STANDARD HOUSING AND RESIDENTIAL CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT, RUSSIA

The mid-rise mixed-use urban block model proposed offers a formula for a new relationship between residents, offices, commercial activity, and the neighbourhood, operating together as a collective community unit. The urban blocks were thought of in groups of six, establishing a hierarchy from the greater urban fabric, to the 6-block combinations or ‘districts’, to the urban blocks, and finally to the buildings themselves. This grouping allowed the creation of a strong border of commercial activity and transport infrastructure along main roads between each district, reducing foot and vehicle traffic on secondary roads within the neighborhood, and freeing up an inner zone for the introduction of a central district park, where residents of all six urban blocks could meet and interact. This design approach was carried through to the urban blocks, this time creating a centralized series of private courtyards and raised roof terraces for use by the residents of that particular block. To allow flexibility in the placement of the buildings within the urban block, and to create a diverse and adaptable layout, the buildings were composed of a ground floor dedicated to commercial activity along the street edges, a first floor dedicated to office space and with the upper floors comprising the residential units. This concept of diversity of spaces begun in this scale was carried through all levels of design. The structure of the buildings and the layout of the units themselves follow a simple formula, allowing for any combination of units to be easily achieved. This adaptability can be used in the larger scheme to change the morphology of the buildings, which in turn increases the vitality of the urban fabric.