A House within the house

Oleg Kovalyuk

A House within the house: in search for identity in urban environment

• Architects

Yekaterinburg is an important industrial and academic centre of the Urals and the fourth largest city in Russia with a population of 1,5 million. Positioned in the south of Yekaterinburg, the Shishimskaya Gorka estate is part of a big-scale residential district that Brusnika is developing in the area of the Uktus mountains. 2030 will see the construction of 500 square metres of accommodation.

The masterplan for the area development, designed by the Dutch KCAP Architects in 2013, implies consecutive construction of three residential clusters of blocks, towers and urban villas of various sizes linked by a pedestrian canyon. The canyon showcases a park that stretches along the whole district, stringing landscaped zones on terrain with heights varying from up to 40 meters. The master plan projects conventional practices in European urban design with clearly defined street and courtyard spaces, dense and neat volumes, and mixed-use development. German-based Stefan Forster Architekten designed one of the three blocks completed so far.

The residential block measures 117 by 65 metres, which conforms to the dimensions of a typical Berlin residential quarter. It comprises several houses of varying sizes linked into one neighbourhood. It looks as if several individual buildings and a dominant tower join to form one structure. The house facade has vertical division into sections, which differ in finishes, frontage colour and massing. Terracotta and grey clinker brick with white, grey, and olive stucco finish the facades. Alternating balconies with terraces and recess balconies, varying sizes for windows, and contrasting frontages achieve variety in architecture and add vibrancy and vitality to the uniform structure.

The ground floor comes to the forefront, creating visual unity and the human-scale approach. Accented with a horizontal stripe of grey clinker brick, it accommodates different functions: cafes and shops overlooking the street and apartments with terraces giving onto the yard. To fit in with the surrounding built-up area and balance the house, the 9-storey section and the dominant 17-storey tower sit on opposite sides of the block. Terracotta clinker brick enhances both high-rises. Apartments with terraces and vertical roof extensions level off the heights of the house sections for a harmonious and vibrant look. They can function as a summer kitchen, guest bedroom or study.

photo_credit Oleg Kovalyuk — Oleg Kovalyuk

The underground parking roof hosts a cosy inner yard accessible to residents only, with sports equipment, playgrounds, recreational zones and abundant greenery. All active and bustling areas with sizeable playgrounds and sports facilities are sited inside the pedestrian canyon and zoned. The house entrance porches feature comfortable lobbies to host business meetings, socialise with neighbours, or wait for a taxi or goods delivery.

The architectural diversity of the residential block designed by Stefan Forster Architekten completes the infilled environment of Shishimskaya Gorka by enhancing the district’s local identity inside the city.