По-русски

​Inside of a Drawn Grid

Designing the apartment complex PLAY in Danilovskaya Sloboda, ADM architects placed their bet on the imagery of construction. The area where it manifested itself the most vividly was the sophisticated grid of the facades.

Tatiana Shovskaya

Written by:
Tatiana Shovskaya
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

19 May 2021
Object
mainImg
The diverse, to the point of chaotic, urban environment between Bolshaya Tulskaya Street and the waterfront of the Moskva River leaves the architect without a single contextual clue. The place includes low-rise buildings, well-maintained and dilapidated alike, which reflect the industrial history of this area in the 19 century, and huge high-end buildings of the brink of this day and age, the latter being designed more to be perceived from the nearby highways than to harmonize the surrounding side streets. At the same time one must note that these side streets do have their charm due to the human-friendly scale of the houses, as well as due to the tram tracks winding through them, and the bells ringing from the trams going by, which certainly puts you in the mood of “the good old days”.

PLAY apartment complex
Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided by ADM architects


In order to fulfill the task of improving the quality of this potentially livable environment, the authors of the project decided to first of all rely on professional urban planning solutions. The land site occupied by the apartment complex is rather small, and is sandwiched between two neighboring buildings; in addition, part of the territory is limited by the municipal heating network. Despite the high density of construction, inevitable in such a case, the architects paid special attention to designing convenient walking and driving entrances, and even found room for a tiny strip of parkland. In front of the entrance, there is a courtyard with decorative plants in the middle of it, and a drop-off area – a technique borrowed from classic architecture and testifying to the high status of the housing. The courtyard is hidden inside of the block, and its very existence became possible because the house has just one central entrance – the building has an “apartment” status, and, therefore, the layout featuring a central lobby turned out to be the most appropriate, two corridors running in two opposite directions from it.

The master plan. PLAY apartment complex
Copyright: © ADM


The yard and the little park belong to the residents of the house, creating the coveted “private” feel. For the other residents of this area, the architects created a passage running along the side of the house opposite to the courtyard – this in-block promenade can be accessed from the side-street because the first floor of the complex is designed to host the retail function; the whole composition creates a lit of “air” – something that turns city space into living environment. This way, the planning solution, developed in the circumstances of a very constrained jigsaw puzzle, allowed the architects to both take into account the interests of the residents and make the urban space even livelier and more convenient, enriching it with new possibilities.

  • zooming
    1 / 4
    PLAY apartment complex
    Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided by ADM architects
  • zooming
    2 / 4
    PLAY apartment complex
    Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided ADM architects
  • zooming
    3 / 4
    PLAY apartment complex
    Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided by ADM architects
  • zooming
    4 / 4
    PLAY apartment complex
    Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided ADM architects


Generally speaking, this master plan of a housing complex, where the outside contours of the construction are focused on the city, and the yard space is designed solely for the residents, is something that ADM architects consider to be the best solution, trying to stick to it in their every project.

PLAY apartment complex
Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided by ADM architects


Yet another means of enriching the environment, just as important, is the building of the apartment complex itself – according to the architect of the project, Andrey Romanov; a high-quality architecture will always make the city space better, whatever the context. As far as its volumetric and spatial composition is concerned, the complex is rather laconic: all its beauty lies in the facade development. The authors of the project intuitively tied in the facade with the genius loci: they gave it an industrial character, undaunted either by its conflict with the residential function or by the inevitable “coldness” of such allusions. The facade echoes the industrial past of Danilovskaya Sloboda, and this solution appears to be very appropriate, even if the architects themselves deny the reasoned rationale of their choice and even the presence of such methods in their work.

  • zooming
    PLAY apartment complex
    Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided by ADM architects
  • zooming
    PLAY apartment complex
    Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided by ADM architects


Shining with the contrast of black and white, the facade becomes the centerpiece of the city block – perception-wise, not in terms of mass or height. This black-and-white grid was created by the architects using the method of freehand drawing, when the author relies on his or her intuition and sense of beauty. The “disrupted” scale of the facade, visually uniting two floors into one, again refers to the techniques of classical architecture, and I must say that at the time of its design, this technique was super relevant – architecture is also subject to fashion. Here, however, the dual grid was not drawn in a mechanical way – its proportional structure is sophisticated and defies logical calculations, it is full of shimmering rhythms, sometimes overlapping, sometimes growing thinner. Thanks to it, the facade looks non-static and expresses an irrational understanding of proportions – one that cannot be explained, but is perceived by the observer. In its meaning, the rhythm of this grid is close to curvatures, and, even though this speculation is a bit far-fetched, it does reflect its intuitive and humanistic meaning.

