A Third Scale

On a challenging land site located in the Moscow area, Studio 44 designed the second stage of the Evgeny Primakov Gymnasium – a school with a powerful democratic message and architecture in the spirit of Italian rationalism.

Written by:
Natalia Koriakovskaia
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

15 November 2019

Object

The Primakov Gymnasium is quite an unusual school. It accepts children starting from three years old, the instruction being given in two languages – Russian and English – starting from the student’s first day at school. Currently, the gymnasium consists of a kindergarten for 225 children and a school for 550 students. The educational institution has a solid reputation; the students are admitted on a competitive basis, and, in spite of its fee-paying education, today the gymnasium cannot accept everyone who is interested. The Principal of the gymnasium, Maya Maisuradze, sees the solution to this problem in developing the school in accordance with the model of Sochi’s “Sirius”: it is expected that about 500 children will be coming here for short-term educational programs from different regions of the country. And, in order to accommodate for that, you need appropriate infrastructure, including the dormitories for the students and residences for the teachers, many of whom are native speakers of English.

“Maya invests so much enthusiasm, intellect, and energy into this initiative of hers – Nikita Yavein says – That you can arguably consider her to be not just the mastermind of this project but also the coauthor of our architectural solution”. We must note here that, for Nikita Yavein, it’s yet another unique school, after Boris Eifman Dance Academy, Saint Petersburg Graduate School of Management, and “Sirius”. Focusing on the most advanced trends in today’s educational process – “multiplication of communications” and “mixing of layers” – brought about a solution based on a multifunctional atrium, a technique that is quite frequently used by Studio 44. The complexities of the land site in Moscow area’s Odintsovo became in this particular instance the starting point for a structure that became as complex as elegant in its logic, imbued, in addition with the “new school” ideology.

zooming — E.M. Primakov Gymnasium, 2nd stage

Copyright: © Studio 44

Currently, the gymnasium is hosted in a three-story building, highly developed and complex in terms of its construction blueprint. Standing against the background of the village of Razdory, consisting predominantly of small private housing projects, it presents a fundamentally new scale of construction. The new building, which will be needed for the development of the gymnasium, is meant, according to the architects’ idea, to introduce a third construction scale – a transitional link between the finely divided private construction and the existing volume.

“Fitting the building into this land site turned out to be more challenging that it was on the Nevsky Prospect – Nikita Yavein shares – We built quite a lot of projects in the historical center of Saint Petersburg, dealing with all sorts of restrictions, but it was the first time that we had to solve so many issues with engineering networks, when small owners struggled for literally every square meter of this land. These problems made us change the project several times”. Eventually, the construction blueprint shrank and took on a complex shape, inside of which the architects were not only able to place everything that they intended to, avoiding over-saturation, but also positioned the functions in an aesthetically pleasing way, observing a certain hierarchy of the educational process.

“We tried to make the most of the geometry of this space and its structure based on the ideology of the modern educational process. I am referring to socialization spaces and spaces for communication, to which the advanced schools attach a lot of importance during even the early stages of education. Children communicate with one another, and they also learn from one another – no more isolation, and it’s also OK if they do make some noise. This playful education format, as well as informal communication with the teachers, is conducive to self-education. And our task was to create the necessary environment for that by means of architecture” – Nikita Yavein explains.

It stands to reason that the space for such total communication, just as the planning center of the school, is the atrium. In addition to the conceptual purpose, it also serves a utilitarian one: a few days in a year it must host about 1300 people – the children, the guests, and the sponsors, coming to the gala events. Building for that purpose a separate auditorium, which would have stood locked up almost 360 days a year, was not an option.

Now, however, this spatial nucleus attracts the functional blocks, scattered “chaotically” around it, expressing this “medium scale” found by the architects. Each of these blocks has a “face” of its own. Science, humanities, fine arts, as well as the entrance lobby, the cafeteria, and the main stage, are all executed with an individual set of architectural techniques, and composition-wise the new building will look like a congregation of several different ones. Their “chaotic arrangement” in actuality has a strict hierarchy encoded in it: the importance of the role that this or that function plays in the educational process will define the “degree of intrusion” of this function into the atrium. For example, Science and Sports look slightly secluded, while the Cafeteria and Humanities are almost completely open to the atrium.

“We designed these volumes, based on the geometry of the land site, rather rigid. Then we determined the degree of their “intrusion” into the atrium, whose size we simply could not “blow up”, and tried to interpret this as some kind of landscape. What we ultimately got was a little village or a little town, whose main facades overlook the “main square”, i.e. the auditorium. These facades are belted by galleries that provide the connection between the premises on the second level, turning into the “spectator balconies” during the events” – comments Ivan Kozhin, the chief architect of the project.

The main element of the landscape is the irregular-shaped staircase, which is also the amphitheater, opening up with its complex geometry towards the stage block. This “forum” staircase is a technique not just popular but virtually obligatory in modern western schools. In this gymnasium, however, it is also laden with its inner function: it is a library with an open book stock, peripheral “hills”, and “grottos” in the shape of terraced “ziggurats”, where one can study and read undisturbed. This extended space is covered by a spongy vesicular structure resting on a forest of slender columns – it looks as if it spreads out and joins the blocks to become a single whole.

Planning-wise, the thematic blocks are rather autonomous, and have individual solutions. The Humanities block, for example, is designed as a congregation of small auditoriums with a small lounge of their own. The Fine Arts block contains a system or halls with upper lights for dancing, playing music, and painting. The habitual corridors between them are nonexistent: the spatial connection is performed directly through the atrium. All of the maintenance functions stay in the basement floor: the utility lines, the cloakrooms, and the bathrooms. The relatively independent third floor is occupied by the teachers’ rooms, and the Principal’s office.

