bridge” above them – makes the house both “transparent” and filled with light.

Object

The White Wing

Well, it’s not exactly white. It’s more of a beige, white-stone structure that plays with the color of limestone – smoother surfaces are lighter, while rougher ones are darker. This wing unites various elements: it absorbs and interprets the surrounding themes. It responds to everything, yet maintains a cohesive expression – a challenging task! – while also incorporating recognizable features of its own, such as the dynamic cuts at the bottom, top, and middle.

Object

Urban Dunes

The XSA Ramps team designed and built a three-part sports hub for a park in Rostov-on-Don, welcoming people of all ages and fitness levels. The skate plaza, pump track, and playground are all meticulously crafted with details that attract a diverse range of visitors. The technical execution of the shapes and slopes transforms this space into a kind of sculptural composition.

Object

Proportional Growth

The project for the fourth phase of the ÁLIA residential area has been announced. The buildings are situated on an elongated plot – almost a “ray” that shoots out from the center of the area towards the river. Their layout reflects both a response to Moscow’s architectural preferences over the past 15 years, shifting “from blocks to towers”, and an interpretation of the neighboring business park designed by SOM. Additionally, the best apartments here are not located at the very top but closer to the middle, forming a glowing “waistline”.

Object

The “Staircase” Building

In designing the “Details” residential complex in New Moscow, Rais Baishev spiced up the now-popular Moscow theme of a “courtyard” building with an idea drawn from the surrealist drawings by Maurits Escher. He envisioned the stepped silhouettes and descending slopes as a metaphysical mega-staircase, creating a key void within the courtyard that gave the project an internal “spine”. This concept is felt both in the building’s silhouette and on its façades.

Object

Projection of the Quarter

No one doubted that the building that Vladimir Plotkin designed as part of the “Garden Quarters” would be the most modernist of all. And it turned out just that way: while adhering to the common design code, the building successfully combines brick and white stone, rhythmically responding to the neighboring building designed by Ostozhenka, yet tactfully and persistently making a few statements of its own. This includes the projection of the ideal urban development composition “14–9–6”, which can be found right next door, mathematical calculations, including those for various types of terraces (and perhaps the only reminder of the Soviet past of the Kauchuk rubber factory!), and the white “cross-stitch” pattern of the façade grid.