Project: Prime Park
Architecture: British firm Dyer
General Designer: MARKS GROUP of Companies
Developer: Optima Development
Geo: Moscow
Photo: Kirill Gorozhanin
Despite crises and inflation, the premium segment in Moscow’s real estate market is growing and in high demand. I judge by the number of requests for visualizations of prospective projects and by the bustling sales offices. As you can understand, competition in this segment is high. Such properties must not only meet the premium quality level but also consider the special requests of future residents. It’s interesting to study such projects: they often apply non-standard solutions, and the architecture itself is remarkable.
Architecture: British firm Dyer
General Designer: MARKS GROUP of Companies
Developer: Optima Development
Geo: Moscow
Photo: Kirill Gorozhanin
Despite crises and inflation, the premium segment in Moscow’s real estate market is growing and in high demand. I judge by the number of requests for visualizations of prospective projects and by the bustling sales offices. As you can understand, competition in this segment is high. Such properties must not only meet the premium quality level but also consider the special requests of future residents. It’s interesting to study such projects: they often apply non-standard solutions, and the architecture itself is remarkable.
The Prime Park (PP) residential quarter is today one of the few implemented projects that has set a new bar in the elite segment by many parameters. The project was developed by the general designer MARKS GROUP (MG) based on the architectural concept of the British bureau Dyer. I had the opportunity to speak with and get to know PP more closely with MG representative and chief architect of the project, Ekaterina Kolyada (EK). Enjoy your study)
Ekaterina Kolyada — Chief Architect of the Prime Park Project
Ekaterina Kolyada — Chief Architect of the Prime Park Project
GJ — Flipping through the presentation, it seems that the restrained facades are a deliberate move. The project unfolds in all its glory especially in the internal space. There’s even its own Central Park. What is the main concept of the complex?
EK — Prime Park is an elite residential quarter consisting of nine towers, six sections, an individual park for residents, and a three-level underground parking. The key feature is private space. The total green area of the quarter is 5.5 hectares, 3 of which are a closed private park, accessible only to residents. There’s a lot of greenery: hills and trees, multi-level gardens with blooming apple and cherry trees, numerous cozy walking paths and children’s playgrounds, designer flowerbeds and gardens, art objects and sculptural compositions, multi-level lighting, classic and dry fountains — all this adds refinement and harmony to the space, forming a picturesque landscape for PP residents. The buildings of the quarter are specially positioned so that each apartment has a unique view, and the distance between the towers allows sunlight to penetrate the courtyard throughout the day.
The concept of the quarter is for people to feel comfortable and safe in the surrounding metropolis, to feel the tranquility of country life in the heart of the city.
EK — Prime Park is an elite residential quarter consisting of nine towers, six sections, an individual park for residents, and a three-level underground parking. The key feature is private space. The total green area of the quarter is 5.5 hectares, 3 of which are a closed private park, accessible only to residents. There’s a lot of greenery: hills and trees, multi-level gardens with blooming apple and cherry trees, numerous cozy walking paths and children’s playgrounds, designer flowerbeds and gardens, art objects and sculptural compositions, multi-level lighting, classic and dry fountains — all this adds refinement and harmony to the space, forming a picturesque landscape for PP residents. The buildings of the quarter are specially positioned so that each apartment has a unique view, and the distance between the towers allows sunlight to penetrate the courtyard throughout the day.
The concept of the quarter is for people to feel comfortable and safe in the surrounding metropolis, to feel the tranquility of country life in the heart of the city.
GJ — The facades of PP make you want to, as they say, "touch", especially when you are in close proximity. For a skyscraper 150 meters tall, the uniform scalability of facade elements at different distances from the object is almost a key architectural task. If, for example, solid glazing is relevant for the City, then you have achieved something in between a skyscraper and traditional elite real estate.
EK — This is the main intent — to combine two independent images: to unite residential and commercial functions without violating privacy, and to support individuality in architecture with the plasticity of facades, which is very difficult to do in skyscrapers. The harmoniously complementing facade and coloristic solutions form a unified architectural ensemble and at the same time emphasize the uniqueness of each of the residential towers.
Modular facade systems are our know-how. They allow on-site assembly of complex geometric parts of the facade brought from the factory. The composition and choice of building finishing materials are carefully thought out, and this approach has determined the perfect balance between the unique architecture of the object and its harmony with the environment.
EK — This is the main intent — to combine two independent images: to unite residential and commercial functions without violating privacy, and to support individuality in architecture with the plasticity of facades, which is very difficult to do in skyscrapers. The harmoniously complementing facade and coloristic solutions form a unified architectural ensemble and at the same time emphasize the uniqueness of each of the residential towers.
Modular facade systems are our know-how. They allow on-site assembly of complex geometric parts of the facade brought from the factory. The composition and choice of building finishing materials are carefully thought out, and this approach has determined the perfect balance between the unique architecture of the object and its harmony with the environment.
GJ — One of the key features you noted is safety. For high-rise buildings like PP, this task is complex and challenging. How is it arranged?
EK — Let’s start with the general — fire safety. Inside PP there is a monolithic core, six passenger and one freight elevator. In this core, there are two staircases (one of them is an evacuation staircase), fire-safe zones, and all necessary fire evacuation standards are met. On the roofs, there are helicopter pads for rescue cabins (landing is not intended, but a helicopter can approach and descend for a rescue operation).
In all apartments, of which we have over 80 individual layout solutions, there are floor-to-ceiling windows — providing additional insulation and a captivating view of the city. At the same time, we managed to meet all safety requirements using "French balconies" - a nearly invisible glass ledge that allows windows to be opened up to a height of 75 meters, and only micro-ventilation above that.
EK — Let’s start with the general — fire safety. Inside PP there is a monolithic core, six passenger and one freight elevator. In this core, there are two staircases (one of them is an evacuation staircase), fire-safe zones, and all necessary fire evacuation standards are met. On the roofs, there are helicopter pads for rescue cabins (landing is not intended, but a helicopter can approach and descend for a rescue operation).
In all apartments, of which we have over 80 individual layout solutions, there are floor-to-ceiling windows — providing additional insulation and a captivating view of the city. At the same time, we managed to meet all safety requirements using "French balconies" - a nearly invisible glass ledge that allows windows to be opened up to a height of 75 meters, and only micro-ventilation above that.
By the way, for safety reasons, we decided to make a closed inner courtyard so that residents and their children could walk and play in the private park peacefully.
Part 2
Part 2