The project of Vels Landscape Hotel for creative people, situated in the north of the Perm Territory on the Vishera River, amidst forests and mountains, is part of a tourist route proposed by the architects.
Written by: Darya Gorelova Translated by: Anton Mizonov
13 June 2019
send.project
Vels Landscape Hotel, proposed by the Ad Hoc architects, is located (at least, by Moscow standards) really, really far away – in the north corner of the Perm Territory, slightly to the west of the Ural Mountains. The first urge is to say that first of all you cannot drive that far because there are no automobile roads there but, yes, there are: the place is situated next to a small township of Vels with a population of about 200 people, a quay, and a school. The nearest township, which is slightly larger, 400 people, is a 45 minutes’ drive away. Perm is a six hours’ drive away. There are deep forests all around, and the local roads lead chiefly to “urochishcha”, which can be roughly translated as “natural landmarks”, which sometimes bearing pretty enticing names, such as “Priiskovoe” (“Gold Mine”). Currently, this totally wild place is one of the extreme tourism area for rafting as a kind of corporate team building. The proposal by Ad Hoc develops this theme because the architects designed not just a hotel amidst the forest land but also a tourist route, the most southern and starting point of which is the city of Perm, and the farthest point of which – “Vishersky Reserve” – is situated about 70 kilometers north of the hotel. The route is called “Salted Ear”, the hotel being the most fundamental structure of everything that is offered along the way.
Vels is the name of the river that flows here into the Vishera: both rivers make a bend, forming loops, islands, and peninsulas, as well as a cave that the architects are also using in their project. There is also a small village on one of the islands. What makes this place surrealistically beautiful is the stone pillars, unweathered fragments of hard rock formations that pop up here and there along the river banks and on windswept fields. The architects placed the “hotel for creative people” east of the township, on the bank of the Vels, where the fields of these stone pillars begin.
Just as the surrounding scenery, the hotel is exceptionally beautiful. Essentially, it replicates on a miniature scale the tourist route because the building is constructed as a “hiking loop”, a mini-route that a person has to explore, finding in it semi-hidden and particularly secluded spaces for solitude that can only be found by a persistent and experienced pathfinder. One can see some parallels with the house on the Cape Meganom that once gave its name to a namesake architectural office, but there is actually more to it: the rocks are entering the space of the hotel just like the landscapes do – the whole hotel’s narrative is focused on them. Since the hiking route in the area of the Vishera River is by definition devised for wandering spirits, hungry for new impressions and really wild nature, the hotel is its ultimate model, which answers a creative mind’s need to wander around in circles even at home – or around his temporary sojourn. Parallels with the National scenic routes of Norway will also be appropriate here, the difference being that the trail proposed by Ad Hoc is much deeper immersed in the reality of the virgin lands.
The project came about on the company’s own initiative; they developed a special website for it. “I was born in Perm, and I visited those parts – says the coauthor of the project, Stanislav Subbotin – These places are beautiful but they are far from accessible. We decided that it was high time to change the situation”. Currently, the architects are busy trying to find investors, and they say, there is already some positive feedback. Ever more often there are cases when architects propose interesting projects and then look for an investor. It will be very exciting if this initiative is indeed implemented.
Darya Gorelova
***
Below is the project description given by the architects – so detailed that we decided to publish the whole of it.
Our idea is focused on the development of tourism in the Perm Territory – we want to make people from other parts of Russia and from other countries want to come to Perm over and over again, and we want to urge our countrymen to learn more about their own land. This is one of the main prerequisites for the development of the economy of our region. The local nature attracts a lot of people, yet currently not everyone is able to explore these parts because there are no places to stay, no hotels, and no tourist offices. We proposed a scenic route that we called “Salted Ear”. The name suggested itself when we connected the most beautiful spots on the map – and we got a silhouette of an ear. The catch-phrase “Permyaki solenye ushi” (“Salted-eared Perm people”) is the traditional nickname for people living in these parts. This has to do with the business of salt making that was once spread here. There is a popular belief that this was the nickname that was given to workers who would carry sacks of salt on their backs, because of which their ears got saturated with salt.
One of the points on the map is the township of Vels, in which we proposed to build this landscape hotel. This place is situated amidst some of the most beautiful locations in the Perm Territory.
