The White Grove

This project by “Ginzburg Architects” scored first place in the international competition for a draft project of a Cathedral Mosque in Kazan, dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam in Volga Bulgaria. The concept of a “white garden”, which the architects presented in modern shapes, interprets the rules and notions of Islam and refers to historical figures. Below, we are examining the project in detail.

Written by:
Alyona Kuznetsova
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

13 July 2022

Contest Results

The construction of the new Cathedral Mosque is timed to coincide with a date that is important for Tatarstan – 1100 years ago, in the year of 922, Volga Bulgaria adopted Islam, this confession still being the predominant one in the republic. The current cathedral mosque Kul-Sharif was built for the 1000-year anniversary of Kazan, and became one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city, but today it partially performs a museum function, and, compared to the future building, it is rather modest in size, capable of housing 1,700 worshippers versus the expected 10,000.

The competition began in April on the eve of the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, and the winners were announced in July on the eve of the Eid al-Adha holiday. In May, the first memorial stone was laid, and construction work is planned to begin already this fall.

zooming — Preliminary design of the Cathedral Mosque in Kazan. The “concrete trees”

Copyright: © Ginzburg Architects

The Point of Convergence

The location is extremely appropriate for a grand-scale project: the site is situated on the bank of the Kazanka River opposite from the Kremlin and next to the famous wedding palace, made in the shape of a cauldron bowl. The right bank of the Kazanka River is the modern part of the city with residential buildings and industrial estates, and, at the same time, it is a walking distance away from the historical center. This location on the bank is to be seen from many vantage points in the city, it is not encumbered by any surrounding construction – formerly, this site hosted an amusement park – and possesses such assets as water and trees. The area of eight plus hectares provides enough space for the building, the park, and a sufficient amount of infrastructure.

The only limitation of the site consists in the fact that it is sunk in respect to the level of the dam and the neighboring streets by 3 to 8 meters. According to the competition specifications, the height restriction for the new building is 80 meters; also, the contestants were to take into account the proximity of the historical and architectural ensemble of the Kazan Kremlin, a UNESCO protected site.

The architects place the mosque on a site free of trees, orienting it along the Qibla – the direction towards the Kaaba in Mecca.

The Sacred Grove

The authors of the winner concept drew inspiration from the history of Islam in Volga Bulgaria – a state that once existed in the Middle Volga region and the Kama Basin in the X–XIII centuries. 150 kilometers south of Kazan, there is a surviving complex of the buildings of its ancient capital – the city of Bulgar, which is also a UNESCO-protected site. It was here that the Volga Bulgarians, the ancestors of modern Kazan Tatars, adopted Islam back in 922. Laconic and simple, these impressive monuments of architecture prompted a composition of three simple shapes: the parallelepiped of the prayer hall, the hemisphere of the dome and the truncated cone of the minaret.

The key image of the complex is the white grove. On the one hand, it is a reference to the origins of Islam, to the times when the faithful prayed in sacred groves, installing mihrabs in them, on the other – a tribute to the natural riches of the Volga region. White is the color of the Kazan Kremlin and the leopard of Tatarstan’s coat of arms, the color that symbolizes purity of intentions.

The mosque and the space around it are formed by “trees” – columns with eight-faceted crowns of the capitals. Essentially, these are modules, whose height depends upon the function of the specific space – the square, pavilion, fountain, or park. The tallest “trees” are linked to become the mosque itself. A similar principle can be traced in the Cathedral Mosque with a “forest of columns” in Cordoba.

Another important part in the concept is played by the figure “8”: as the architects comment, “In Islam, the throne governing the world is supported by eight angels corresponding to the eight cardinal directions and eight groups of letters of the Arabic alphabet. In this regard, eight-pointed stars are also welcome in oriental ornaments.” The columns of the complex stand on the axes of the orthogonal grid that dissects the area around the mosque. The space between them is 922 cm, which reminds of the year Islam was adopted.

