The architects had to solve, first of all, a very complex functional task: to design a complex that serves simultaneously as a railway station and a bus station. At the same time, the project should initially envisage scenarios for its post-Olympic use - it is clear that the transport hub that will take over the main passenger traffic of the Olympics cannot be small and invisible, but then what to do with such a large-scale infrastructure facility? The customer - Russian Railways JSC - stipulates in its TK (and the architects, accordingly, are obliged to find a way to implement these ideas in volume) that subsequently the Olympic Park station will serve long-distance trains, the number of which in the high season does not cope with the existing one. Sochi railway station, as well as develop suburban communication with nearby Abkhazia. It's no secret that today this is one of the most popular tourist destinations - the sea is cleaner, prices are lower, tangerines are sweeter - but so far only those who drive a car or risk using the services of dashing taxi drivers can get to Abkhazia. The technical specification also contains all the infrastructure accompanying a large intercity station: a luggage storage system, a hotel, restaurants, the necessary services, and their "Studios 44" also had to be placed in the structure of the complex as rationally as possible. The architects also faced an ambitious aesthetic task - the main station of the Olympics, by definition, cannot be gray and dull, which means that all the variety of functions should be packed in the most effective and durable wrapper.
Nikita Yavein recalls that work on the project began with a thorough analysis of the construction site of the future station. The site allocated for these purposes is located right behind the Olympic Park (to which the station, as you might guess, owes its name), that is, about one and a half kilometers from the sea. At this point, the landscape of Sochi dramatically changes its flat character and rushes into the mountains: the future construction site is actually a terraced slope, the difference between the "steps" of which is about 6 meters. “We understood that the location of the station above the Olympic Park was not only advantageous, but also extremely responsible,” says the architect. - The "Transport Gate" can be compared to a funnel from which streams of people will pour into the park during the Olympics. This is how we decided to interpret our station - like a wave, like a river."
Lined with blue-gray zinc-titanium coating, the landing stages really resemble streams of water, but if it is a river, then it is turned backwards. Because the wings of the canopies spread over the Olympic Park, touching each other, unexpectedly turn ninety degrees (strictly speaking, form a knot in the literal sense) and pull forward towards the sea, forming a visor, as if assembled from several ribbons fluttering in the wind. The theme of rapid penetration is picked up by a wide white-stone staircase leading from the station to the park - it functionally serves as a roof for the bus station, and aesthetically gives the entire structure a solemnity and helps to fit it not only into the existing landscape, but also into the architectural context of the resort town.“The stairs have another important role,” adds Nikita Yavein, “it is designed to delay arriving passengers for some time, otherwise the peak load will be critical both for the entrance area of the Olympic complex and for the Olympic Park as a whole. The station square on the platform with an elevation of +6.3 m above sea level serves the same purpose. It is intended for pedestrians only and is treated as a meeting point, a vast public space in front of the entrance to the Olympic Park. The festive, solemn character of this square is emphasized by the elements of landscaping: fountains, sculptures, a clock tower, etc.”.
The architects used the existing height differences as efficiently as possible. Firstly, traffic flows have been divorced: under the pedestrian square (relatively speaking, at the very bottom) there is a bus service (partially of a temporary nature, after the Olympics it will be eliminated) and the lobby of a suburban railway station, on a level above there are railway platforms and the lobby of a long-distance train station. Secondly, the building itself is designed as a system of viewing platforms: a panoramic restaurant at elevations +10.50 - +11.12 m, a long-distance train station distribution hall at elevation +14.4 m and, finally, a waiting room at elevation +18. 6 m. Each view level is surrounded by wide terraces, from which the Olympic Park is visible at a glance, which will allow passengers to easily orient themselves in space.
In the composition of the station complex, one cannot fail to note a strong resemblance to the emblem of Russian Railways - though not the current one, but the one that appeared in Soviet times and existed until 2007 - the famous winged wheel ("bird"). Nikita Yavein is a skilful master of creating multi-layered architectural images (just remember the Linkor business center, where you can see allusions to both Le Corbusier's creations and the Aurora moored next door) and his intention to perpetuate the beloved symbol in volume does not hide. A junction, a "bird", a river, a wave - all of this applies equally to the building of the new Sochi railway station. However, the architects believe that their main creative success is that the large-scale complex was organically integrated into the existing landscape, emphasizing the character and dignity of the latter.
