Bor is a satellite of Nizhny Novgorod, located on the opposite bank of the Volga. The settlements are connected by a road-railway bridge, as well as a cable car, the traffic of which is intense: Nizhny Novgorod residents come to Bor to work - there are several industrial enterprises operating there, and also to rest - the left bank of the Volga is flatter, sandy, overgrown with pine forest.
One of the most picturesque places in Bora is the Moss Mountains: a ridge of dune hills with century-old pines, which stretches along the Volga. At the beginning of the 20th century, the "mountains" were chosen by the Nizhny Novgorod intelligentsia. In total, about 50 dachas were built here, the most famous of which belonged to the architect Pavel Malinovsky: Maxim Gorky and Fyodor Chaliapin came to visit him.
Unfortunately, nothing has survived from the dacha life, except for the views and healing air. In 2012, a monument to Gorky and Chaliapin was erected, several viewing platforms and a descent to the water were arranged. The GORA Bureau proposed a delicate landscaping for the Mokhovy Hills, designed to revive the spirit of the place. The idea is well reflected by nostalgic visualizations: gentlemen and young ladies in hats walk slowly along wooden floorings and floating bridges.
The design site is a square that starts behind the Kvarts stadium and ends on the Volga bank. This is the outskirts of the city, further on for many kilometers a forest stretches. The architects completely preserve the landscape, neatly embedding the improvement elements into it, with the help of which they divide the entire territory into five zones corresponding to the five senses.
The area near the existing cafe "U Chaliapin" is a "taste". It is planned to hold culinary festivals here: at once the tables covered with tablecloths with a samovar, pies and forgotten dishes of Russian cuisine are presented. Next to the cafe, regardless of the project, the Great Summer Residents Museum should also open. From here it is most convenient to get to the monument, where the visitor gets acquainted with the history of the place and gets first impressions.
Touch and smell are located next to each other: here vacationers are invited to hug a tree to restore strength and energy, to be alone with themselves. Outdoor chairs will be installed next to the trees, so you can just sit, inhaling the healing scent filled with phytoncides.
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zooming 1/3 Basic architectural solutions. Moss mountains. Historical and recreational territory in the area of the monument to Maxim Gorky and Fyodor Chaliapin © Architectural bureau GORA
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zooming 2/3 Basic architectural solutions. Moss mountains. Historical and recreational territory in the area of the monument to Maxim Gorky and Fyodor Chaliapin © Architectural bureau GORA
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zooming 3/3 Basic architectural solutions. Moss mountains. Historical and recreational territory in the area of the monument to Maxim Gorky and Fyodor Chaliapin © Architectural bureau GORA
Three new objects will appear on the promenade along the coast. This is an observation deck in the form of a ramp bridge, which is responsible for vision. Thanks to the changed perspective of perception, the townspeople will be able to see the familiar landscape with “new eyes”. This is followed by a walking bridge, the bends of which follow the contours of the relief. Next is the hearing zone, where with the help of a huge ear, similar to a gramophone, it will be possible to listen to the sounds of nature: water splashes, birds singing, wind noise.
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zooming 1/4 Visualization. Forest ear. Moss mountains. Historical and recreational territory in the area of the monument to Maxim Gorky and Fyodor Chaliapin © Architectural bureau GORA
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zooming 2/4 Visualization. The area at the monument. Mossy mountains. Historical and recreational territory in the area of the monument to Maxim Gorky and Fyodor Chaliapin © Architectural bureau GORA
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zooming 3/4 Visualization. Observation deck. Moss mountains. Historical and recreational territory in the area of the monument to Maxim Gorky and Fyodor Chaliapin © Architectural bureau GORA
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zooming 4/4 Visualization. The area at the monument. Moss mountains. Historical and recreational territory in the area of the monument to Maxim Gorky and Fyodor Chaliapin © Architectural bureau GORA
Against the background of many other works participating in the competition, the project of the "GORA" bureau stands out. The work with identity has been done here in a more subtle way - without a complex design code, souvenir objects or themed playgrounds that obscure the essence of the place. There is no dominance of "activities", instead of them - unobtrusive offers to rest, stop, take a photo or even sleep. A place for contemplative, but not boring walks - a rather rare example of a comfortable environment in small towns.
And the traditional advice to future participants of the competition from the head of the bureau Stanislav Gorshunov:
We do not know a 100% recipe for victory, probably it does not exist in the competitive procedures. But we are always inquisitively looking for the unique essence of the place. We dive into the historical identity of a place, analyze social life processes, identify tourism potential, look at the economic model, respond with materials to operational requirements and many other tasks that we set ourselves to get a quality product. And so it turns out that every competition we bring victory to some cities in the form of a grant for the implementation of our concept.
