Diller Scofidio + Renfro visited Zaryadye Park under construction in Moscow

The authors of Zaryadye Park concept — the representatives of American bureau Diller Scofidio + Renfro, companies Hargreaves Associates and Transsolar — made a working visit to Moscow. Architects stated that their main ideas were being performed though the park would be accounted for a wider range of visitors than previously intended.

A partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro Charles Renfro, an architect of bureau David Chackon, landscape architect and managing partner of the company Hargreaves Associates Mary Margaret Jones and consultant on company environment of Transsolar Nadir Abdessemed held a series of meetings with Moscow authorities, general contractor of park and architecture companies engaged into the project, and also got acquainted with construct work progress.

“We can tell that the main project ideas specified in the initial concept are being performed at the present time, — said a partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro Charles Renfro. — We came to make sure that we are moving in the correct direction, and also intent on application of our knowledge and skills at the concluding stage of construction”.

American architects consider the fullest application of the idea of “natural urbanism” to be one of the main objectives. “It is not a typical city park, and it should not create an impression of a „rude“ landscape with trees, — explained Renfro. — There should be a „soft„ environment with comfortable ways of movement“. As explained by Americans, they want to reassure that the construction is moving in this direction despite of the increase of visitors and appearance of different sights in the park. „As before, we consider that this park shall be a kind of surrealistic discover within the city, a place that looks like nothing on earth“, — said Renfro.

Zaryadye Park will be twenty-four-hour all-year and absolutely passable for visitors, said Sergey Kuznetsov, Chief Architect of Moscow and the Head of design engineering group of the park. „One can get there practically from any point of the perimeter — from Moskvoretskaya Embankment, from the side of Vasilevsky descent, from Varvarka street and Kitay Gorod wall. We took a decision to refuse any fences, and a mayor Sergey Sobyanin supported this concept“, — said Sergey Kuznetsov.

Kuznetsov said that the park would be completely adjusted to the groups of people with limited mobility — a relief allows entering the territory without restriction, and there will be special lifts installed from the side of embankment.