The hotel is situated on the bank of the Vishera River and near the Vels River, the Ural Mountains looming on the horizon. On the slope, next to the water, there is a strew of stones, a part of which continues into the forest. We designed a hiking trail winding among these stones, and inscribed the hotel into the landscape. This part of land is not actually part of the national park but it still attracts tourists with its picturesqueness.
The hotel looks as if it were growing up from the terrain, and comes down to the water in terraces. The backbone of the hotel is basically the path that circles the stone pillars and commands magnificent views of the surrounding scenery.
This is also the place where the Great Vels Cave is situated that was formed because of the underground flow of water from one large river to another (from Vels to Vishera). The hotel entrance is situated inside this cave. The locomotion scenario is such that from the dark cave the visitor gets into the light central hall of the hotel. Passing through the cave, the visitor can feel the genius loci and fully immerse himself in its history and atmosphere.
The central space of the hotel contains a restaurant, a bar, a lounge, an amphitheater with a stage, and a performance space – all alternating with stones.
In the hotel, there are studios for creative people. Essentially, these are spaces where one can do their favorite things, at the same time enjoying the surrounding landscape. You can meet here interesting people, find your co-creators, or simply enjoy the bliss of solitude. This is a place for inspiration that is not just aesthetically appealing but is also psychologically and emotionally neutral, where one can concentrate, clear his mind, and whet his artistic feelings.
A part of the hotel with the guest rooms is situated in the woodland, on an elevation, in order to provide as much as possible privacy and beautiful views to the guests of the hotel. Walking down the scenic route or sailing past the hotel in a boat, one cannot see the rooms above because they are situated at the very top, on the edge of the forest. The rooms are designed to provide as many beautiful views as possible. Each room has a fireplace in it, and a bed by the window, from which one can enjoy the breathtaking mountain scenery. The hotel is not designed for a large number of guests – it is a place for solitude and inspiration.
One of the peculiar features of this hotel is the room of silence that steps out of a stone in the forest. This room is meant specially for somebody who wants to be alone with himself and his thoughts for a little while, and find inspiration. This is especially important for creative people. The bridge that leads to this room starts from the depth of the forest and “bumps” into the stone forming a sightseeing platform. The path to this place is not highlighted in any particular way. You can only run into this path by accident while strolling through the forest. Seek and you will find.
In the forest, amidst the densely growing pine trees, there is a spa zone. The visitors see a panorama of stones, the forest, the tree trunks, and thick tree crowns. The spa consists of closed rooms and an open-air jacuzzi yard.
One can also get to the spa and sauna by the path of solitude. This same path connects the sauna and the Vishera River, whose bank provides access to the water.
The sauna is sunken in the terrain and creates an impression of a cave – again, so that nobody would see those who are inside. The visitors to the sauna can enjoy the seclusion, and relax in the open air. It would be great to take a rest here after a session of Nordic skiing or a long hike. The spa center itself is made from concrete with inclusions of salt, and has a healing power.
The Vels Hotel is a synthesis of Ural nature, cultural history and modern architecture. Staying in this hotel will allow a person to enjoy the beautiful views and get a breath of fresh ideas. The architecture is meant to work in harmony with nature.
Specially for the project, we launched a website: www.velshotel.com. It contains detailed information about our hotel and the program of developing the domestic tourism in the Perm Territory.
Home Base
Working on the new building for Letovo Junior School – opened to students in autumn 2025 in the MSU Valley – the architects of UNK, following the client’s vision, subordinated both façades and interiors to the theme of “home”. Multiple variations of pitched roofs, a city skyline traced across glass balustrades, wooden textures, and a whole series of micro-spaces for retreat within public areas are all at the disposal of primary and middle school students. We take a closer look at the new school building – and at how it interprets current trends in educational environments.
Doubles Match
The architecture of the Tennis Palace built in Luzhniki Olympic Complex, designed by Arena Design Institute, was shaped by three factors: the proximity of the brutalist Druzhba Arena, the closeness of the Moskva River and the metro bridge overpass, as well as the specifics of the function – tennis courts require large spans, abundant light, yet at the same time protection from direct sunlight. The architects divided the building into several blocks, playing on contrast, which is further emphasized by the façades developed in collaboration with TPO Reserve and Vladimir Plotkin.
