The Hammer and Sickle plant is the second largest Moscow industrial zone after ZIL, which is now being transformed into a full-blooded space for living, working and resting. A large international competition was held for the concept of urban planning transformation of a large-scale, over 60 hectares, territory in the Lefortovo region. The five consortiums that reached the final had to figure out how to connect the previously isolated large triangular area between Entuziastov Highway, Zolotorozhsky Val and the Hammer and Sickle Factory passage to the urban fabric and structure the multifunctional program of the proposed development in accordance with the principles of “new urbanism”. According to the jury's rating, the Dutch bureau MVRDV was in the lead, but the customer, the development company Donstroy, had the right to sign an agreement with any of the finalists and came to an agreement with the English team LDA Design, which took third place.
LDA Design specializing in landscape architects. Unsurprisingly, in the initial competition, they turned the entire site of the former metallurgical plant into a continuous public park. And in the middle of the greenery, buildings of generalized bionic forms were picturesquely scattered, highlighting the main functional clusters with high-rise peaks. During the revision, this version of the utopian "garden city" was significantly edited: private and public spaces were clearly marked, quarters with dedicated courtyards were drawn, and the peak towers were completely abandoned.
However, the idea of generous landscaping of the territory has been preserved: from west to east, the site is crossed by the "green river" - a spacious boulevard 2 km long, on the picturesque "coast" of which most of the quarters and public spaces of the complex go. The architectural design code detailed by UHA London retains the futuristic curvature of the volumes. In the "legend" of the authors of the master plan, it serves, among other things, as a reference to the history of the place - thanks to the associations with metal casting. To prevent the complex from looking like a garden of giant identical blocks, the design of its parts was decided to be divided among several architectural companies (UNKProject, WALL and ABTB bureaus also participate in the design of the second stage).
In the portfolio of the ATRIUM bureau, known for its spatial approach and radical shaping, the client saw a style in tune with the search of the British and invited them to the "first place". Starting with a residential quarter of five buildings, the architects of ATRIUM already at this stage laid down the basic values and guidelines for a complex project, a priori considering the formal terms of reference as an opportunity to create a single complex environment, like a new city quarter for life that needs thoughtful urban planning solutions and landscape to architecture of buildings and interiors.
On a 6-hectare site in the center of the eastern part of the Hammer and Sickle triangle, the master plan specified the location of houses on two sides of the main boulevard, as well as their types and variable number of storeys: two high-rise, 21-27 floors, and three middle-rise ones - 5-17. At the same time, the configuration and layout of sections of different heights in ATRIUM were significantly redrawn and reoriented the hulls so as to achieve more expressive angles and silhouettes from different points of the city and the complex. Three buildings turned out to be U-shaped, asymmetrical in plan (the sides of the letter "P" in the buildings have different lengths). Two more are turned at different angles, like sections of a snake constructor.
The initial data did not allow composing the complex interaction of volumetric structures that ATRIUM loves. However, the architects nevertheless managed to deploy a visual-spatial rebus in the quarter, captivating the eye - due to the plasticity of the sections with rounded corners and the graphic solution of the facades. An important criterion for choosing finishing materials was not only the quality corresponding to the business class of housing, but also the ability to follow streamlined shapes - which aluminum composite panels and small-sized decorative concrete elements do well. The shades of the mixtures of the latter are carefully chosen in order to enrich the perception and create contrast in the textures.
As a result, white and gray “ribbons” that surround all buildings diagonally and “crawl” from one level to another, expressively emphasize the horizontal development of mid-rise buildings. These belts "pull together" long arrays consisting of several elements into a single whole - and at the same time give the composition dynamics. On the other hand, in sections of high-rise buildings, finishing reinforces the vertical vector. Dark and light "grids" of cladding and glazing close and alternate. Such a multi-layered design of surfaces makes it necessary to abandon the planar reading of facades. Volumes are perceived as circular sculptures. Smoothly rounded corners also contribute to this.
