First among Equals

The building of a kindergarten in the town of Beloyarsky is more than just another example of a modern educational space. Its design began a long time ago; it is located in Russia’s Far North; it is also a state-owned facility that is subject to regulations, and had to cut costs during construction (as usual). However, the design is contemporary, the layout is modern, and the building feels very fresh. The project is planned to be replicated.

Written by:
Alla Pavlikova
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

24 April 2023

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The architectural company City-Arch developed the project for a 220-children kindergarten back in 2014 – at that time, such projects in the field of education were rare, and there were none within the framework of state commissions. In other words, this project is the first of its kind in this country.

So it is especially noteworthy that it was the authorities of the small northern town of Beloyarsky, with a population of about 20,000 people and an average winter air temperature of about 43 degrees below zero Celsius, who initiated the construction of a truly innovative kindergarten. Back in 2014, the “City-Arch” project seemed so remote from traditional views that the prospect of its implementation looked vague and required serious reform of the regulatory framework. This is one of the reasons why the implementation took more than seven years.

zooming — Kindergarten in Beloyarsky.

Copyright: City-Arch

As Anton Lukomsky, the chief architect and managing partner of City-Arch, explained, at the initial stage, the architects closely collaborated with the creators of the educational program “Yugorsky Tramplin”, specially developed for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District, as well as thoroughly studied the European and global standards of modern educational facilities, based on the principles of a comprehensive approach to the education and upbringing of children. As a result, an unconventional layout of the kindergarten appeared, which allows children of different ages to communicate with each other.

In addition to creating a modern educational environment, the architects faced difficult tasks of optimizing the area and achieving energy efficiency of the building in the conditions of the Far North. The process of project approval and passing it through the expertise was even more complicated, taking into account the strict construction and sanitary norms, most of which were outdated at that time.

The struggle against restrictions and bureaucratic processes significantly prolonged the construction process.

To implement this project in collaboration with the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Education, and Rospotrebnadzor, it was necessary to make a few amendments to the regulatory framework. Fire safety standards, sanitary norms, and much more were changed. As a result, we were still able to pass the examination and practically implement a federally owned project with limited budget, which was ordered by the Department of Education of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District.

If the task set before the architects, which was to design a kindergarten based on modern pedagogical principles, could be understood as a conceptual challenge, then the location became a challenge in its own right in terms of natural geography. The building is located in a new residential District 3A. The plot is delineated on one side by the Mira Street, and on the other by the large Shkolnoye Lake, which serves as the natural eastern boundary of the city and is part of a vast system of rivers, streams, canals, lakes, and swamps – there are about a thousand of them in the Beloyarsky district. Permafrost here is combined with swampy wetlands, and besides, the city is small and located far from large settlements, and the period of relatively comfortable delivery of building materials is short: the nearest railway station Priobye is 240 km away in winter, and 48 km away in summer if you use a ferry crossing.

And yet, if the design and approval took six years, then the construction was carried out quickly and took approximately one year – work began in 2020, and in early May 2021, the grand opening took place.

“It turned out that all European methods for building a kindergarten in such a harsh climate do not work – said Anton Lukomsky, chief architect and managing partner of City-Arch – Therefore, in order to achieve good energy efficiency performance, we had to conduct a kind of scientific work, which involves serious analysis and energy modeling.”

The authors based the design of the building on the concept of a passive house, which includes efficient orientation with respect to the cardinal points. The building is placed in the northern part of the site, which is calm and flat without any elevation changes. This allows the illuminated southern side to be maximally cleared for sports fields and playgrounds.

In terms of structure, two main volumes can be identified that form the building: a stretched two-story block with classrooms, oriented southward, and an adjacent diamond-shaped block with a sloping roof, located in the north. The roof height decreases from the south to the north, protecting the volume from cold winds. Under its slope, there are music and sports halls, a swimming pool, a medical office, a food block with a kitchen equipped with a separate entrance and loading area, as well as technical, domestic, and administrative rooms. That is, everything that does not require a large amount of light and can generally get by with a minimal amount of windows to retain heat. At the same time, on the south side, the windows are large, square, with triple-glazed units, capturing maximum sunlight and, in terms of their heat engineering, are virtually as effective as the walls covered with 400 mm thick mineral wool insulation. During the short but sunny summer in Beloyarask, the same windows protect the rooms from overheating due to special multifunctional spraying. The building is also protected from heat loss by a massive airtight shell with a closed thermal perimeter without “cold bridges” and a well-insulated foundation and roof. The thermal contour of the foundation, which protects against permafrost melting, allowed the volume not to be raised above the ground on supports.

