MULTI-PURPOSE COMPLEX GAGARIN SQUARE

MULTI-PURPOSE COMPLEX GAGARIN SQUARE

1 Southwark Square, London SE1, UK
Project: 2009 -
Client: Henry George Ltd

Authors of the project:

Architects: Nikita Yavein, Valery Kulachenkov, Vladimir Lemekhov, Vasily Romantsev, Vladimir Parfyonov

Project consultant: Jonathan Dransfield (UK)

Structural engineers: Flint & Neill (UK)

Model: Yakov Itzikson (Studio44)

RUSSIAN MOTIVES/SHAPE
The architecture of the "rocket" - shaped residential building is inspired by the reminiscence of one of the most important and spectacular events of the 20th century. 55 years ago, on 12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin was the first man to travel to the Earth orbit aboard the «Vostok-1» spaceship. After the flight, the cosmonaut immediately became a most recognizable man on the planet. The iconic image of Yuri Gagarin is still one of the most popular and frequently reproduced in world culture, and his name has become the synonym of courage and fortitude. With our design we pay homage to this outstanding person.

Residential building comprises a total of nine apartments – four of them occupy one floor and the other five are located on two levels connected by an inner staircase. All of the apartments have circular plans and will provide extensive panoramic views of the both banks of the Thames. The stairs and lifts between the storeys are placed in a rectangular volume attached to the "rocket". The cone-shaped top of the building will contain a museum area. On some levels, the spaces between the exterior facade and the metallic grid enveloping the perimeter of the building will be interpreted as the triangular balconies of the apartments.

RUSSIAN MOTIVES/ELEMENTS
KOKOSHNIKS
Geometrical patterns viewed through the prism of Russian Avantgarde.

DIAMOND RUSTICATION
Traditional rusticated masonry was used to give visual weight and massiveness to the wall. In our project, diamond rustication is interpreted in a rather provocative way: faceted 'stones' are separated from each other by narrow light embrasures in the wall. Here, rustication acts as a pure decorative element, which contributes to the playful and theatrical character of the facade.

Data
Gross floor area – 11 484, 15 sq. m
Usable area – 9 500,43 sq.m, this includes:

Restaurant, bar – 1372,02 sq. m
Administration – 290, 82 sq. m
Tea museum – 312, 94 sq. m
Academy – 1611,33 sq.m
Rehearsal – 1142, 83 sq. m
Retail/offices – 1675,05 sq. m
Residential – 2002,07 sq. m
Structural volume – 42 436 cub.m

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