The spectacular curvature that had to be developed according to the design code proved to be a difficult condition in terms of the prescribed apartmentography. Along with panoramic penthouses offering breathtaking views, including the Kremlin, these buildings have many standard apartments and small studios that meet the needs of the market. It took a lot of time to plan them in non-standard geometry, while the workshop had only 4 months to develop the concept, stage P and expertise. Nevertheless, we managed to make large-format windows in all the apartments. The lower floors, as it should be for an advanced block development, are mainly given over to retail and social infrastructure. For the interiors of the halls, the ATRIUM architects proposed an organic design built on smooth lines.
Each building has a through central entrance from the outside streets. It is assumed that through it residents will be able to pass into the courtyard, and from there - get into the entrances, which increases the level of security. The courtyards of all houses have access to the main boulevard, but are separated from it by a difference in the level of the relief. According to the general concept of development, the adjoining territories are free of cars - a spacious underground parking is being built for them.
The territory of five buildings, divided by the "green river", is connected by an intra-block passage. The relief with a difference in levels initially assumed the construction of a transport and pedestrian bridge with retaining walls, under which the boulevard "dives" - one might even say that such a bridge has become a key element of the entire road infrastructure of the complex. ATRIUM offered for this role their own version of a very original structure, developed in conjunction with the "Creative Workshop of the Brothers Garanin".
In order to naturally integrate the reinforced concrete structure "hanging" over it into the green boulevard, the architects invented unusual supports in the form of inverted truncated cones. Eleven cones simultaneously serve as tubs for planting rowan trees. Growing up between the transport and pedestrian spans of the bridge, the trees form an alley, and the "green river" does not have to be interrupted. The dimensions of the "tub" were discussed with dendrologists, the size was chosen that was optimal in terms of the required volume of soil. At the level of the boulevard, climbing plants are planned to be planted along massive pillars, so that the bridge “grows” into the park even more.
The transport span of the bridge is straight, since the strict regulations of "Gormost" were not conducive to games with a configuration, and consists of two oncoming traffic lanes, including a cycle path. But the pedestrian path, separated from the roadway, but going next to the passage, is picturesque and winding. Its curves are followed by a long bench - an additional seating area, which is also a kind of observation deck. Thus, due to the architecture of the bridge, additional public spaces are created - both at the lower level of the boulevard, under the bridge, and at the upper level of the street. Shops and cafes located on the ground floors and stylobates of residential buildings open to both levels. A full-fledged square is formed - the community center of the district.
With a sketch of the concept of intersection of two green themes - a boulevard with dense vegetation and a rowan alley along the bridge - work began on the overall landscape design of the entire complex. As a result, the space of the former factory will turn into a new urban oasis and will become a continuation of green public areas along the Yauza and Lefortovo park. Park areas in the new complex are allocated 40% of the total building area (more than 29 hectares): thanks to this, Symbol has recently topped the rating of the greenest residential complexes in the capital according to analysts at the Urban Awards.
The visual code of the landscape is based on the smooth lines of the facades and the graphic appearance of the logo of the Residential Complex "Symbol". If the structure of the park is built on a system of paths converging and diverging, like an unevenly stretched fishing net, then the streets of the complex are united by a pattern of intersecting circles, like ripples from rain: this free and adaptive structure completely destroys the remnants of visually straight-line sections of streets.
Street areas are assembled from round modules of several types, including small architectural forms, and are "coded" with the color of the paving: brick-red (entrances to houses) or orange-yellow semicircles (entrances to cafes and supermarkets). In the center of each "circle" is a lantern or tree. Where streets and parks intersect, key public squares are being created.
Smooth flowing lines of the park paths connect the entire territory together; between them, like islands in a river delta, functional spaces are formed. The park provides places for recreation for every taste: sports and playgrounds, play areas, summer cafes, a dog playground. In winter, it will be possible to lay a ski trail here, place an ice rink and open fires, arrange an exhibition of ice sculptures or a competition for snowmen. There are four main zones near the green boulevard: the same bridge, a children's park, a square, an exhibition park and an entrance zone to the park.
