A multifunctional residential complex is planned to be built on Zvenigorodskoe highway, on the site of the former bakery N16, which was closed about three years ago. The site is located opposite the Vagankovsky cemetery, near the Ulitsa 1905 Goda metro station, in a dense ring of residential buildings. The closest to the site are two residential brick buildings of medium storey located along the highway, which imposes serious insolation restrictions. Along the 2nd Chernogryazskaya street, the border of the former bakery is being "stormed" by the same residential buildings with green courtyards. A higher building rises from behind, from the depths of the block. And only to the east is the massive Marr Plaza business center adjacent to the site.
On a cramped site, it was required to place about 18 thousand square meters of usable area, most of which are apartments. According to the issued GPZU, the permitted height of buildings could be 75 m - and this is despite the close proximity to the five-story buildings. As Yuri Grigoryan, who personally presented the project to the members of the Architectural Council, said, in search of an answer to all urban planning problems, about fifty variants of compositional and architectural solutions were developed before the correct one was found.
The complex is represented by two high residential towers, set on a common two-storey L-shaped stylobate. One of the towers goes directly to the Zvenigorodskoe highway, the other is located in the depths of the site. The stylobate fixes the contours of the courtyard, limiting its space from the side of the highway and neighboring residential buildings on 2nd Chernogryazskaya Street. Here, along the entire facade of the new complex, a pedestrian alley is organized, allowing you to cross the quarter through and through. The courtyard itself - landscaped and turned into a small square with no car access - is also left open and permeable. Underground parking is provided for cars. The stylobate is entirely dedicated to public and commercial functions. It houses shops within walking distance, small cafes and a fitness club. All this is intended to revive the urban space along the created alley and on the side of the highway, where, due to the relief difference from the sidewalk to the entrances to the stylobate part, you will have to go down the stairs.
The towers were originally conceived of the same height - 75 m each. However, during the design process, it became clear that one of the volumes facing the highway would partially block the view of Kudrinskaya Square and the Stalinist skyscraper located there. Then it was decided to make the tower a little wider, but 10 m lower, thereby smoothing its presence.
Both towers have a complex sculptural shape with many protruding corner elements. Only the northern façade, facing the cemetery, is completely smooth. It is proposed to revet it with mother-of-pearl ceramic tiles, forming a simple repeating geometric pattern. It is planned to use natural stone and architectural concrete for finishing the courtyard facade and the second tower.
Much attention in the project is paid to layouts. “We tried to maximize the opening of apartments to the south and towards the river,” said Yuri Grigoryan. “Apartments with 5-6 corners have been developed, which makes them more valuable both in terms of the views that open and in terms of the very space inside the apartment.”
Another "initiative" part of the project is land surveying, including an empty neighboring site. Yuri Grigoryan explained that this should only be viewed as an attempt to protect the territory from high-density infill development, which will lead to the loss of one of the most important ideas of the project - permeability and openness.
Anticipating the discussion of the project, Sergey Kuznetsov explained that the main reason for its consideration at the council was the dangerous prospect of disrupting the perception of Kudrinskaya Square from the Zvenigorodskoye Highway. Despite the fact that the tower overlooking the highway is 10 m lower than the height allowed in the GPZU, the visual landscape analysis showed that the building will partially cover the Stalinist skyscraper. Council members, however, were mostly in favor of maintaining the proportions of the complex. Vladimir Plotkin noted that in the area of the square there are already many high-rise buildings: “Every day I go to work along the Zvenigorod highway and every time I am amazed at the emerging silhouette of a high-rise on Kudrinskaya Square,” Plotkin explained. - But as it approaches the center, its silhouette gradually subsides, finding itself in the ring of other high-rise buildings, including the Moscow City complex, located a little to the right. Therefore, it seems to me that the two new towers will not significantly affect the perception of the skyscraper."
A similar opinion was expressed by Nikolai Lyashenko, who recalled that his bureau lost to Meganom in a closed competition for the development of a project for this site. “Seeing the result, I understood why we lost,” Lyashenko admitted. - Yuri Grigoryan found an ingenious solution for a territory with a huge number of restrictions. As for the height of the complex, we must not forget that it is perceived not only from the car, it is located inside a dense building, becoming a part of it, and therefore does not interfere with anyone. Only Alexander Kudryavtsev proposed to make a tower along the highway a little lower, and then only in order to enhance the differentiation between the towers, making one more sculptural and thin, and the other, on the contrary, squat.
Andrey Gnezdilov offered to support the project in the presented version, noting the high quality of architecture, artistic approach, "delicate proportioning in space" and excellent graphics - "as if drawn by hand." Grigoryan's ideas regarding the land surveying of the territory of Gnezdilov regretted to be unrealizable within the framework of the current urban planning legislation, since until the owner came to the neighboring site, nothing could be done with it. But as a project proposal, he advised keeping Meganom's ideas for the future.
Also, the council members highly appreciated the desire to create high-quality public spaces and the idea of the permeability of the territory. In the opinion of Mikhail Posokhin, the complex, executed with such artistry, will set an extremely high bar for the further development of the area - “it cannot be made worse”. Andrey Bokov advised the authors to finalize the transport scheme and think over all the routes for pedestrians.
Summing up the results of the discussion, Sergey Kuznetsov noted that, in general, the council gave a very high assessment to the presented work, which rarely happens. It was decided to support the project.