Microdynamics of Macroprocesses
Given the proximity of the multifunctional complex SOLOS to Sokolniki Park and to a major transport hub, Kleinewelt Architekten embedded in the design of the two high-rise towers a sense of dynamism more characteristic of natural phenomena than of man-made objects. Without the authors’ diagrams, this logic is not easy to decipher, although the eye immediately detects a pattern and tries to grasp it. It seems to us that one tower contains the impulse of a bud about to open, while the other evokes the movement of a lithospheric plate. Let us try to unravel it together.
The Space of Post-Cubism
Sergei Tchoban and Alexandra Sheiner, of Studio CHART, created for the exhibition of “post-cubist” sculpture by Beatrice Sandomirskaya – a talented and even “mainstream” artist, yet almost unknown even to art historians – a space akin to her sculptural language: solidly built, confidently stereometric, and subtly expressive. It curves, emphasizing the mass of the sculpture, envelops the viewer, and guides them from one perspective to another, from a generic “shrine” to a “Madonna”.
The Value of Open Space
For the site near the Barrikadnaya Metro Station, Sergey Skuratov developed five projects between 2020 and 2025. Two of them were ones that won the client’s invitation-only competitions. The fifth was recently selected by the Mayor of Moscow for implementation. The project is vivid and sculptural, expressive, eye-catching, and engaging – very much in line with the spirit of our time. And yet, this project is mid-rise rather than tall. In its northwestern part, near the metro and Druzhinnikovskaya Street, it shapes a comfortable urban environment. On the opposite side, it opens up, allowing sunlight into the courtyard and creating a spatial pause within the dense city fabric. How it is organized, what geometric principles underlie it, and why it takes this form – all this is explored in our article.
Coming From the Cold
The ArchBukhta Festival remains one of the few events in Russia where participants go through the entire process of creating an architectural object – from concept to construction. And they do so on the shores of Lake Baikal, in dedication to it. This year, GAFA took part and shared its experience: a local legend, a team-specific design code, friendship, as well as ice skating and endurance in freezing temperatures all contributed to gaining something more than just an award.
Symphony of Water and Brick
The Alter residential complex, designed by Stepan Liphart and built on a bend of the Okhta River, is an example of a “drawn house”: the number of original architectural details is virtually immeasurable. As a result, ribs, projections, and recesses create a picturesque silhouette even without a significant variation in height. Both composition and material respond to the proximity of the river and to the red-brick factory building dating back to the early 20th century. The project was also significantly shaped by recommendations from the city’s chief architect. More details in our article.
Wave and Vertical
The premium residential complex designed by GAFA for a site in the Khoroshevsky District responds to multiple constraints – the arc of a planned roadway, the water protection zone of the Khodynka River, and insolation requirements – through inventive massing. The composition is built on the interplay of two spatial layers: an elongated perimeter block and three towers concealed behind it generate the silhouette and key viewpoints, while also adding semantic depth reinforced by the façade solutions. Another defining feature is a large private courtyard, complemented by a citywide linear park.
Office on Trubnaya
We continue publishing projects by Valery Kanyashin. A building once described, a quarter century ago, as an example of “quiet modernism” has remained just that in some people’s memory. According to Anatoly Belov, its main quality is its unobtrusiveness. The architects from Ostozhenka say the leading role here is played by context and landscape – the change in elevation. Yet is it really so inconspicuous?
The First International
With this publication, we begin a series of texts dedicated to works by the late Valery Kanyashin, one of the founders of Ostozhenka Architects. As it happens, the projects he was involved in largely illustrate our understanding of the firm and its history. The first project in this series is the International Moscow Bank on Prechistenskaya Embankment.
In Memory of Valery Kanyashin
On Friday, February 27, architect Valery Kanyashin passed away – co-founder of Ostozhenka Architects and the author of many significant buildings in Moscow. We publish a text by Anatoly Belov in memory of Valery Kanyashin.
