A few words about the context

It is important to emphasize the aspects of the urban planning context that have become the premises for our project.

1. Firstly, Ligovsky Prospekt is one of the main streets of St. Petersburg, forming a significant part of the historical center. At the same time, it has its own special character, including due to the existence of industrial enterprises here at different times and intersections with different railways. Here, first of all, it is worth noting the San Galli Iron Foundry, located in the immediate vicinity of this territory. All this creates a certain industrial spirit – the spirit of life, movement, and a certain diversity. Therefore, we assume that our project can not only fit into the large-scale structure of the historical center, but also operate with quite dynamic and modern concepts.

2. On the other hand, as in any part of the historical center, the character of this territory is dominated by the traditional principle of firewall construction and the principle of a classical wall with openings. This can be seen on most buildings, with the possible exception of completely new ones from the post–Soviet era. For our project, this is the basis for maintaining the order and harmony of facades based on historical principles: proportions and attention to detail.

3. The third premise is that there is quite heavy traffic on Ligovsky, and especially in this part of it. Therefore, it is important that the metro lobby is well articulated in the middle of the projected and existing facade line.

4. I would also like to say about the context that the volume of the building forms two different public spaces, the forecourt and the street. The functionality of the rooms forming the facades from two opposite sides is also different. In this regard, it seems correct not to link these facades to each other in terms of the image of the facades or their materials. Here, the effect that our building has on the viewer in a certain part of the urban space is important.

Project

1. Proportions
The very first thing in our concept is to understand the proportions of the volumes that form the appearance. We have adopted a three–part system - a deep ground floor, a clearly defined main volume, a raised one above the ground, and an attic floor. Attic allows you to make the proportions of the building more elegant, deducing the last floor from the "formula" of the object. This is important because, in our opinion, the original shape of the building has too heavy dimensions.

2. Order
As already mentioned in the context description, matching the large–scale structure of the historical center is one of the main objectives of our project. First of all, we propose an ordered volume of the building with a uniform rhythm of window arrangement, which presents the traditional relationship between the material surface of the wall and the opening in a slightly non-standard way. There is an inversion of windows on our facade, which turn from classic recessed openings into small bay windows. This inversion, in our opinion, does not interfere with the calm combination of volume with surrounding objects, which is quite important in such a diverse context. The only thing that transforms the isomorphism of the facade is the showcase of the metro museum, which creates desimetry, being still subordinate to the general facade grid.

3. The accent
Articulates the entrance to the building and the entrance to the Kolonna – Atlant metro station. It appears as an energetic and dynamic atomic sculpture, as if supporting the entire building. At the same time, it combines a tectonic element with a dynamic one, which is consonant with the dynamics of the railway and metro.This object has many connotations, it is a kind of collective image. You can also imagine the fountain of the Ligovsky Canal, which seems to be making its way out of the ground. This is also a modern pixel interpretation of the atlas supporting the building. There is, of course, a reference to the glass columns of Avtovo, which have become iconic for residents of St. Petersburg and connoisseurs of Soviet architecture. In our project (in the visualizations), the column is made of glass blocks. However, we assume that the appearance will not suffer significant changes if the column is made of ceramic. In addition to the above connotations, this volume articulates the entrance group very clearly, and also, in contrast to the existing clearly outlined facade of the main volume, creates a vivid and memorable image authentic to Ligovsky Prospekt. In our opinion, the time has come for bold decisions that could enter the treasury of architecture in St. Petersburg and beyond.

4. Theater The facade on the station square is an image of a theatrical scenery, representing St. Petersburg as a city of art and creating spatial intrigue due to the artificial formation of depth. This composition consists of undulating surfaces with different amplitudes, with motifs from the world of railway transport perforated on it. This solution masks the engineering rooms well, which are mostly located on this facade, and also creates dynamics.

Project team: Ilia Ermolaev; Valentine Kogan; Vasilisa Polechina.