In 2011, redevelopment of the Ob River embankment began in Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia, Russia. The plan aimed to transform the industrial zone and fire station into several modern residential areas, connected by a city bike-pedestrian route forming a green corridor all the way to the river terminal. One of these areas along the embankment, the "European riverfront" residential area, is being developed by the real estate company Brusnika.

Like all socialist cities built or developed after World War II, Novosibirsk is characterized by a monotonous urban fabric of multi-story rectangular buildings. Since the 1960s, the so-called "microdistrict" (a group of residential buildings surrounding a public facility) has been the basic and most common urban form.

The "European riverfront" initially followed this Soviet typology, but in 2016, Brusnika decided to reinterpret the existing master plan to favor urban blocks. An urban block in this context is defined as a closed structure built on a plinth, with an internal communal courtyard situated above an underground parking lot. While a microdistrict negates the concept of a street, the block activates its frontage with a variety of retail units on the ground floor, helping to distribute pedestrian flows and form public functions.

To develop a new master plan for the "European riverfront" in 2016, the Dutch firm KCAP Architects & Planners, known in Russia for creating the strategic master plan for Perm, was invited. The core of their proposed concept was the creation of several large urban clusters comprising blocks and towers. These clusters are connected by public spaces—squares with distinct characters. Each square is visually anchored by a 25-story tower and opens onto a landscaped boulevard along the Ob River embankment.

The regular street grid of the "European riverfront" also links the river boulevard with the Soviet-era development situated further inland. Within the residential district, traditional blocks are formed. To ensure a diverse and human-scaled development, the architects applied several principles. First, variable building heights and accent towers serve as dominants and navigational markers. Second, a varied facade grid and active massing, featuring summer rooms such as balconies, terraces, and loggias, add diversity. Third, 70% of the buildings are designed as background architecture, while 30% are landmark structures that attract attention and introduce new functions. Each plot in the "European riverfront" was designed by a different architect, creating a "city within a city."

Today, the "European riverfront" is a large modern residential district with its own embankment, schools, kindergartens, commercial, recreational, and public infrastructure. Thirty-three buildings have already been constructed and occupied, with an additional 12 under construction. The district is home to approximately 12,000 residents, and Brusnika plans to complete the development and construction by 2030.

Credits

Location: Novosibirsk, Vladimir Zarnovnogo, 22

Project team
Developer: Brusnika
Masterplan: KCAP Architects & Planners
Architecture: SVESMI, DROM, Mecanoo, JEMS Architekci, STUDIO MA.G, Stefan Forster, Brusnika Design
Landscape: AFA, Landmark Architects, S&P Architektura Krajobrazu, Novascape, Brusnika Design
Photography: Dmitry Chebanenko

Programme area
Total area: 75 hectares
Completed: 33 buildings totaling 353,215 m²
Under construction: 12 buildings totaling 338,636 m²
Social infrastructure: 3 kindergartens, 2 schools, 1 multi-level parking with coworking space, 1 commercial pavilion
Embankment: 1 km long, fully landscaped

Design: 2016 - Present
Completion: 2018 - Present