Valuing nature in urban development

Troll Gardens

Location: Moscow, Russia
Client: A101 Group 

Programme:  Public spaces design of an area of 100 ha in a newly developing district in Moscow

Development projects surrounding Moscow all sell a way of life among forests, meadows and streams away from the hustle and bustle of the megalopolis. But with the arrival of multi-storey buildings and the infrastructure providing it, the anthropogenic footprint multiplies, as a result of which these very values are being destroyed.

At the heart of this concept is the principle of planning open urban spaces, aimed at reproducing the capacity of natural environment ecosystems.

The concept proposes the following zones of planning:
NNN – zone of exclusively natural components and maximum biodiversity
NNU – zone of domination of natural ecologies
UUN – zone with priority of public functions
UUU – zone exclusively of public functions required for the projected facilities

Each zone is given the appropriate design code for the surface materials, plants and equipment used in these areas throughout the project.

The fragment – a park, designed in the framework of an international design competition contains all these zones. The existing relief and the diversity of the age and species existing creates a picturesque landscape composition. Clustering of trees by rock composition in different parts of the fragment creates diverse glades. Together with the only two multifunctional objects – the Aalto water complex in the forest area and the neighbouring centre Snigel on the promenade – a variety of scenarios of year-round functional use by various social and cultural groups is enabled.The Swart bridge and trampoline with the paths raised above the landscape forms many additional scenarios for walking routes.

Stages:
2017 International design competition, 1st prize
2018 Design development

Team:
MLA+: Markus Appenzeller, Yana Golubeva, Chris Steenhuis, Olesya Polaguta
design::unit: Nadezhda Kuznetsova, Vladimir Petrosyan, , Elizaveta Vladimirova, Daniyar Yusupov