Petrovskaya Embankment

Black Earth Sea Beachness – bringing a city back to the water

Location: Voronezh,  Russia
Client: Government of Voronezh Region

Programme:  Masterplan for a new waterfront destination in Voronezh

A large plot of reclaimed land in the middle of the city of Voronezh for a long time has been the spot for futuristic visions. But none of them became a reality. Until today, the territory remained empty and wild. In 2019 MLA+ together with partners Insight, Knight Frank and OTS won the competition, initiated by the local government, setting a first step in setting arriving at a strategy for the development of this key site.

We propose a the framework with a – probably less futuristic but therefore more realistic – down to earth approach: Starting with the existing values of the site, keeping the beach feeling and evolving the area gradually with diverse functions.

“Chernozemnomorie” – Black Earth Sea – is a sea beach in the center of Voronezh and a regional eco-park that connects all urban areas with a pedestrian and bicycle lane network. The project preserves qualities of a wild beach and emphasizes the identity of the Voronezh Sea while adding new infrastructure.

The project consists of six parts, each of which can be developed independently:

1. The Beach –  a recreational area
   Existing water streams are preserved as well as the beach and a grove. Interventions are limited to a path along the beach and nodes of service infrastructure at the entrances to the park. The symbol of the new embankment is a lighthouse.
2. The Beach quarters – development plots for new recreational uses
   Diverse plot sizes can accommodate recreational uses here. The future embankment is seen as a weekend destination and an indoor/outdoor sport park.
3. Gusinovka – a historical district.
   Here we propose to develop it with small scale urban villa type buildings.
4. Admiralteyskaya Square –  a quick gains project.
   Changing the pavement will allow for new uses, such as skateboarding, a new a canopy, more greenery and pavilions with food will attract people to the place and allow them to spend more time here.
5. The Small walking ring – a new connection to the city
   The newly established ring connects the embankment with city center.
6. The Big Sport Ring – linking activities
   This loop connects the two shores of the Voronezh reservoir with a bicycle path and unlocks recreational qualities beyond the boundaries of the site.

Stages:
2019 Concept
2020 Detailed design
2020 Construction documentation

Team:
MLA+: Alyona Barsukova, Maria Blinova, Yana Golubeva, Violetta Gunina, Viktor Korotych, Olga Krasnova, Luba Krutenko, Maxim Kuklin, Gulnaz Nizamutdinova
Insight, Knight Frank, OTS

Multimedia

What others publish about this project:

Competition Jury Meeting Presentation