The Path To Diversity

2024 Author: David Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 02:26

The RiverSky residential complex will become part of a large-scale project to transform the territories along the Simonovskaya Embankment, which architects and city planners have been thinking about for a long time. The latest version of its development strategy was developed by Strelka KB with the active participation of the investor - Ingrad Group of Companies. It is planned to improve the embankment, reconstruct the Torpedo stadium, enrich the infrastructure with social facilities, and build up the territory along the river with multifunctional complexes with a predominance of housing. One of the sections, stretched between the stadium and the river at the beginning of the bend, is operated by Katerina Gren's bureau. GREN Architects. developed a volumetric-spatial composition, layouts and facades of the complex.

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RiverSky residential complex, master plan © GREN Architectural Bureau.
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LCD RiverSky. Model © Architectural Bureau GREN.

The territory is responsible: the site is located in the central part of the city, on the one hand, the residential complex forms a river front, on the other, it cannot ignore the historical buildings. Nearby is the partially preserved Simonov Monastery and the Vesnin brothers' recreation center ZIL built on its territory.

Bureau GREN. organizes eight buildings of the complex into two clusters, separated by a pedestrian boulevard leading to the embankment. The half-blocks are different, but they consist of similar elements: each has an accent tower on the side of the river, an extended stepped building, conventional "plates" and "links" of townhouses. That formed a diverse silhouette: the height differences are not only significant - from two to 29 floors, but also frequent.

Thus, the volumetric structure turned out to be hybrid: in the lower part it is quarterly, the houses asymmetrically surround semi-enclosed, but spacious courtyards, and at the top of the houses they turn into plate towers, turned, like lamellas, at an angle of 45 degrees to the embankment, and elongated from the south to north. This allows you to provide maximum sunshine for the apartments, and also opens the way for fresh wind from the river and panoramic openings from the windows. No less important are the views from the river to the monuments of the Simonov Monastery, first of all to the main one - the Dulo tower, which, if floating on the water, will be visible in the alignment of houses, rising into the system of residential towers as an unexpected but definitely unique addition.

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1/3 LCD RiverSky. Development © Architectural Bureau GREN.
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2/3 LCD RiverSky © GREN Architectural Bureau.
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3/3 LCD RiverSky © GREN Architectural Bureau.

The variety, given by the volumetric-spatial solution, is also supported by the facades. Architects focus on the combination of textures, using several materials for cladding: clinker bricks and tiles, fiber cement panels, stemalite, metal. And they also work freely with them, not skimping on techniques and details: here there are volumetric ornaments and perforations made of bricks, openwork lattices, geometric patterns, prints on glass, imitating piers flutes, noticeable navigation elements, deep colors and a combination of contrasting textures. All this whirlwind of ideas and pans is ordered into a harmonious system, which cannot be blamed for lack of taste: the complex is light and elegant. “For each customer, we create an individual design that meets all their requirements and blends in organically with the environment,” says Katerina Gren. “The thoughtfulness and validity of every detail is important to us.”

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1/9 LCD RiverSky © Architectural Bureau GREN.
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2/9 RC RiverSky © GREN Architectural Bureau.
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3/9 RC RiverSky © GREN Architectural Bureau.
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4/9 RC RiverSky © GREN Architectural Bureau.
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5/9 LCD RiverSky © GREN.
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6/9 RC RiverSky © Architectural Bureau GREN.
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7/9 RC RiverSky © GREN Architectural Bureau.
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8/9 RC RiverSky © GREN Architectural Bureau.
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9/9 RC RiverSky © Architectural Bureau GREN.

The facades of the upper floors in some of the buildings, on the contrary, are simplified to the limit - there is no longer an abundance of details and textures, only strict geometry, laconic milky-white panels. The “cloudy” tops thin the space of the quarters even more, “link” the dark brick buildings with the light towers, add modernist lightness to the respectable, not without a bit of modern “textured” conservatism image.

The third level of diversity - after heights and facades - is the layout. Each building has its own differences, there are not quite familiar solutions: a bathroom or a living room with a window, loggias with panoramic sliding glazing, which can be turned into terraces up to 2.7 m deep. Not every Muscovite has the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Moskva River, city or sunset view - and all this without leaving your own home. In addition, thanks to the Finnish-made frameless glazing system, panoramas will “enter” the space of apartments even in the cold season.

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RiverSky LCD © GREN Architectural Bureau.
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RiverSky LCD © GREN Architectural Bureau.

The location and status made it possible to include in the complex not only townhouses, but also duplex apartments up to 7.5 meters high. Some of them, thanks to the stepped silhouette of the volumes, provide small patios and exits to their own terraces on the roof of the adjoining section - a great place to diversify a party or chat with the family in the evening. There are 1342 apartments in RiverSky, from one to four rooms.

Bureau GREN. also developed the design of the entrance groups and the improvement project. And although the customer subsequently held separate competitions: the public ground floors will be designed by UNK project architects based on their results, Wowhaus is engaged in landscaping, Katerina Gren's options were closely integrated into the project of the complex as its organic continuation, so let's say a few words about these “remaining on paper , Sections.

Already in the flutes of the lower floors of the houses, in the portals-framing of the entrances, the resemblance to the generalized classics of the Art Deco direction is sharply felt. Proposed by the GREN architects. the designs of the entrance areas develop and reinforce the theme: light stone is combined with polished metal, rows of crystal pendants add sparkle. The rhombic ornament on the facades is supported by a decorative pattern of windows and gratings, stone flutes received a response in the form of ribbed copper friezes under the ceiling, even a row of high lamellas echoes the volumetric structure of the tower-plates of the complex.

The landscaping project, proposed by Katerina Gren, accentuated the boulevard leading between the houses to the Moskva River embankment. Its axis is marked by alternating benches, tubs with trees and "hatching" of lawn rectangles. In the courtyards, the theme was supported by white lattice pergolas and children's climbing nets curved in a large wave - almost sculpture in appearance. Shrubs and trees alternate with lush bunches of topical grasses, lawns are located in the paving level.

Since in the future RiverSky will become part of a large recreational area - with a stadium, an embankment, parks - retail premises are planned on the ground floors. “One of the main tasks set by the bureau is the creation of new centers of attraction within the urban space with unique architectural, urban planning and space-planning solutions. Projects that give birth to their own history, says Katerina Gren. - The grain of each of them is the idea of a unique and comfortable environment that combines courage, harmony and spiritual aesthetics. The RiverSky residential area fully complies with these definitions. This project has its own soul."