Hypertext in Space
As part of the exhibition “What We Have We (Do Not) Keep”, Sergey Tchoban, the Museum of Architecture, and the CHART studio experiment with an eco-conscious approach to exhibition design, with thematic cross-references and even with publicistic reflections on the necessity of preserving modernism, the roots of contemporary architecture, and the birth of ideas. All of this makes the exhibition, with its light and transparent design, look quite innovative. The elements – both “material” and conceptual – are familiar, yet their combination is far from conventional.
The Outline of “Foundation”
In their competition proposal for the Fili transport hub, the consortium led by Alexey Ilyin proposed an “inhabited arch” – a form that is simple yet complex. The architects emphasize that even at the competition stage, the project’s feasibility was fully calculated, taking into account the minimal nighttime closures of Bagration Avenue. How was this achieved? With what functions? Let us take a closer look. In our view, the building would have suited the heroes of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation novels perfectly.
The Flying Horizontal
“A house in the spirit of Wright”, as architect Roman Leonidov describes it, pointing to his source of inspiration, was built on a challenging wedge-shaped site. To achieve a sense of intimacy and secure good views from the windows, the entire volume had to be shifted toward the far boundary, turning the house “back” to the neighboring mansions. The main façade demonstrates time-tested techniques often employed by the company: articulated horizontals, a weightless roofline, and a triad of materials – light plaster, dark slate, and warm wood.
Needles of Horizon Contemplation
The “House of Horizons”, designed by Kleinewelt Architekten in Krylatskoye, is carefully thought out at the stereometric level – from the logic of how the volumes interlock (and, conversely, how gaps are articulated between them) to the triangular balconies that give the building its striking, slightly bristling silhouette.
The Red Thread
A linear park project prepared by Alexey Ilyin studio for the improvement of a riverbank in one of the residential districts seeks to reconnect people with nature. Two levels of the embankment invite visitors to contemplate the landscape while at the same time protecting the riverbank from excessive human impact. The “aerial street” links functional zones and the opposite banks, creating new points of attraction along the way: balconies, bridges, and even a “grotto”.
Spindle and Thread
The concept of the Waver residential complex in Yekaterinburg draws inspiration from the past of the Parkovy district. In order to preserve the memory of the late-19th-century flax spinning mill once located here, the architectural company KPLN turns to the theme of textiles and weaving. The project’s main expressive device is a system of ribbons made of perforated weathering steel – a material that, in such volumes, has arguably not yet been used in Russian residential projects.
From Ski Resorts to Year-Round Recreation Clusters
In mid-December, several architectural firms gathered to discuss a “seasonal” topic: the prospects for the development of domestic ski tourism. Where is modern infrastructure already in place, where do only remnants of the Soviet legacy remain, and where is there still nothing – but projects are underway and soon to be completed? This article explores these questions.
Woven Into Sokolniki
Over the past few years, high-rise residential construction in former industrial zones has become the main theme of Moscow architecture. Towers are springing up here and there – but the question is what kind of towers they are. The residential complex CODE Sokolniki, designed by Ostozhenka Architects, is a project where every detail has been taken care of. The authors are attentive to the history of the site, the continuity of the urban fabric, the skyline, and visual corridors. They also proposed a motif with the lyrical name “scarf”. We take a closer look at the volumetric composition and the large-scale décor “woven”, in this case, out of terraces and balconies.
Stepan Liphart and Yuri Gerth: “Our Program Is Aesthetic”
The studio of Stepan Liphart, an architect known for his distinctive signature style and one-off projects, now has a partner. Yuri Khitrov, a specialist with a broad range of competencies, will take on the part of the work that distracts one from creativity but drives the business forward. One of the aims of this partnership is to improve the urban environment through dialogue with clients and officials. We spoke with both sides about their ambitions, the firm’s development strategy, shared values, and the need for pragmatism. And why the studio is called “Liphart & Gerth” only became clear at the very end of the interview.
The Copper Mirror
The varied-toned sheen of “unsealed” copper, painterly streaks and fingerprints, exposed concrete, and the unusual proportions – when you study the ZILART Museum building by Sergei Tchoban and SPEECH architects, there is plenty to talk about. However, it seems to us that the most interesting thing is how the museum’s composition responds to the realities of the district itself. The residential district has been realized as an open-air exhibition of façade statements by contemporary architects – but without public access to the inner courtyards of the blocks. This building – that is, the museum – is exactly the opposite: on the outside, it is deliberately restrained, while inside it shines spectacularly, creating its own sunbeams in any weather.
