Rental housing in Russia is underdeveloped and mostly restricted to Moscow. DOM.RF, an institute for housing development in Russia, is promoting the concept of institutional investment jointly with local developers. Aiming to design tailored housing in each Russian city, it secures long-term rental in revamped apartments with good household facilities.

A rental home in Southern Quarters housing estate completed by Brusnika presents a similar project in Yekaterinburg. Southern Quarters is a large-scale redevelopment scheme scheduled for the nearest ten years. It will feature new housing with a rental home, schools and kindergartens, sports facilities, parks and alleys.

The rental home is an enclosed bock of multiple-height houses of 7, 9, and 17 storeys. The house features underground parking and commercial premises for shops, cafes and other practical amenities on the ground floor. Hidden inside the building is a secluded courtyard for tenants with spaces for walks and recreation. 300 out of 381 apartments, with an area ranging from 17 to 100 square metres, are reserved for tenancy. Each apartment to let is a comfortable place to live in, equipped with furniture and household appliances.

The architects of Brusnika developed the concept and layouts for the rental home. The building facades have three levels of horizontal division: the foundation, body and roof structure. Vertical articulation secures frontage diversity to escape monotony, visually perceived as three separate buildings and a 17-storey tower. The facades match each other, slightly differing in colour scheme, window placement and summer premises: balconies, recessed balconies and terraces.

The ground floor frontage features business and commerce, while apartments with terraces and separate entrances face the inner yard. Upper floor flats also comprise terraces - some are small and cosy, fit for a morning coffee, others are more spacious, conveniently housing a private garden or an outdoor cinema.

The courtyard of the house is private and designated for residents only. Its focal point is an orange pipe, an art object binding the surrounding landscape. The art object divides the yard into functional zones: a playground with a swing and a slide, a sports ground with pull-up bars, and a recreational area. The pipe goes up above the paths to accommodate an adult passing under. Landscape architecture translates into green hills of varying heights and curving paths in brushed concrete. This approach makes the house human-scale-friendly. Another element of the yard is an evergreen hedge maze hiding wooden deckchairs and a small fountain. The zone is a quiet recreational space, respecting privacy and creating pleasantly shady spots on a sunny day.

Following its completion in 2022, the renting home has welcomed its tenants. The pilot project in Yekaterinburg provides an example for future planning and designing rented housing in Russia.

Project team
Masterplan: KCAP
Architecture and layouts: Brusnika. Design
Landscape design: Karres Brands
Completion: Brusnika
Rent management: DOM.RF
Photography: Ilya Teplov, Alyona Skala, Alexander Yantushev

Volumetric data
Total floor area: 26560 m2
Residential premises GFA: 17072 m2
Apartments: 381
Parking: 74 parking spaces

Design: 2019
Completion: 2020-2022