По-русски

Three Parts of a Whole

"Sergey Skuratov Architects" took part in the contest for the best multifunctional design concept of the territory of Moscow's "Artificial Leather Factory".

Anna Martovitskaya

Written by:
Anna Martovitskaya
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov

11 April 2014
Object
mainImg
Architect:
Sergey Skuratov
Object:
Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of “Artificial Leather Factory” in Moscow
Russia, Moscow, Vitebskaya Street, 9

Project Team:
Sergey Skuratov, A. Panev, I. Ilin, with the participation of S.Subbotin, I.Golubev, V.Obvintsev, and A.Alendeev

2013
Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

The factory whose territory is about to be reconstructed is located in the Western Administrative District of Moscow and is a part of a large industrial "blueprint" thresholded by the Moscow Ring Road, the Mozhaiskoe Highway, and the Ryabinovaya Street. The semi-derelict local industrial park borders on a residential block of fairly old houses, the Kuntsevskoe Cemetery and the quaintly winding Setun River whose banks are all but the only green area of this huge territory. In the June 2013 project of a multifunctional development that would be built in the place of the former factory, Sergey Skuratov expands the territory of the nature reserve by adding the new green spaces, and making a landscaped park in between the residential buildings. 

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

If we turn our blind eye to its industrial past and to its proximity to the graveyard, the land site located between the urban territory and the woodland looks more attractive than otherwise. Its relief smoothly lowers from the road towards the river, along which the architects propose go mane a park, while the factory buildings have a little creek on between them. The task that the architects were to do was considerably simplified by the fact that absolutely all the old factory buildings were to be demolished. Generally, the "givens" were all but perfect had not it been for but one "but": the land site almost immediately borders on the so-called "public garage" - a monstrously sized and proportioned multilevel car park. This is why the first thing the architects had to do was think of a way how to visually separate the complex designed from this monster. 

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

Sergey Skuratov reminisces that initially he was going to base his project on the principle of several housing belts, the closer to the water the thinner their density - the very proximity to the natural reserve suggested that idea - but the necessity to fence the complex away from the car park made the architect treat the first line if houses as a protective screen of sorts. Along the outside border of the land site, the architects concentrate all the commercial functions: these are two rather elongated volume 5 and 6 stories high, one of which being occupied by an office center and the other - by entertainment and shopping functions. Had it not been for the garage, both would have probably easily find their place all along the Vitebskaya Street but, because the garage stands at an angle to it, the building of the shopping center took the shape of a "bird mark" open to the territory of the residential complex. Peculiar is the fact that it almost "embraced" the land site's reservoir, and, in order to create, between it and the building, a fully-fledged promenade, the architects change the geometry of the creek, turning it on the plan into yet another bird mark and thus making it an indispensable part of the next housing belt - the landscaped park between the residential houses. 

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

Thus the street housing front turned out rather monolith-looking. Avoiding the feeling of a too-rigid structure is achieved with the help of a small pedestrian square that looks as if it were integrated into the building of the office center, as well as into the city-oriented lower floors of the buildings and the broad boulevard that they are flanking from both sides. This green axis is meant to tie in all the designed units of the complex into a single whole and provide the access to the river, and then, via a light trestle, to the opposite bank as well, to the Sudarium Temple on the Setun. Between the public and the residential sectors, there is yet another boulevard: running parallel to the Vitebskaya Street, it forms, together with the main pedestrian axis, a simple and comprehensible coordinate system of the new neighborhood. 

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

In the central part of the construction site, on both sides of the main boulevard, there are two "stages" of the housing blocks - groups of five and six 21-story towers. Rather compact on the plan, the high-rises stand at different angles in respect to the main axis, while their own corners are noticeably rounded. "Shooting up" from the stylobate of the landscaped park and interconnected with a sophisticated system of paths and trails, on the plan, they look more like grapevine rather than a residential neighborhood. We were considering all possible options of positioning our blocks and came to a conclusion that in this particular case towers were the most appropriate solution if all: they gave us a dramatic and at the same time penetrable silhouette, the amount of useful space our customer required, and the offset to the first line of the houses - Sergey Skuratov comments. 

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

The architect confesses that half a year later he used a similar solution in the project of a residential complex at the Rublevskoye Highway: in that case, the architect also inserts between the towers a fully-fledged park underneath which the guest car park is organized. Here, however, the landscaping area is considerably larger, and, hence, the space scenarios are more diverse: the sophisticated system of trails and ramps, the playgrounds, the recreation spots, and even kindergartens have more than enough room for them here. 

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

As for the school building, it got placed closer to the river. The double-part volume (the junior and the senior high are divided into separate buildings), united by a graceful pergola, is treated by Sergey Skuratov as the last urbanist "injection" into the tissue of the natural reserve. Surrounded by sports and playgrounds, it looks as if it were dissolving in the recreational area of the Setun River. 

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

The contest for the best architectural concept is not about detailed elaboration of the architectural proposal, and Sergey Skuratov's project has in it but general outlines of how the future residential complex might look like, built in the stead of the former leather factory. For one, its vertical centerpieces - the high-rises - all got different but still similarly styled facades whose color gradually mutates from dark green to white. Looking as if they were an upward continuation of the landscaped park, they would bring the life-affirming bright colors into what is now a predominantly gray territory. 

Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of "Artificial Leather Factory" © «Sergey Skuratov Architects»

We will stress at this point that it it had not by chance that the subjunctive mood is used here: as of now, the results of this contest are still left unannounced, and Sergey Skuratov does not even know who of his colleagues he had to rival. As the architect himself confesses, last year his company took part in five contests, but their organization as well as the outcome of this particular competition turned out to be plain discouraging. Instead of naming the winner or somehow organizing the submitted works, the customer re-sold this land site, never making use of the proposed concepts, and this means, regretfully, that the project by "Sergey Skuratov Architects" is almost sure to remain forever on paper. 


Architect:
Sergey Skuratov
Object:
Integrated multifunctional complex in the place of “Artificial Leather Factory” in Moscow
Russia, Moscow, Vitebskaya Street, 9

Project Team:
Sergey Skuratov, A. Panev, I. Ilin, with the participation of S.Subbotin, I.Golubev, V.Obvintsev, and A.Alendeev

2013

11 April 2014

Anna Martovitskaya

Written by:

Anna Martovitskaya
Translated by:
Anton Mizonov
Headlines now
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.
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.
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.