The competition set the task of creating a green public space connected to the water. The project also had to improve the quality of life in the adjacent neighbourhoods, and become a magnet for both residents and tourists to visit.
The winning design by West 8 / Studio 44 shows a romantic park for urban strollers and informal festivals. With a topography of undulating hills, the park ‘kisses’ the river and offers visitors views to the beautiful silhouette of the city beyond. Underneath, a series of cubist-designed grottos are planned to bring a rich and diverse series of atmospheres to the waterfront site.
The winning design by West 8 / Studio 44 shows a romantic park for urban strollers and informal festivals. With a topography of undulating hills, the park ‘kisses’ the river and offers visitors views to the beautiful silhouette of the city beyond. Underneath, a series of cubist-designed grottos are planned to bring a rich and diverse series of atmospheres to the waterfront site.
The concept is focused on creating romantic landscape views and providing the panoramic city views. It is impossible to guess which view will open up in front of you when you turn a corner or climb a hill. This is a park for long walks and watching sunrises and sunsets, changing seasons and moods, water reflections, the glare of the sun and moon. The park features a variety of spaces where river nature is combined with vibrant city life.
With seasonality in mind, the park has been explicitly designed to be attractive to visitors in both the summer and winter months. Trees and plants have been divided over different ecological zones, including an indoor orangery, which is intended to become a popular destination for visitors. The park also included a variety of other programmatic elements: a large multifunctional lawn, various bridges, a colonnade, a floating stage, a labyrinth, a playground and an open-air theatre.
According to the jury, the design reflects a "spectacular concept" and an "excellent understanding of park design, materials, movement, energy, atmosphere, identity and perspective".
Lastly, the design proposes the creation of a ‘green loop’, creating and accessible route to visit four highlights of St. Petersburg: from the Hermitage, via the fortress of Peter and Paul, past the Tuchkov Buyan Park and ending at the Alexander Garden.
