Park on the banks of the Moskva River in Kapotna | Wowhaus

Address: Moscow, Kapotnya district, 5468 passage

Area of the territory: 34.2 hectares

Client: Institute of Urban Planning and System Design Bureau heads: Dmitry Likin, Oleg Shapiro

Project Team Leader: Tatiana Starchenko Lead architect: Vladimir Belyakov

Architects: Yanina Smagina, Zhanna Galut, Sofia Zhukova, Alexandra Plotnikova

Project Manager: Diana Dolgopolova

General Designer: NIIPI of Urban Planning and System Design

Design: 2019

Implementation: 2020

Photo: Daniil Annenkov

Park on the banks of the Moskva River in The hood has not been in a neglected state for many years. The residents of the area had no place for walks, sports and family activities. The architects of Wowhau proposed to make the park a new point of attraction, something in between an urban recreation area and a rural forest park. Here, unlike parks in the city center, the functions stretch around the perimeter, one part smoothly flowing into the other.

Task:

Create a comfortable space in an area remote from the city center, giving residents the opportunity to spend time in nature in close proximity to their homes.

Decision:

To make the park a new point of attraction for the residents of the district: to connect the entire park territory with walking and sports routes and fill the territory with recreation infrastructure, preserving the unique natural landscape.

Despite its status as a specially protected natural area, the park was initially in a neglected state. Dogs were walked and kebabs were fried here, but the potential of the territory was not realized. As part of the comprehensive landscaping under the My Neighborhood program, the Wowhaus bureau created a park concept that would allow residents of the area to spend their free time outdoors. By this time, the bureau had already developed a concept for the park.

The 850th anniversary of Moscow, located nearby, and the routes of the park in Kapotna became their continuation. The idea of the Wowhaus was to combine all the surrounding natural areas and parks along the river into a single landscaped walking space. In this case, the Moskva River could become the ecological axis of the city.

The problem area of the park was a flooded swampy area, completely excluded from the pedestrian scenario. As a result, the swamp was cleared, water-loving plants were planted and bridges were laid across it. This is how an eco-route with viewing platforms appeared in the park.

The park has a unique flora, so Wowhaus focused on preserving the natural landscape. The shore was reinforced, the landscaping structure was restored, and an eco-route was created through the park.

It was important for the bureau to create a place where you can spend time in nature: walking with children, relaxing, picnicking, and playing sports. The park is one of the most beautiful areas of the district. It is very important that the landscaping project was not a typical one, because it is important for residents of any district to make it different from others. The architects tried to create a special park that could become part of the identity of the residents of the area. It is important for people to have a place to communicate, this is how local communities are formed.

A boulevard was designed along the embankment, which became the public core of the park. The coastal area has become an observation deck.

The budget for the improvement of the park was limited, so Wowhaus tried to use the most democratic materials, while maintaining the aesthetic concept of the project. The furniture for the park is made of concrete and will last a long time. At the same time, the sports equipment is of very high quality.

At the initiative of the architects, an attention-grabbing art object was installed in the park. Designed specifically for the Mayak Park, it has become its visual accent.

Residents have children's and sports grounds, observation decks along the riverbank with deck chairs for relaxation.

While working on the concept, the architects of Wowhaus communicated a lot with the residents and took into account all their requests when designing. Traditionally, picnics, skiing, dog walking and sport fishing were held in the park. The designers have created opportunities to do familiar things in a more comfortable environment. There are special campfire sites and picnic tables, as well as new dog walking areas. Canopies are provided in the squares, under which you can hide from the sun, or fill them with a commercial function in the future — add kiosks.