Besides the indoor “square”, the complex also has an outdoor one – the courtyard of the existing gymnasium building. In the solution proposed by Studio 44, it takes on a certain degree of solemnity, which entitles it to a right to be called a square. Here we see the “porticos” of the lobby and stage blocks, which connect the school’s outdoor and indoor spaces.

The grand lobby is essentially a paraphrase of the antique peripter, which liberally “scatters” the columns around the light glass volume and thus indicates that the educational process here is far from classical. The Stage block, situated nearby (and the Stage can work both for the indoor and the outdoor squares), by contrast, looks very massive because it is made of brick. It goes outside in a powerful flare in the spirit of the Italian rationalists Adalberto Libera or Giuseppe Terragni. At the same time, however, the portal is interpreted asymmetrically, as if hinting at some “democratization” of classic, freedom of interpretation, and the absence of habitual classic patterns in this school. For example, the glazed volume of the staircase on the one side is echoed by an array of columns on the other.

In spite of the vastly different techniques, all of these solutions look as if they comply with a single code: this a deliberately increased scale that emphasizes its pylons, and a contrastive combination of brick and glass. The most remote Sports block is something like a transition to the round building of the teachers’ dormitory that stands at the edge of the site. It gets circular windows and windows whose outlines resemble the “thermal” ones and look as if they were preparing the observer for the appearance of a “radical” mini-Coliseum.

Situated in the northern part of the territory, the students’ dormitories are more traditional and rectangular. While the “Coliseum” is interpreted as a large-scale “Roman” form, the architecture of these square-type dormitories is ostentatiously modern. It has both “countryside” look about it, as well as something Scandinavian, probably inspired by the special kind of wooden board, widely used in the settlement. But then again, the inner structure is the same everywhere around here: the premises are grouped around small-sizes lounges or atriums, overlooking them with galleries or balconies.

The environment that urges the students to communicate and interact with each other is not limited to the walls of the complex and spills over to the surrounding landscape, pierced with pedestrian and bicycle trails. Presenting the Studio 44 project at the recent Zodchestvo Festival, the chief architect of the Moscow area, Alexandra Kuzmina, noted that solving this challenging task and making the project fit in so nicely with the context was only possible by finding the right scale of things, which the architects were able to do quite successfully. Yet another proof of that is the fact that the project got shortlisted by WAF, a festival where Nikita Yavein is spotted with unfailing regularity.

15 November 2019

Headlines now

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.

Object

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.

Object

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.

Object

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.

Object

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

Object

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.

Object

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.

Object

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”.

Overview

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”.

Object

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.

send.project

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.

send.project

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.

Object

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.

Object

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.

send.project

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.

Object

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.

send.project

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.

Object

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.

send.project

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.

Object

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.

Object

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.

send.project

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.

send.project

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.

Object

Three-Part Task: St. Petersburg’s Mytny Dvor

The so-called “Mytny Dvor” area lying just behind Moscow Railway Station – the market rows with a complex history – will be transformed into a premium residential complex by Studio 44. The project consists of three parts: the restoration of historical buildings, the reconstruction of the lost part of the historical contour, and new houses. All of them are harmonized with each other and with the city; axes and “beams of light” were found, cozy corners and scenic viewpoints were carefully thought out. We had a chat with the authors of the historical buildings’ restoration project, and we are telling you about all the different tasks that have been solved here.

Object

The Color of the City, or Reflections on the Slope of an Urban Settlement

In 2022, Ostozhenka Architects won a competition, and in 2023, they developed and received all the necessary approvals for a master plan for the development of Chernigovskaya Street for the developer GloraX. The project takes into account a 10-year history of previous developments; it was done in collaboration with architects from Nizhny Novgorod, and it continues to evolve now. We carefully examined it, talked to everyone, and learned a lot of interesting things.

Object

A Single-Industry Town

Kola MMC and Nornickel are building a residential neighborhood in Monchegorsk for their future employees. It is based on a project by an international team that won the 2021 competition. The project offers a number of solutions meant to combat the main “demons” of any northern city: wind, grayness and boredom.

Object

A New Age Portico

At the beginning of the year, Novosibirsk Tolmachevo Airport opened Terminal C. The large-scale and transparent entrance hall with luminous columns inside successfully combines laconism with a bright and photogenic WOW-effect. The terminal is both the new façade of the whole complex and the starting point of the planned reconstruction, upon completion of which Tolmachevo will become the largest regional airport in Russia. In this article, we are examining the building in the context of modernist prototypes of both Novosibirsk and Leningrad: like puzzle pieces, they come together to form their individual history, not devoid of curious nuances and details.

Object

A New Starting Point

We’ve been wanting to examine the RuArts Foundation space, designed by ATRIUM for quite a long time, and we finally got round to it. This building looks appropriate and impressive; it amazingly combines tradition – represented in our case by galleries – and innovation. In this article, we delve into details and study the building’s historical background as well.

Object

Molding Perspectives

Stepan Liphart introduces “schematic Art Deco” on the outskirts of Kazan – his houses are executed in green color, with a glassy “iced” finish on the facades. The main merits of the project lie in his meticulous arrangement of viewing angles – the architect is striving to create in a challenging environment the embryo of a city not only in terms of pedestrian accessibility but also in a sculptural sense. He works with silhouettes, proposing intriguing triangular terraces. The entire project is structured like a crystal, following two grids, orthogonal and diagonal. In this article, we are examining what worked, and what eventually didn’t.