The bridge turned out to be a suitable place for varied recreation in any weather: under it you can arrange a lecture hall, which can be transformed with the help of a pull-down screen into a summer cinema. You just want to hang swings and hammocks on the bridge structure. In the neighborhood, extending the natural "roof" of the bridge with canopies on the sides, it would be logical to arrange café terraces and areas for board games, - the authors of the project believe.
The children's park is characterized by natural materials, visually and tactilely diverse geoplastics, play areas for different ages, developing attractions and, as one of the main landmarks in the park, a high slide. The Exhibition Park is a place for outdoor exhibitions.
But the main square is organized in front of the main entrance to the school, which was also designed by the architects ATRIUM. It is on it that it is planned to organize all district and school events and holidays. Taking into account the many years of experience in creating absolutely atypical educational and preschool institutions, which the architects possess - Vera Butko and Anton Nadtochiy developed this topic even when no one really thought about it in Russia - the school in "Symbol" turned out to match the whole complex: and cutting edge.
Conceptually, the building, which looks like an outlandish flower or a bird with an extra pair of wings from above, is a real “town in a snuff box”: with its streets, squares and parks, which are visually connected with the surrounding landscape. Representing an outwardly single complex, it consists of several autonomous blocks: a kindergarten (for 330 children), an elementary school, a senior and secondary school (a total of 1225 students), a library, an assembly hall, and a sports hall. Three courtyards are formed between them - just for children of different ages. And right from the ground along the ramp, you can climb to the exploited part of the roof.
Volumes-wings, directed in different directions, lay on top of each other, interlock in unexpected angles, capture the exterior, blur the boundaries of external and internal … Here, finally, the ATRIUM architects managed to realize their favorite creative method - the interpenetration of complex structures in the entire height of a four-story building. As a result of these interactions and “tectonic shifts”, the coordinate system is shifting, corridors from direct transit routes are being transformed into multifunctional public spaces, and the culmination is the central atrium hall. All roads and activities lead here, the amphitheater staircase is a constant meeting place. It is a universal vanishing point in the architectural-volumetric and social-functional sense.
The main entrance and transparent lobby of the school faces the central boulevard, with show-windows opening onto it and two upper console "beams". Here are the functions that all residents of the district can use - a library, a sports hall and an auditorium. The library-media library is conceived as a full-fledged district club, where it will be convenient to hold film screenings, lectures, meetings of literary circles. The square in front of it is a continuation of the exhibition area of the park: in good weather, all its activities can move to the open air. And classes with children can be carried out on the street: schoolyards have everything you need for this.
The multi-part composition of the school is "assembled" by a rather laconic facade solution. Large surface areas are clad with anthracite fiber cement panels. However, thanks to large-scale glazing and inserts from other materials - for example, panels made of “warm” ceramics - the school building looks very friendly and life-affirming. Especially when paired with a simpler kindergarten in an iridescent golden-pink chameleon shell - and especially from above: on the roof of the school, the architects suggested using a membrane of two colors and decorating it with images of birds, referring to the logo of the complex.
“In dealing with high-rise buildings, we realized how important projection from above is. Usually a bird is an abstract view, but the residents of Symbol will actually see a drawing of the landscape and roofs of low-rise buildings every day,”says Vera Butko, co-founder and co-director of the ATRIUM workshop. The same approach - attention to the view from the high top floors - was used in relation to all the elements of the complex without exception. He seemed to have received an additional, fourth dimension.
Although, if you look closely, there are much more measurements in this project. Because it's not just about expressive forms and volumes, but about the formation of a living environment, rich and diverse, with lovingly thought-out and thoughtful scenarios and perspectives. What the architects have pondered for a long time in the projects of previous years, whether it is still on paper"
Silver Fountain or a residential area in Skolkovo (which, perhaps, will still be built), has finally begun to come true. And the first results can be seen very soon - the construction of the block of the 1B stage is planned to be completed in 2018.
