MVRDV-led consortium to refurbish historic Serp & Molot factory site in Moscow

Preserving the rich history of an iconic site while modernizing any aspect of its design is always a tricky feat. For MVRDV, one of their latest competition wins is redeveloping the urban plan of the historic Serp & Molot (Hammer & Sickle) Factory. Located east of Moscow's city center, the 58-hectare factory site has become over-vegetated and neglected over time.

MVRDV led the consortium consisting of Proektus from Moscow and Laplab from Rotterdam. In the two-stage competition, the jury gave the highest scores to MVRDV, who was chosen out of a shortlist with LDA Design (UK), Ateliers lion Associés (France), Mega Project (Russia), and De Architecten Cie. (Netherlands).

The project, which has a total investment estimated at 180 billion Rouble, is expected to be complete in 2021.

Check it out below.

Project description:

"Built in 1884, the Serp & Molot steel factory in Moscow was a stronghold during the Russian revolution. In the past decades it fell into disrepair – unused and overgrown with plants. How could the remarkable history of the steel factory be combined with the demands for the creation of a new, attractive, modern urban neighbourhood in the centre of the Russian Capital?"

"MVRDV’s winning scheme builds upon the current layout and identity of the site. By taking the characteristic factory streets, buildings and objects as starting points, a new layer is added to the neighbourhood. Historical structures such as large chimneys and pipes are preserved and other structures are integrated into new buildings. Large factory halls are replaced by urban blocks that follow the footprint of the old factory with additional green courtyards. By partitioning the blocks further into segments and applying different densities the plan diversifies the area. Ground floor spaces are reserved for public facilities and retail. This leads to a vivid, green, complex and highly dense urban plan which strongly respects the character of the site."

"An existing factory transport ring will be repaired and become part of a park that will form a three-dimensional spine for the new neighbourhood. This public urban space will house playgrounds, sports facilities, open air markets and pavilions. Schools and day care centres are connected to this ring park. On top of the transport ring a sky walk can be made in between the tops of the trees, overlooking the surrounding neighbourhood."

"Next to housing, offices and retail the new neighbourhood will also include schools and a local hospital. The urban quarter will be developed in phases and create space for 19.000 inhabitants and 16.000 work spaces."

Project details

Location: Moscow, Russia 
Year: 2014 
Client: JSC Don Stroy Invest.
Program : 1.8 million m2
Budget : undisclosed

Credits

Design Team: Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries with Jeroen Zuidgeest, Klaas Hofman, Mick van Gemert, Johannes Pilz, Piya Limpiti
Partners: Landscape and Urban Design: LAB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 
Urban Design & Planning: Am Proektus, Moscow, Russia 
Engineering : PROMOS, Moscow, Russia

Images courtesy of MVRDV.

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