Wooden embankment and workout zones: how will Central Park in Skolkovo change

Before the end of this year on the territory of the Skolkovo Innovation Centre the construction of Central Park to be completed, and in November wooden embankment will be arranged near the pond, pedestrian and bicycle paths will be paved. Portal Moscow 24 was informed about this by Chief Architect of Moscow Sergey Kuznetsov.

According to him, it is being formed steady, healthy, and functional environment in Skolkovo now, which will be comfortable for everyone: businessmen, students, teachers, patients of international medical cluster and young families with children. 

Now on the territory which is a part of the innovation cluster a route for pedestrians and bicycle riders is being created with the length of 5km. Four parks in Skolkovo, including: Central, Family, Children’s and Technopark will be connected by a system of paths. The paths are being made winding rather than straight.

 “The structure of paths is winding, smoothly flowing from one path to another. Such curved network will entice people for long walks”, - Chief Architect of the project of Skolkovo Central Park, director of company MADMA + MASA architects Hiroki Matsuura, author and ideologist of the concept of improvement of Skolkovo Gardens explained to the portal Moscow 24.

The paths will be paved with flat large slabs of concrete and granite, and they will be fitted together so that the whole route will be seamless and without joints.

“We proposed to pave paths with large-scale slabs without chamfered edges, by this mean elements of pavement will be tightly adjoined to each other and make an impression of seamlessness of coating. Even a girl wearing high-heeled shoes and mother with a stroller will easily walk on such slabs”, - chief architect of landscape company Arteza Valeria Savinykh told.

Next year guests of Skolkovo will have a chance to visit four parks: Central, Children’s, Family, and Technopark. Now over 14 ha of park area are being improved. “New gardens of the innovation cluster of Moscow vicinity will be waiting for visitors interested in them, they will be open”, - Savinykh noted.

One can start the promenade across the parks from the pond embankment in the Central Park. According to Valeria Savinykh, circular routs for pedestrians and bicycles are being created. They begin from the granite embankment in front of the office building Hyper Cube in Skolkovo. Closer to water an area of the embankment transforms to stairs covered by wooden deck.

“The last stair is very close to the water, one can sit there and touch the water with his foot”, - architect said, remarking that swimming in pond is forbidden.

The pond in Skolkovo had been created long before this territory was allotted for innovation centre. During the past year the pond has been given a new look: the workers removed the garbage, cleared out the water area of silt, strengthened the banks, planted water plants, and put fish in the cleaned water.  

From the Hyper Cube embankment in clockwise direction the route goes to wooden deck. Wide strip with the fence along the water goes round the pound from the south. Then the deck is divided into two paths: the left one goes to the forest, and the right one – to the water. There are several playgrounds in the forest.

 “Children of different age will find the way to enjoy time there, and adults can do sports at workout grounds and using the outdoor fitness equipment”, - Valeria Savinyk explained.

The forest path goes back to the pond and leads across the bridge to the pavilion 1, located on the peninsula. The pavilion with the area of 230 meters is all glass, so that one can enjoy the scenery of the park and water surface in all weathers. A ground with the wooden decking has been built in front of it near the water.

 “One can stand here, enjoy beverages, and, if the tenants desire so, the wooden piers can be transformed to the dance floor. Pavilion with the wooden platform has been constructed for rent, a company up to 60 people can relax or celebrate a holiday there”, - the architect said.

From the pavilion the path leads to the bridges laid on the water, and then brings the footer to the pond bank. Walking along the pond a little, one can return to the embankment of Hyper Cube, as circular route ends right there.

The construction of Central Park, according to Valeria Savinykh, is almost completed. They need only to plant trees and bushes. “New seedlings are planted next to the already growing trees. All healthy trees are being preserved, only sanitary cleaning has been undertaken,” – she marked, adding, that permanent grasses and shrubs have been planted in the park.

It will be possible to ride a bike along the park. The laid bike lane in Central Park was included in the common network of bicycle route across Skolkovo. The bicycle rental is planned to be organized in the pavilion 2 since 2019.

It stands away from the pond. The pavilion overlooks the flowers gardens, recreation site and small woodland. The architects planned to give it to the sportsmen.

“Initially it was supposed that bicycle rental would be there, as well as hall for yoga classes, but the decision shall be taken by management of Skolkovo Centre,” – Valeria Savinykh emphasized.

From Central Park winding paths lead to the Children’s Park, where four colored zones have been created: red, blue, yellow, and pink. Herewith, the equipment, concrete coating and even gardening have been designed according to the color.

“Particularly, blue ground has been planted with blue irises,” – representative of landscape bureau Arteza said. By the way, children playgrounds are already being actively used, children from the nearby school come here.

From the Children’s Park one can go to the Family Park and have a picnic, fly a kite in the cozy meadow, and then have a sit at the table in the gazebo. Valeria Savinykh told that in the family zone they were creating rainbow atmosphere. The species blooming from April to October have been planted in nonlinear strips. The territory in whole is divided in two zones. 

“Stage 1 has been completed this year, and stage 2 will be started in the near future,” – explained the interlocutor of the portal Moscow 24.

For entertainment guests of Skolkovo will go to Technopark. A big glade for mass events, fairs, and concerts is being created there. Now the surface of the glade is being paved with granite tiles, after which, prefabricated pavilions will be mounted there for holding fairs. The rest of the territory of the Technopark has changed its relief, it became hilly.

 “We added some relief to the flat field and complexity of the horizon – made hills of soil. The highest is four meters high, there rest are lower”, - Valeria Savinykh told.

One can arrive by car to the parks of Skolkovo: the innovation cluster has vast parking for guests. Besides, buses and shuttle buses from Moscow run here, and the next year one can also get here by suburban train.

The railway platform Tryokhgorka located 500 m away will be transferred closer to the Skolkovo Innovation Centre. According to the project chief architect, it is only a fifteen-minute walk at a leisurely pace away from the gardens.