diller scofidio + renfro-designed 'zaryadye park' opens in moscow

earlier this year, during moscow city day festivities, ‘zaryadye park’ celebrated its substantial completion with a civic ceremony that opened major portions of the site. the project — led by diller scofidio + renfro — is now complete, and is the first new park to be built in the russian capital in the last 70 years. located in close proximity to st. basil’s cathedral, red square, and the kremlin, zaryadye park occupies an area of land that housed the largest hotel in europe until its demolition in 2007. with the masterplan now complete, photographer iwan baan has documented the park with a series of new images.

UPDATE: this project was shortlisted in the ‘landscape – urban projects’ category at the 2018 world architecture festival.

the project is the first new park to be built in the russian capital in the last 70 years
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro (also main image)

after winning the competition to complete the project in 2012, DS+R worked alongside hargreaves associates and citymakers to develop a design that drew on the latest construction technologies and sustainability strategies. the 35-acre scheme includes an overlook that cantilevers 70 meters over the moscow river, five pavilions, two amphitheaters, and a philharmonic concert hall. the international team sought to transform the historically commercial territory into a vibrant public area, intertwining landscape and hardscape and introducing new typologies to complement the city’s traditionally symmetrical park spaces.

the 35-acre scheme includes an overlook that cantilevers 70 meters over the moscow river
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

throughout the masterplan, natural landscapes are overlaid on top of constructed environments, resulting in what the design team calls ‘elemental face-offs between the natural and the artificial’. zaryadye park features a custom stone paving system that seeks to seamlessly blend nature and architecture, and encourages visitors to meander without restraint.

zaryadye park is located in close proximity to st. basil’s cathedral, red square, and the kremlin
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

moving between each of the site’s four corners, visitors find terraces that recreate russia’s varied natural landscapes: tundra, steppe, forest, and wetland. descending from northeast to southwest, each area includes a set of programmed spaces integrated into the landscape. see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

the international team sought to transform the commercial territory into a vibrant public area
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

new typologies complement the city’s traditionally symmetrical park spaces
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

natural landscapes are overlaid on top of constructed environments
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

landscape and hardscape have been intertwined
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

visitors find terraces that recreate russia’s varied natural landscapes
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

each area includes a set of programmed spaces integrated into the landscape
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

DS+R worked alongside hargreaves associates and citymakers to develop the project
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

the park was completed in fall 2017
photography by iwan baan, courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro

site plan | image courtesy of diller scofidio + renfro with hargreaves associates and citymakers

project info:

name: zaryadye park
location: moscow, russia
client: city of moscow, chief architect sergey kuznetsov
status: opened fall 2017; competition selection 2013
site: 10.2 hectares/ 35 acres

design consortium
consortium lead, concept masterplan designer: diller scofidio + renfro (USA)
team: charles renfro (partner), david chacon (project director), brian tabolt (lead designer),ayat fadaifard, seongbeom mo, dino kiratzidis, gabriel bollag, james murray, zoe small, trevor lamphier, mike robitz, lindsay harkema, jose tijerina, kelsey olafson
landscape and masterplan designer: hargreaves associates (USA)
local partner, urban designer: citymakers (russia)
climate engineering and energy consultant: transsolar (germany)
engineering consultant: buro happold (united kingdom)
park management: central park conservancy (USA)
cost consultant: directional logic (USA)
lighting: arup (USA)
native planting expert: arteza (russia)
architect and engineer: MAHPI (russia)
contractor: mosinzhproekt (russia)