steven holl architects to build residential community in moscow

steven holl architects has been selected ahead of fuksas and zaha hadid architects to complete a residential community on a former paratrooper airfield in russia. the competition-winning proposal outlines plans for a mixed-use development in moscow’s northern tushino district. in addition to housing, the project also includes a variety of social spaces, a kindergarten, and an elementary school.

all images courtesy of steven holl architects/art-group kamen, unless otherwise stated

steven holl’s design, which was developed in collaboration with russian firm kamen, proposes a new building typology — ‘parachute hybrids’. according to the architects, this ‘combines residential bar and slab structures with supplemental programming suspended in sections above, like parachutes frozen in the sky’. ‘tushino can be an important urban model for 21st century high density living, shaping public open space,’ explains steven holl. ‘the new building type we have proposed here, inspired by the site’s history, is unique to this place.’

the residential community will be built on a former paratrooper airfield in russia

the project’s developer, vi holding, called for designs that offered comfortable living environments with rich infrastructure and education spaces. the complex will offer a mix of housing types and will contain amenities such as health spas, pools, cafés, and lounges. meanwhile, the kindergarten and elementary school have been designed as architecturally distinct buildings that take advantage of natural light and green space. ‘the masterplan is organized to shape public space with maximum sunlight exposure,’ explains the design team. ‘the buildings wrap around to create large, public garden and playground spaces as a reference to the site’s former use as a paratrooper air field.’

the complex will contain amenities such as health spas, pools, cafés, and lounges

from an environmental standpoint, the housing project utilizes green roofs, solar pergolas, daylighting, rainwater recycling, and geothermal heating and cooling. apartments will be enclosed in a thin section façade of operable glass that will help insulate the buildings in winter and create open balconies for every apartment in warmer months. eco-corridors, undisturbed by automotive traffic, run through the site and connect to the moscow river. the project’s first phase of drawings are to be completed march 15, 2018.

sky pool section