Quite nearby, there is yet another project by international architects – the Jewish Religious and Cultural Center, designed by Gensler. However, neither this building nor the “Podmoskovnye Vechera” restaurant located on the other side influences the new construction – there’s enough space under the pines for all, with the buildings standing separately like islands, offering a sense of seclusion.
As a result, the main context defining the project became the ancient pine trees, the site’s most valuable asset. The four-story building’s height does not exceed the tree canopies, the windows reveal picturesque views, and the cladding materials harmonize with the colors of the bark, soil, and the pine needles.
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
Three Petals
A.Len began working on the project after the construction permit had already been obtained, and part of the monolithic structure had already been erected. This meant the “planting” and volumetric-spatial solution were both inherited from the previous designers.
The house is small-size and compact, and its floor plan resembles a simplified courtyard, formed by three “petals” that are roughly equal in shape and size. Their narrow ends face the inner courtyard, while the fan-shaped wide ends, like locators, aim to capture as much of the scenic views as possible.
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7 / 7Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”Copyright: © A.Len
The wide section of the central “petal” has a more complex form thanks to the inclusion of bay windows. As a result, about half of the eighty apartments benefit from corner windows and large glass panels, further enhancing the views. The window grid on the facades of the side “petals” is determined by the function: narrower windows are used for bathrooms and walk-in closets, while standard-size and panoramic windows are used in living rooms.
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
In the courtyard, there is an elevator pavilion that provides access to the underground parking. The driver drives onto the platform, which smoothly lowers to the minus second underground level. A nearby utility cable, which could not be relocated or rerouted, prevented the parking entrance from being positioned at the end of the building. To make the elevator pavilion less conspicuous, the architects made its upper section out of glass, preserving the views for almost all the apartments situated on the first floor.
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
The building features a semi-recessed, yet still open ground floor level, which houses commercial and technical spaces. Light wells reminiscent of moats are used to provide natural lighting to these areas, also adding extra privacy for the first-floor apartments. At this level, the main entrance group is located, where residents can either descend to the parking garage or take the elevator to their respective floors. Each section of the building also has its own entrance with a stairwell, highlighted on the façade by a narrow niche with glazing that runs the full height of the building.
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Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
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Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
Pines in Brick
The prestigious status of the house required special attention to detail in the façade design, which is why the client turned to A.Len.
The main cladding material is the ever-popular brick. A.Len are known to have a soft spot for brickwork – they even have a dedicated laboratory that researches the history and applications of this material. For “Starting Point”, the architects selected handmade Russian Klinker bricks.
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
The bulk of the building is constructed using a mix of variegated brown Faber Jar bricks from the “Okkervil” and “Narvsky” lines, blended in equal proportions and laid in a stretcher bond pattern. This pattern serves as the backdrop for various architectural variations. For example, the inter-floor slabs are accentuated by “bands” made of two bricks laid vertically (in a header bond) and separated by a narrow “stitch”. At the cornice level, the height of this band doubles and, on the upper tier, is complemented by volumetric brickwork reminiscent of castle battlements. The volumetric brickwork is also used to highlight a few larger sections of the piers. This is echoed by another layer of the façade: asymmetrically placed, projecting “screens” made of brick, which frame one or several window openings.
Against the backdrop of the textured brick, which bears the imprint of handmade craftsmanship, the clean and graphic lines of other materials stand out. Decorative aluminum slats, painted to resemble wood, set their own rhythm. During the day, they complement the volumetric brickwork, while at night, thanks to amber lighting, they come to the forefront. Combined with the glow from the windows, they create a new façade pattern every evening. The “wooden” accents also highlight the building’s main entrance.
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
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5 / 5Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
The third material used is dark-colored metal. The air conditioning grilles not only form geometric compositions together with the “wooden” slats but also complement the protruding bay windows and balconies, visually softening their dimensions. The window frames and wide reveals, also made of dark metal, unify all elements into a cohesive whole. The abundance of textures and elements that extend beyond the façade plane creates a rich interplay of light and shadow.
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
At first glance, and even upon closer inspection, the building doesn’t look as if a large portion of its facades is made of glass – however, this is exactly the case. The bay windows, French balconies, and glazed loggias lose their fragility due to the mirror-like surface, which reflects the surrounding pines and sky, weaving them securely into the fabric of the façade design.
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
Business class clubhouse “Starting Point”
Copyright: Photograph © Ivan Smelov / provided by A.Len