Light and Air

As we remember, the relief of the land site looks like a giant bowl. In order to make sure that the mosque is perceived from remote vantage points as standing on the ground, the architects decided to elevate the main bulk of the building to the level of the Komsomolskaya and Dekabristov streets. Immediately in front of the mosque, there is a parking lot for 600 cars with escalators, a lobby of the second floor, and the third floor hosts the prayer hall.

The walls of the mosque are executed from panels with ornament, partially filled with glass units, which makes it possible to adjust the amount of natural light inside the mosque. The north facade, where the main entrance is situated, is the most openwork and the most transparent one, through which you can see the outline of the lobby. The west and the east facades are not as transparent, and the south one has almost no openings in it since its central place is a prayer niche, a mihrab. Behind it, the architects placed two narrow windows, thanks to which a halo will appear around the mihrab on sunny days.

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Preliminary design of the Cathedral Mosque in Kazan. The facades of the mosque

Copyright: © Ginzburg Architects
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Preliminary design of the Cathedral Mosque in Kazan

Copyright: © Ginzburg Architects
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Preliminary design of the Cathedral Mosque in Kazan

Copyright: © Ginzburg Architects
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Preliminary design of the Cathedral Mosque in Kazan

Copyright: © Ginzburg Architects
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Preliminary design of the Cathedral Mosque in Kazan

Copyright: © Ginzburg Architects

The hemisphere of the dome with a 20-meter radius, decorated with a calligraphic script of quotations from the Koran, is raised on special stands, so it looks as though it hovers over the prayer hall.

The height of the minaret reaches the 80 allowed meters (132 meters from the actual ground surface). Its walls are made of fiberglass and repeat the ornament of the main facades of the mosque. Towards the top, where the minaret expands in an unusual way, resembling an opening flower, the walls become ever more transparent, dissolving in the daylight and brightly lit at night. The minaret is linked to the main building with an underpass, while the staircase and the elevator make it possible to use it as a viewing platform as well.

The Man-Made and Natural

The space in front of the mosque is divided into two parts. The minor plaza with a wide grand staircase leads people to the complex. The major plaza is intended for the congregations of worshippers on religious holidays. The two spaces are divided by monumental steles that symbolize the first printed Quran in Russia, as well as by a man made pond with a fountain.

The plaza, just as the roof of the mosque, is composed of large octagons – the capitals of the columns linked by punctured squares, through which natural light penetrates to the lower level of the space, where pavilions, fountains, flowerbeds, and pedestrian walks are situated, protected from rain or summer heat. The further away from the mosque, the less dense the “stone grove” becomes. Gradually, it gives way to the natural landscape of the park, which, in turn, gives way to natural forestland on the outside perimeter.

Along the Komsomolskaya Street, where one of the main entrances to the square is situated, the public buildings form the city front. The other boundaries of the land site are formed by natural obstacles – trees, hedges, the terrain, and the Proletarskaya dam.

The authors of the concept strived to create a space, in which the magnitude of nature and human spirit would be united. Taking roots in the ground and growing from it, the man-made space gradually converges, becoming architecture that connects people and invites them to prayer and peace in their souls.

We will note that on the day the results were announced, two winners were named – the other first place in the competition was scored by Kazan architect Aidar Sattarov, who proposed the project in the form of Noah’s Arc. Reportedly, the decision was made by the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, the state councilor of the republic Mintimer Shaimiev and the head of the Ministry of Construction Irek Fayzullin behind closed doors, and the meeting lasted for more than two hours. Now it is not very clear whether the two winning projects will be “combined” or whether just one will be ultimately chosen.

There were also two second places: the Istanbul HASSA and the Sretensky Architectural Studio from Moscow, and the third – the Kazan studio OSTA. We hope that we will be able to cover all the winners of the competition in the foreseeable future.

13 July 2022

Headlines now

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.

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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.