Buro Happold wins design competition for Zaryadye Park

Buro Happold has won the international design competition for the new cultural centre and city centre landscape for Zaryadye Park in Moscow, working as engineering designers with Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Hargreaves Associates.

Zaryadye represents a historic transformation of Russia’s capital that will demonstrate Moscow’s commitment to innovative design for 21st century civic spaces. The ground breaking project will mark the first public park built in Moscow for over 50 years and will provide a new cultural hub for the city and includes new museum and gallery spaces, new restaurant and retail spaces, ice cave, education and park management facilities, 20,000m² of underground parking and an external special events space.

The park is located on 13 acres of land less than a minute’s walk from the Kremlin and Red Square as well as the surrounding heritage buildings protected by UNESCO. The buildings immediately surrounding the park area reflect the full spectrum of Russian architecture from the 16th to 20th centuries. The design aims to create a park borne of Russian and Muscovite heritage as well as one that draws on the latest construction technologies and sustainability strategies. Due to the park’s central location, it is estimated that over eight million people will pass through it annually.

The design is based on the principle of Wild Urbanism, a hybrid landscape where the natural and the built environment cohabit to create a new type of public space; characteristic elements of the historic district of Kitay-Gorod and the cobblestone paving of Red Square are combined with the lush gardens of the Kremlin to create a new park that is both urban and green. Zaryadye Park will be the missing link that completes the collection of world famous monuments and urban districts forming central Moscow.

Senior engineer Paul Roberts cited, “ We are thrilled to be part of the winning international team chosen to work on such a unique project. Our team represents six nations from around the world aiming to bring a global perspective and vast experience to this important project. One of the engineering challenges on the project is the large grid shell designed to accommodate the new Moscow Philharmonic Hall, a key attraction in the park. The roof canopy has emerged through a consideration of the integrated environment and energy ideals, consistent with the architect’s wild urbanism vision and concept.”