After receiving the contract from the developer Pioneer, we worked together with the architecture practice Tsimailo Lyashenko and Partners to develop a landscape architecture concept of a low-rise block ‘OPUS’. In this project, the architecture and the landscape architecture work as a whole adding to and enhancing one another.

OPUS landscape design primarily means working with space inextricably connected to the architecture of the low-rise block. The site sits on the riverfront and that defined its shape and a general idea for the landscape architecture concept. The area is nominally divided into two parts: a public one next to the business centre and a private one within residential space. Each of the areas has its own meaning and evokes different emotions, which is why it was important to find the right content for them, however retaining the site’s common idea.

Public space with a promenade adjoining the business-centre represent a two-dimensional sculpture inspired by air bubbles in ice. This area is not only about the visual component, but about functionality too. Here you can find areas to meet people, to socialize or work in the open, as well as an area for outdoor activities.

The yard area of the residential part is formed with landscaped hills of different shapes. The inner courtyard is made up of five hills that resemble pebbles in shape. In the centre of the courtyard there is a playground: “The Cave”. Its unusual shape and content allow children to create different game scenarios on their own – a child can choose to be anyone from a mountain climber who reaches summits to an explorer of caves with stalactites and stalagmites.

The outside yard boasts calm and cozy atmosphere. The curved slopes of the hills symbolize water flowing and create the feeling of safety and being one on one with nature. Recreational areas with canopies, swings, hammocks and sun beds are evenly distributed across the territory in hill cavities and are surrounded by bushes and trees. This will help residents and guests of the block enjoy the solitude and forget the noise of a big city for the time being.

A special attention is given to the development of street furniture. Main materials we used are wood, satin-finish steel and architectural concrete with inclusions of natural granite.

Vegetation, illumination and paving are important connecting elements throughout the territory. When working on the planting plan, our team made an emphasis on the sculptural nature of the hills and on creating a sense of a verdant oasis, however retaining the wilderness-characteristic chaos. The thoroughly selected assortment of plants let us achieve monochromatic palette by turning down plants with multi-coloured flowers and going for the plants with the same colour of the foliage.

To illuminate the territory, we used three light typologies: the lowest bollard lights frame the hills perimeter accentuating their curves; medium-height bollards sit a little bit higher and form the sculptural shape of the hill; at the top of the hills there are tall lampposts that softly diffuse the light that makes its way through the lace-like trees’ canopies.

For paving, we used natural materials: granite and pebbles. The prototype of the laying pattern was a river sand bed – the curves repeat and complement the shapes of the hills creating the effect of a slow stream.