“Strangers” in the City
We asked Alexander Skokan for a comment on the results of 2025 – and he sent us a whole article, moreover one devoted to the discussion we recently began on the “appropriateness of high-rises” – or, more broadly speaking, “contrasting insertions into the urban fabric”. The result is a text that is essentially a question: why here? Why like this?
Dmitry Ostroumov: “To use the language of alchemy, we are involved in the process of “transmutation...
What we ended up having was an extremely unusual conversation with Dmitry Ostroumov. Why? At the very least, because he is not just an architect specializing in the construction of Orthodox churches. And not just – which is an extreme rarity – a proponent of developing contemporary stylistics within this still highly conservative field. Dmitry Ostroumov is a Master of Theology. So in addition to the history and specifics of the company, we speak about the very concept of the temple, about canon and tradition, about the living and the eternal, and even about the Russian Logos.
MB-PROJECT: “Every new project is a challenge”
In this issue, we speak with Dmitry and Oleg Shurygin, founders of the company MV-PROJECT, which has extensive experience in designing theater and entertainment buildings as well as working with cultural heritage sites.
A Glazed Figurine
In searching for an image for a residential building near the Novodevichy Convent, GAFA architects turned to their own perception of the place: it evoked associations with antiquity, plein-air painting, and vintage artifacts. The two towers will be entirely clad in volumetric glazed ceramic – at present, there are no other buildings like this in Russia. The complex will also stand out thanks to its metabolic bay-window cells, streamlined surfaces, a ceremonial “hotel-style” driveway, and a lobby overlooking a lush garden.
A Knight’s Move via the Cour d’Honneur
Intercolumnium Architects presented to the City Planning Council a residential complex project that is set to replace the Aquatoria business center on Vyborgskaya Embankment. Experts praised the overall quality of the work, but expressed reservations about the three cour d’honneurs and suggested softening the contrast between the facades facing the embankment and the Kantemirovsky Bridge.
Mountains, Groves, and Ancestral Towers
The year-round mountain resort Armkhi situated in Russia’s Republic of Ingushetia is positioned as a destination for calm family recreation and has well-established traditions shaped by its hundred-year history and the culture of the region. The development program prepared by the Genplan Institute of Moscow preserves the resort’s identity while expanding its offerings and introducing new types of tourist leisure. In the near future, the resort will feature a balneological center, a thermal complex, an interactive museum, an extreme park, and, of course, new ski slopes.
A Small Country
Mezonproekt is developing a long-term master plan for the MEPhI campus in Obninsk. Over the next ten years, an enclave territory of about 100 hectares, located in a forest on the northern edge of the city, is set to transform into a modern center for the development of the nuclear energy sector. The plan envisions attracting international students and specialists, as well as comprehensive territorial development: both through the contemporary realization of “frozen” plans from the 1980s and through the introduction of new trends – public spaces, an aquapark, a food court, a school, and even a nuclear medicine center. Public and sports facilities are intended to be accessible to city residents as well, and the campus is to be physically and functionally connected to Obninsk.
Pearl Divers
GAFA has designed an apartment complex for Derbent intended to switch people from a work mode to a resort mindset – and to give the surrounding area a much-needed jolt. The building offers two distinct faces: restrained and laconic on the city side, and a lushly ornate façade facing the sea. At the heart of the complex, a hidden pearl lies – an open-air pool with an arch, offering views of a starry sky, and providing direct access to the beach.
A Satellite Island
The Genplan Institute of Moscow has prepared a master plan for the development of the Sarpinsky and Golodny island system, located within the administrative boundaries of Volgograd and considered among the largest river islands in Russia. By 2045, the plan envisions the implementation of 15 large-scale investment projects, including sports and educational clusters, a congress center with a “Volgonarium”, a film production cluster, and twenty-one theme parks. We explain which engineering, environmental, and transportation challenges must be addressed to turn this vision into reality. The master plan solutions have already been approved and incorporated into the city’s general development plan.
