Team Zaryadye visited the U.S.

In February, the Russian team of the Zaryadye Park project, headed by the chief architect of Moscow, Sergey Kuznetsov, visited the United States. In New York, an extended meeting was held with the participation of all the consortium, and in Chicago they met with the leading American parks planner Edward Uhlir who gave a detailed tour of his brainchild Millennium Park for the visitors from Russia.

The main theme of the meeting that was held in the office of the architectural bureau Diller Scofidio + Renfro in New York, became the parameters of the technical specifications and terms of the future contract with the consortium. At the meeting Russia was represented by the chief architect of Moscow — Sergey Kuznetsov, Andrey Beluchenko — the customer’s representative, Peter Kudryavtsev — partner at Citymakers, and Maxim Kandybaylo — the project manager. “We were able to discuss almost all of the questions on the agenda in a constructive way. This meeting confirmed that we are moving in the right direction,” commented Sergey Kuznetsov on the outcome of the meeting.

Before returning to Moscow, Zaryadye’s Russian team visited Chicago where they met with Edward Uhlir, a leading U. S. parks planner and the author and executive director of the famous Millennium Park Incorporated. Uhlir is one of the consultants of the Zaryadye Park project, sharing invaluable experience in creating and maintaining a park in the center of a metropolis. During the detailed tour of his brainchild, he spoke about how Millennium was founded and built, and how it is operated and managed today. At the request of the Russian colleagues, Edward Uhlir paid particular attention to the established system of financing the park, as well as experience in large scale concert halls in the scope of a park. The latter boasts one of the world’s best speakers, although it is not designed for use in the cold season and from this point of view Uhlir emphasized the project of Zaryadye Park which provides the ability to use the infrastructure all year round.

“Visiting Millennium Park has confirmed that in Moscow we are implementing a completely unique park design which in terms of complexity and dendrology will be virtually without parallel in the world and will set a new level of ’park construction,’” said Sergey Kuznetsov.

The creation of Zaryadye Park is a landmark initiative which marks a new approach in the organization of city public spaces and the environment in general. Incorporating the latest advances and technologies in this area, Zaryadye will be an exemplary park of the 21st century, a new iconic sight of Moscow and an integral part of the “green necklace” of the historic center. Certainty in the successful implementation of the project is assured by the participation of a professional international team led by the famous architectural firm of U. S. Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The group of authors who are offering a diverse multicultural approach to the concept of creating a modern park based on the unique characteristics and traditions of Moscow and Russia were selected through an international architectural competition.