The facts
Project Location: Moscow, Russia
Client: ZAO Park City Investment
Start Date: September 2005
Completion Date: Ongoing
Procurement method: Commission
Project Construction Value: Landscape Budget in
excess of GBP 20,000,000
Services provided: Landscape Architectural
Services
Capita Symonds contacts: David Blackwood Murray –
Project Director, Edward Freeman – Project Senior Associate, Liang
Song – Landscape Architect, Nisha Lal – Landscape Architect
The project
Park City is a residential-led mixed use development
that will create a live/work environment where people can make use
of new retail and leisure facilities without having to get into the
car. The character and quality of the proposed public realm is a
key component in creating this vision for Park City.
Moscow is currently experiencing a large economic boom in the
commercial business sector, and a rapid change in character. This
has led to an increased demand for high class residential and
commercial developments in the city.
The 15 hectare site is situated on the Moscow River with
impressive views to the emerging Moscow International Business
City, the White House parliament building and the skyline of the
historic centre, including the Kremlin.
The site contains several valuable historic buildings which will
play an important role in establishing a sense of character for the
new quarter.
The Badayev brewery was built in several stages from 1876-1899,
1904-1910 and later in 1970-1972 by prominent Moscow Architects
August Yegorovich Weber and Roman Ivanovich Klein. At the time the
enterprise not only provided buildings associated with the brewing
process, but also barracks for workers, canteens and other welfare
buildings.
The buildings of the Sacco and Vanzetti pencil factory date from
1926-1970s. The founders, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were
two Italian born anarchists, who were executed in Boston in
1926.
Capita Lovejoy, Capita Symonds’ Land Planning consultancy, was
commissioned to create a number of proposals:
Character Zones: there are two key axial
relationships proposed; the main boulevard, focusing on the
historic Hotel Ukraine and the ‘diagonal’, which relates to the
facades of the historic buildings. These two axes form the
framework of the public realm with the creation of two new public
squares, a grand boulevard, residential gardens and a linear
park.
Grand Boulevard: dramatic avenues of large
trees will form a strong address along the central boulevard and
will act as a major pedestrian route from the business square to
the main plaza. Raised lawns underneath the trees will provide
areas for informal sitting whilst south facing spill out areas for
cafes will be created to catch the sun and best aspect at street
level.
Upstand walls and careful placement of street furniture,
bollards and lighting will serve to control parking from the
pedestrian realm and provide a strong street identity. Ease of
orientation and way finding is an integral part of the development,
with well lit and clearly identifiable routes enhancing the
experience across the site.
Main Plaza: hinging between the main boulevard
and the linear park, this plaza will be a major meeting place which
will also serve as a prestigious forecourt address for the existing
historical buildings.
Hard landscape materials such as paving, walls, seating and
street furniture have been designed to be capable of withstanding
abrasive conditions resulting from cleaning equipment, sweepers,
grit and salt.
Linear Park - ‘The Diagonal’: the linear park
forms a diagonal connection from the main plaza to the River and is
inspired by the existing brewery buildings and the strong
industrial character of the site. A story of the heritage and
history will be reinterpreted through the hard landscape, artwork
in the ground plane and reuse of industrial objects and materials
within the parkland.
Species will be carefully selected for their suitability to the
harsh winter climate and long periods of snow cover. A combination
of evergreen trees and Birch will create a forest oasis in the
city, reflective of the vast forest areas on the city
outskirts.
The landscape and public realm proposed for Park City hopes to
create a neighbourhood that will make a distinct and positive
contribution to both the immediate area and to the wider contact. A
memorable place in which to live, work and play.