GORK JOURNAL

Inspired by the Kresty

Project: International Guesthouse
Architecture: Neumann & Heinsdorff
Photo: Sebastian Schels
Geo: Regensburg, DE


I couldn’t ignore the post from my friends at Topliv Real Estate, who recently worked on a case involving Kresty. Today, the news came out that the St. Petersburg developer KVS purchased the site for 1.1 billion rubles. Since the city decided to rid itself of this notorious location, many have speculated about how it could be redeveloped to allow people not only to hold cultural events but also to live in former huts as mini-studios.

You can share your thoughts on what types of typology and functional zoning would be logical for Kresty in the comments. I will show you the reconstruction of an arsenal in Germany, which housed a large prison block. Currently, the complex belongs to the University of Regensburg, which aims to create a space for lectures and conferences, as well as to provide apartments for students and faculty within the former prison block.

As a variation on the theme of Kresty, this approach aligns well with German meticulousness. Students are practical and hungry, and many won’t burden themselves with moral dilemmas. The idea and implementation are good, but there’s still a lingering unease.

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Architecture