The concept of Oktyabrsky Island development, developed by the Russian-British consortium of architectural bureaus LDA Design, MAParchitects and WSP, was presented in Kaliningrad today. The team was selected from over 80 applicants following an international competition last year. The project was created in cooperation with an international group of consultants and with the support of KB Strelka.
According to the project, residential areas with quiet courtyards, schools and kindergartens, hotels, business centers, cafes and shops will appear on the island, but most importantly - modern comfortable spaces for recreation, sports and communication. The concept assumes the transformation of the island into an urban oasis that would unite people with different preferences: here you can spend time actively and take part in various events, or enjoy the silence surrounded by nature. It is assumed that the quality of the environment will be highly appreciated not only by the future residents of the island, but also by other Kaliningraders.
Among the key components of the concept are the restoration of the green frame (the Schneider Belt park zone created in the 1920s), the accentuation of water spaces (improvement of the coast, the creation of artificial reservoirs), ensuring transport accessibility (six new bridges, convenient bus routes and one water), creation of all the necessary infrastructure for a comfortable stay on the island. The total projected area was 385 hectares. The height of residential buildings is from 3 to 18 floors, depending on the location of the quarters.
On the basis of the master plan for Oktyabrsky Island, architectural and urban planning concepts for multifunctional buildings and large public spaces were also developed: a sports park around the Kaliningrad stadium, a central park and a landscape ecopark. LDA Design (UK), Alison Brooks (UK), Juul Frost (Denmark), Open Fabric (Netherlands) and Turenscape (China) worked on the concepts.
The presentation was attended by representatives of the regional and city authorities, as well as the local expert community. The concept was presented by Kristina Ishkhanova, Deputy Director General of the Unified Institute for the Development of the Housing Sector, and Elena Mandryko, Project Director of Strelka KB. The next stage is the finalization and approval of the project, taking into account the experts' comments received during the presentation.
Let us recall that Oktyabrsky Island is a pilot site for the implementation of the Standard for the Integrated Development of Territories. The standard is a methodological guide for the development of urban areas and the development of new ones, developed by the Ministry of Construction of Russia and DOM. RF together with KB Strelka on behalf of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.
The composition of the international group of project consultants: Ingenieurbüro Kraft (Germany), Colliers International (Russia), Systematica Srl (Italy), Institute for Transport Economics and Transport Policy, National Research University Higher School of Economics (Russia).
