Tall & Urban News

Amsterdam-based architecture studio de Architekten Cie. has completed a large-scale residential complex in Moscow, Russia.

Dubbed Vander Park, the urban block introduces a new large-scale residential complex and comprises around 1,000 apartments on a site of 2.4 hectares owned by Russian developer PIK Group. The development is situated in Western Moscow, which is known for its woodlands and proximity to the Moskva River.

Many passageways leading from the street to the garden court keeps the complex closely connected to the surrounding neighborhood. It’s organized around a central garden court defined by a low plinth of up to six levels, with eight residential towers on top. These towers, 18 to 26 stories high, are designed as sequences of stacked volumes clad in brickwork of different colors, a playful composition lending a distinct identity to Vander Park on the city’s skyline.

To meet minimum daylight requirements, some towers are rotated 45 degrees and positioned in such a way that they guarantee beautiful views from each of the apartments. In addition, the rotations articulate the most prominent corners of the block and produce constantly alternating vistas of the towers in their urban setting.

The plinth that encloses the garden court is composed of the 6-meter-high ground floor, with five stories of apartments and maisonettes above it.

At the ground floor level, commercial spaces are positioned along the streets, while numerous amenities for residents are facing the courtyard, such as sports facilities and a children’s daycare. Along the perimeter of the court, a pedestrian walkway on top of the plinth surrounds the garden and softens the transition between the intimate garden court and the high towers.

All homes on this level have an outdoor space directly adjacent to the promenade. Contrasting the towers, the plinth is clad with dark brick of a more tactile character, emphasizing the human scale of the street as well as the courtyard. The communal garden, designed by West 8, is equipped with many trees and has a round canopy as its center point, providing shelter in wet or windy conditions.

Brick is the primary façade material in the complex, forming a basic framework for many of the windows and aluminum panels. Brickwork was chosen because it contrasts with the grey concrete and stucco that used to dominate residential buildings in the city.

"We developed five standard façade designs that, thanks to a mix of brick sortings and colors, offers a great deal of variety, without compromising the unity of the urban ensemble," said de Architekten Cie. in a statement.

Among the five standard façades, two versions were made specifically for the plinth. One was constructed with bay windows, which ensures a good visual connection between the private homes and the street below, and one has a more tectonic appearance. This façade has more detail, such as vertical brickwork and protruding stones, creating a more tactile experience at the pedestrian level.

For more on this story, go to World Architecture Community.