The junction of the two main volumes of the building is the highest point. Here, the architects have placed a large double-height play area, which became the main innovation of the project, opposing the traditional corridor system and the principle of isolated classrooms. The latter is still considered a mandatory condition for the construction of any Russian kindergarten. In Beloyarsk, however, according to the architects’ concept, children of all ages have the opportunity to communicate and play with each other. They spend about two hours a day in the common play area – before breakfast, when they are first brought to the kindergarten, and after dinner, when the little ones are waiting for their parents. In addition, the play area is an excellent place for holding holidays and events, in which all children can participate together, rather than separate groups, as is customary in most kindergartens. And this is also a great opportunity for communication.

The central communication core with designated soft resting zones gathers around itself all the rooms of the kindergarten. Group rooms, classrooms, and a swimming pool open onto it. It is overlooked by the bypass galleries of the second floor, connected to the first floor by a staircase and a spiral slide. Transformable partitions connect the play area with the sports and music halls.

The proposed layout, in which not only corridors but also a basement level are absent, allowed, among other things, to reduce the total area of the building to 14.7 m² per child, which means reducing heating costs. At the same time, the play area for one child has increased by more than four times.

On the first floor, there are classrooms for younger children, while the second floor is for older ones, with the possibility of transforming them into elementary school classrooms. The group rooms in the Beloyarsk kindergarten are designed as a single space that is zoned with the help of soft sliding partitions and transformable furniture. Using partitions during quiet hours, a sleeping area is made, and sliding triple bunk beds are used for sleep. At other times, the entire area of the room, including the changing rooms, is used for games and activities.

There was no specific order to work on the interior design of the group rooms, but the architects from City-Arch, as is often the case, took responsibility for it, offering recommendations on space organization, color codes, and selecting convenient, lightweight, and transformable furniture.

However, the specific features of these interiors were largely predetermined by the architecture of the building, with varying-sized square windows, some of which are located almost at the ceiling, while others are slightly above the floor level, allowing children to observe what is happening outside.

The facades were initially supposed to be faced with porcelain stoneware with a wood texture, but due to budget constraints, preference was given to aluminum cassettes. And to maintain the architectural image proposed in the project, the manufacturer specially executed color printing under the wood on the aluminum surface for the Beloyarsky kindergarten. This was a kind of experiment. The first floor, also made of metal cassettes, turned out to be brighter. Three entrance areas on the south side, allowing children to find their group without error, were highlighted in color.

The architects also experimented with the territory of the kindergarten. Despite the regulation standards, it is inevitably surrounded by a fence, yet the kindergarten yard became an important accent for the entire residential area. The paving of the paths resembles the winding rivers of the Beloyarsky district, and in addition to separate playgrounds, a common “mini-square” is provided, which serves as a communication hub, similar to the common play area inside the building.

Part of the sloping roof of the building was planned to be turned into a slide, but this idea was later abandoned in favor of an amphitheater in the western part of the second floor level; however, in winter, children do use it as a slide.

The kindergarten in Beloyarysk is an example of a high-quality educational space designed for comfortable communication between children. There are more and more such examples today, and such new schools and kindergartens are widely discussed. Another interesting thing about the Beloyarsk kindergarten is that, first of all, it admits children of a very young age, secondly, it is not state-owned, and finally, it was built very far away and in very difficult conditions, and very quickly too. It represents an example of architects’ persistent struggle for the values of the modern world: openness, communication, light, and beauty. All of this is achievable and implementable if you set the task and put your heart into it. Currently, there is a discussion about the idea of replicating the project in other areas of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District.

24 April 2023

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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”.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.