"Two Seas" residential district, urban planning concept sketch
AWARDS: Golden Sign of the International Architecture Festival "Zodchestvo" (2021)
LOCATION: Primorsk, Leningrad Region
PERIOD: 2021
TOTAL AREA: 180 ha
STATUS: Concept
AUTHOR TEAM: Project manager: Alexey Kozmin; expert: Sergey Mayarenkov; architects: Stanislav Sokolov, Natalia Podshivalova, Lidia Khokhlushina, Olga Kalinina, Anastasia Kholyavko, Alexey Sergeev; visualizer: Dmitry Sapachyov; model maker: Innokenty Biltuev.
Description

The design site is located in the northern part of Primorsk, bounded on one side by the sea coast and on the other by existing dacha and gardening communities. Primorskoye Shosse runs through the territory, dividing it into two land plots of comparable size. The land plots are covered with natural forest stands interspersed with cleared areas. The terrain is moderately sloping, rising from the water's edge towards the eastern boundary of the site. In the northern part, there are pronounced elevation changes over a small area.
There are no significant water bodies. The sea coast is actively used for recreation in the summer by both local residents and tourists. Within the design boundaries, there is a Metrostroy holiday camp, several residential buildings, and the ruins and foundations of Finnish-era structures.

Concept

The city's territorial reserves are used for the construction of new housing and social facilities. The urban environment is being densified and acquiring a new quality. The connectivity between different parts of the city is improving.
In the northern part, on land free of forest and along Primorskoye Shosse, a new district called "Two Seas" is being developed, designed for 9,500 residents. The gentle arc of the Primorsk embankment continues, passing along the seashore past the historic Lutheran church, and transitions into the streets of the new district, leading to the central pedestrian square.
A maritime college and a school, along with business and shopping centres, form a square that opens towards the sea via a pedestrian street lined with shops and cafés. "Two Seas" – the Baltic Sea and a sea of forest – offers a comfortable living environment. A landscaped Primorsky Park with equipped beaches and an embankment. Residential buildings integrated into the natural environment. Convenive access roads in different directions, public transport, underground and surface parking. More dense development with comfort-class apartments is located on the site of an old clearing, while detached buildings with business-class apartments are situated along Primorskoye Shosse.
The new district includes all necessary infrastructure. New kindergartens, a school, and a polyclinic. Cafés, restaurants, shops, and entertainment facilities. A sports centre with a swimming pool is located on the seacoast, using the open waters of the strait during the warmer months.