Vander Park, Moscow

The urban block is organized around a central court which is defined by a 6m high plinth with towers on top. The plinth follows the direction of the surrounding streets and accommodates diverse public services which are accessible from the outside perimeter. From the inside of the block the plinth organizes a private courtyard and accommodates a series of amenities for the residents, varying from central reception, fitness and swimming pool to children day-care. The courtyard is defined by a canopy which protects against wind, rain and snow.

Creating a community:

This ensemble of buildings has been designed as a neighbourhood: A city in the city. In this proposal we have endeavoured to create a masterplan which forms an environment; cultivating a community. Creating a community requires that residents connect with one another; have a sense of ownership and pride of place.

The Masterplan is based on the block typology: The building mass is situated along the plot boundary. Almost half of the total plot area inside the block is car-free, green, open courtyard space. The roof of the ground floor forms a layer of roof gardens and a pedestrian “ring road”.  This way the transition between buildings and courtyard is rather soft and all apartments on the lowest residential floor have a direct connection to the green courtyard. It stimulates the residents to go outside and meet each other.

The block typology serves multiple functions which include; a clear distinction between public, private and outdoor space, a gentle means of behavioural control: citizens are aware of the formal nature of the street and intimate nature of the inner courtyard; a sense of community between those who share the inner courtyard and a safe and pleasant outdoor space.

The architecture of the buildings is designed to create multisensory experiences and keep a human scale. The massing of the towers is divided into recognizable segmented volumes; differentiated by brick colour and type of window openings. This results in an image of a vertical city.