ОТРАЖЕНИЕ

Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Site area:  2,5 ha
Pavement area: 12 500 m2
Lawn area: 4 500 m2
Structure area: 4 700 m2
Project team: Stepan Kukharskiy, Alina Chereyskaya
Project year: October, 2015

‘Отражение’ (rus – ‘reflection') project was designed for the “Archichance: Lakhta harbor” competition for the new business area Lakhta center on the north-west of St-Petersburg, Russia (http://www.proektvlahte.ru/ru).
In XXI centure innovations and modern technologies play a big role in our lives: the edge between ‘real’ and ‘virtual’ worlds is dissolving. Time flies faster and the architecture and mostly public spaces can’t be static anymore, that’s why ‘Отражение’ project propose to create a flexible, adaptive and interactive system, based on the context and different life processes.
The main theme of the urban planning in Saint-Petersburg is a continuos system of rivers and channels. The water has a huge meaning: it divides the city into the parts and reflects architecture and everything around. Lakhta center will create a contemporary city silhouette, which has the three main elements of  a historic silhouette: a bridge, a tower and a reflection in the river.
The idea of creating a modern city silhouette reflecting in the Gulf of Finland underlines the design proposal, which is based on the silhouette of the complex, transformed into a pattern correlating with module elements of the architecture of the complex. This ‘reflection’ will be received in a ‘traditional’ way from boats and from the other side of Lakhta harbor or in a ‘modern’ way from floors of the tower and the roof.
The site is the main square in front of the complex, which should be opened for the visual connections and pedestrian movement and enhance the territory of Lakhta center.  The area was divided into two parts:
- The first level is the square. The coastline is left unchanged. A small pier with a Lakhta center symbol is organized along the axis of the skyscraper. Bike path runs along the contour of the site and connects to the bike path on the bridge. In winter time this path can be used as an ice rink. A wooden promenade is designed close to the water. The site is divided into modules based on the masterplan of Lakhta center and its architecture. The whole site is turned into a huge media field, which can reproduce any image, with fountains at the ground level.
- The second level of the site is an undulating structure for protection from rain and snow. The water curtain is designed in the central zone of the square. Pattern ‘reflection’ is covered on the structure with the solar panels. Some modules are made with landscaping with its size increasing to the water. Pontoons were created for better using of the harbor of the Gulf of Finland.
The main part of the users of the square will be office workers, that’s why functional zoning is oriented on the business activity. The zones gradiently change from formal to recreational (from the main entrance in the complex to the water). The whole area is covered by diodes to design a huge media field. The zones: pontoons, wooden promenade, central zone with an interactive water curtain for meetings, art zone, sport zone with sport equipment, conference and meeting zone,  the bridge entrance zone with territory navigation, bike path or an ice rink in wintertime.
‘Отражение’ project delicately  enhances the existing design proosals, creating a modern comfort public space, opened to transformations and variations, in which the water and technologies are catalysts forming the identity and bright look.