PLAY apartment complex
Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided by ADM architects


PLAY apartment complex
Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided ADM architects


The image of the building also determined the decoration of the facade – the architects selected volumetric porcelain slabs for it. According to the authors of the project, this sturdy and durable material is more appropriate for public buildings, and it is a little bit too pristine for a housing complex. However, the “industrial” image of the building required precisely this kind of decoration – a luminous satin cool sheen and a grid emphasizing the contrast. The industrial image of the building is further enhanced by the large glass surfaces – these are not openable, and, therefore, are not fractured with imposts. The contrast is also softened by openwork panels of the air conditioning unit baskets. The presence of these baskets is considered to be a compromise by the architects because they normally prefer to install central heating and air conditioning systems in the buildings that they design.

PLAY apartment complex
Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided by ADM architects


The tall first floor, as was already mentioned, is meant to be rented out to shops and other local businesses: on the facade, this part is visually turned into a gallery – again, with a reference to the classic examples and just to tradition, because this is how, with a covered loggia on supports, it was customary to decorate trading rows with shops in all eras, from antiquity to Russian classicism.

Summarizing the impression of the new housing complex, we can say that through its intuitive references to patterns lying in the subconscious, references that barely denote the original source and are reproduced within the framework of completely modern forms and approaches, ADM architects deliver an architecture from which anyone who is exposed to it -be that a resident or a casual passer-by – get satisfaction. And when a space becomes attractive to the public, a high-quality environment is drawn to it automatically.



PLAY apartment complex
Copyright: Photograph © Yaroslav Lukyanchenko / provided by ADM architects
  • zooming
    Plan of the 1st floor. PLAY apartment complex
    Copyright: © ADM
  • zooming
    Plan of the 2-8 floor. PLAY apartment complex
    Copyright: © ADM


19 May 2021

Tatiana Shovskaya

Written by:

Tatiana Shovskaya
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov
Headlines now
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
An Educational Experiment for the North
City-Arch continues to work on the projects that can be termed as “experimental public preschools”: private kindergartens and schools can envy such facilities in many respects. This time around, the project is done for the city of Gubkinsky, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District. A diverse educational and play environment, including a winter garden, awaits future students, while the teachers will have abundant opportunities to implement new practices.
Alexandra Kuzmina: “Working is easy when the rules are the same for everyone”
The subject matter of Moscow Region’s booth and presentations at Zodchestvo Festival was the concept of “Integrated Land Development”, and for a good reason: this task is very challenging, very relevant, and Moscow Region has already accumulated quite a formidable experience in this regard. In this article, we are speaking to the main architect of the region: about master plans and who makes them, about where you obtain resources for creating a comfortable environment, about her favorite projects, about why there are so few good architects, and what we should do with the bad ones.
The Cemetery: Inside and Outside
The workshop organized by the Genplan Institute of Moscow scored one of the two first places at the “Open City” festival. Its subject is reorganization of municipal cemeteries. Two action plans were proposed, diametrically opposite: one for the downtown and one for the suburbs.
Our Everything
Who is Alexey Shchusev? In the last couple of weeks, since the architect’s 150th birthday, different individuals have answered this question differently. The most detailed, illustrated, and elegantly presented response is an exhibition held in two buildings of the Museum of Architecture on Vozdvizhenka. Four curators, a year and a half of work performed by the entire museum, and exhibition design by Sergey Tchoban and Alexandra Sheiner – in this article, we take you on a tour of the exhibition and show what’s what in it.
For Mental Reboot
At the architectural competition held in 2023 in Novosibirsk, the project by GORA Architects – a pedestrian bridge leading to the town of Bor – was awarded the “Golden Capital” prize. In this country, more than a hundred pedestrian bridges are constructed each year. What makes the Bor bridge different?
Gold Embroidery
A five-story housing complex designed by Stepan Liphart in Kazan, responds to the stylistically diverse context with its form, both integral and agile, and as for the vicinity of the “Ekiyat” movie theater, the complex responds to it with a semblance of theater curtain folds, and active plastique of its balconies, that bear some resemblance to theater boxes. Even if excessively pompous a little bit, the complex does look fresh and modern. One will have a hard time finding Art Deco elements in it, even though the spirit of the 1930s, run through the filter of neo-modernism, is still clearly felt, just as a twist of the Occident.
Reconciliation
The restoration of the Salt Warehouse for the Zvenigorod Museum, on the one hand, was quite accurately implemented according to the design of the People’s Architect, and, on the other hand, it was not without some extra research and adjustments, which, in this case, was quite beneficial for the project. The architects discovered the original paint color, details of the facades, and studied the history of rebuilds of this building. As a result, the imposing character of the empire building, the oldest one in the city, and the differences of later additions were accurately revealed. Most importantly, however, the city got a new cultural and public space, which is already “working” in full swing.
From Moscow to Khabarovsk
This year, the works submitted by the students of the Genplan Institute of Moscow included a proposal for revitalizing Moscow’s “Pravda” complex with its structures designed by Ilia Golosov, landscaping an East Siberian town, located a 12-hour drive away from the nearest big city, and three versions of turning a derelict “pioneer camp” into an educational hub, similar to “Sirius”. Two sites out of three have an interested client, so chances are that the students’ works will be ultimately implemented.