Archi.ru Texts:

19.08.2026

Alyona Kuznetsova, Julia Tarabarina. The Soft Forms of a New Enlightenment

The school that will rise amid the new high-rise neighborhoods of Set and Veer can fairly be called a landmark of the future district. The educational environment was designed by IMAGO, a firm specializing in learning spaces, while the façade concept was selected through a competition. The winner, GAFA, proposed a regular grid of three-dimensional modules that creates an intriguing effect of “soft” architecture. The imagery of this solution appeals to children of different ages and suits the stature of the educational complex, which will be handed over to the highly rated School No. 1329 upon completion.

23.03.2026

Alyona Kuznetsova. Wave and Vertical

The premium residential complex designed by GAFA for a site in the Khoroshevsky District responds to multiple constraints – the arc of a planned roadway, the water protection zone of the Khodynka River, and insolation requirements – through inventive massing. The composition is built on the interplay of two spatial layers: an elongated perimeter block and three towers concealed behind it generate the silhouette and key viewpoints, while also adding semantic depth reinforced by the façade solutions. Another defining feature is a large private courtyard, complemented by a citywide linear park.

17.12.2025

Alyona Kuznetsova. A Glazed Figurine

In searching for an image for a residential building near the Novodevichy Convent, GAFA architects turned to their own perception of the place: it evoked associations with antiquity, plein-air painting, and vintage artifacts. The two towers will be entirely clad in volumetric glazed ceramic – at present, there are no other buildings like this in Russia. The complex will also stand out thanks to its metabolic bay-window cells, streamlined surfaces, a ceremonial “hotel-style” driveway, and a lobby overlooking a lush garden.

10.12.2025

Alyona Kuznetsova. Pearl Divers

GAFA has designed an apartment complex for Derbent intended to switch people from a work mode to a resort mindset – and to give the surrounding area a much-needed jolt. The building offers two distinct faces: restrained and laconic on the city side, and a lushly ornate façade facing the sea. At the heart of the complex, a hidden pearl lies – an open-air pool with an arch, offering views of a starry sky, and providing direct access to the beach.

19.06.2023

Alyona Kuznetsova. Grasping and Formulating

The special project “Tezisy” (“Abstracts”), showcased at Arch Moscow exhibition in Moscow’s Gostiny Dvor, brought together eight young “rock stars of architecture”, the headliner being Vladislav Kirpichev, founder of the EDAS school. In this article, we share our impressions of the installations and the perspectives of the new generation of architects.