The Olympics are in full swing and, although the "Coastal Cluster" of stadiums has attracted a considerable amount of attention, there is one installation demanding interaction from every spectator. Built at the entrance of Sochi's Olympic Park isAsif Khan Studio's "MegaFaces," a pavilion that "contorts itself to recreate 3D images of the faces of visitors relayed via digital face scans made in photo booths installed within the building."
Comprised of 11,000 actuators sitting underneath the cube's stretchy fabric membrane, the installation allows for three, eight meter tall faces to emerge from the wall at a time (the faces that emerge from the side of the pavilion are enlarged by 3500%). According to the designers, this feature of the building "has been likened to a giant pin screen and a digital, architectural Mount Rushmore."
View (winning scheme). Image Courtesy of TOTEMENT | PAPER
TOTEMENT | PAPER's competition proposal to design an international multipurpose cultural and leisure exhibition complex, close to Moscow's Kremlin, centers around resolving the aesthetic disconnection, or "visual conflict", between the image of a modern European city - defined by the Ismailovo hotel complex - and the historic context of the site. Their designs (two variations of each other of which one has won the competition) do not blend into the existing cultural monuments but rather offer a modern antidote to the issues of scale, perception and "grandiose historical stylization" that currently exists.
In June this year, the Turenscape Consortium was shortlisted to prepare a design proposal for Zaryadye Park, Moscow. The scheme, titled “The Blue Circle of Moscow,” centered around a circular reflecting pool that would serve as a mirror to the Moscow skyline, while managing urban stormwater. According to Turenscape, “The Blue Circle was envisioned as a new city icon, which links the past with the present and the future, which reconnects man with nature, which reunites the separated urban space, and which gathers individuals of all kinds.”
Moscow Urban Forum is an international conference on city planning, urban development and related subjects. The Forum has been held annually in Moscow since 2011 with the support of the Moscow Government, and with the Urban Land Institute as international partner. Moscow Urban Forum is a platform for an exchange of ideas where the heads of the largest cities in Russia and the world have an opportunity to discuss topics and projects of concern with the representatives of the international expert community.
Australian practice Lockhart Krause Architect has entered its proposal "Community and Earth"into an international design competition for a contemporary art gallery and museum of historical artifacts in the world heritage city of Yaroslavl, Russia. Their scheme aims to "provide a vibrant place for the community" and "explores the idea of earth and history by cutting into the ground."
Organized by Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye CJSC, part of SberbankRussia group of companies, the two-stage open international competition for the development of the masterplan of the International Financial Centre in Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye (Moscow, Russia) launches this Monday, September 2nd. The International Financial Centre is a 460 hectare mixed-use development project located in the west of ‘New Moscow’, in the floodplain of the Moscow River, five kilometers from the Moscow Outer Ring Road. The project involves the construction of offices, housing, hotels, commercial and social infrastructure. Applicants are required to have expertise in masterplanning of projects measuring over 30 hectares in order to qualify. The deadline for submissions is October 4th. For more information, please visit here.
Russian Green Building Council just announced the start of the international competition for the concept and financial model for Park "Russia" which is to become the largest theme park in Europe. Destined to become a unique tourist cluster, oriented to both domestic and foreign tourists, the park will be the first entertainment and educational park where visitors will have the reason to stay for more than one-two days. “Russia” Park will become a trademark of the country, where the promotion of healthy living, entertainment and educative functions are closely related to educational and recreational infrastructure, which, moreover, will be commercially attractive. The park will fully reflect the positive developments in the Russian society in recent years. The deadline to register is September 1. To register, and for more information, please visit here.
The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation recently announced the international competition for the architecture concept of the Museum and Exhibition Complex of the National Center for Contemporary Arts.The two stage competition is open to any architectural bureaus, professional architects and early career professionals or young company to propose their design concept of the future museum complex. Participants can submit their proposals August 20 - September 20. To register, and for more information, please visit their official website here.
