Despite its many spatial and infrastructural challenges, the hard-to-access banks of the Okhta River in Murino remain one of the few recreational landscapes within the rapidly growing suburban belt of Saint Petersburg.

This valuable natural resource must be carefully integrated into the urban environment through the creation of accessible infrastructure, diverse public functions, and convenient connections to the emerging residential districts.

Prior to submitting the application for the Best Practices in Creating a Comfortable Urban Environment competition, the city had been systematically working on the development of this area for several years. The most complex and final section of the embankment — a place that still preserves traces of Imperial Russia — was selected for the competition in order to secure federal funding and support its further comprehensive development.

During the preparation of the competition proposal, both winter and summer neighborhood festivals were organized, accompanied by the installation of temporary public space elements. These events helped explore and better understand how the area could function and evolve in the future. 

CONCEPT 

Revealing Identity Within a Rapidly Growing Residential District 

The often harsh and fragmented context of the contemporary city calls for reinterpretation and the creation of new positive narratives. Such identities are difficult to invent artificially, which is why the project turns to local history. Long before becoming a dense suburban district, Murino was a very different place. Count Vorontsov once lived here on his estate, where pineapples were cultivated for the imperial table.

Spatial Planning Solutions

Брендинг

Landscaping 

Architectural Solutions

Album Printing 

Total Area: 29,700 m²
Stage: Concept Design
Year: 2021

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