MOSCOW MY STREET

Steven Holl Architects has proposed several strategies to invigorate the Moscow Streetscapes around Prospekt Akademika Sakharova. The masterplan Street Pavilions prioritizes the fusion of landscape and cityscape in three distinct ways.

1. Invigorating Streetscape: We propose to invigorate the Moscow Streetscape of Prospekt Akademika Sakharova, Masha Poryvaeva, and the adjoining lanes via a series of small architectural interventions. The materials proposed, such as new, thick red granite curbs and sidewalk slabs will give a substantial and fine material feeling to the pedestrian sidewalks.  Overtime, these materials will look even better.  Comfortable wooden benches interspersed with the new greenery will offer the public inviting places to rest and relax.  New LED lighting in new, pedestrian-scale fixtures provide warm, quality light and invigorate the street with a human scale.

2. Fusion of Landscape and Cityscape: Throughout the streets we aim to maximize greenspace as a means to help purify the urban air and keep the temerature at street level cooler throughout the summer.  The proposal includes the planting of urban trees and low maintenance ground cover.  In pocket plazas, green sedum is to be interjected between large stone pavers.

3. Luminous Programmatic Potential: Along Prospekt Akademika Sakharova, a series of ‘Luminosity Pavilions’ are proposed.  These glowing glass structures provide pedestrian level light, rain protected benches, as well as LED displays of scientific aspects honoring the great Andrei Sakharov.  The sandblasted laminated glass structures will take on a colorful glow at night due to the colors of the scientific maps and diagram’s graphics in the pavilions.  Taken together, these pavilions become an open-air museum in reflection of the scientific works of Sakharov, and offer flexibility to host temporary exhibitions of all kinds.