Amsterdam, The Netherlands – UNStudio’s community-focused architectural concept has been selected as the winner for a new 118,000 square metres residential complex at 31 Krzhizhanovskogo Street in Moscow.

The international competition was formulated and organised by Citymakers for project developer Glavstroy, who requested a design that incorporates the historical heritage of the region and contributes to the formation of a local community.

UNStudio’s design proposal for this multifunctional 1.93-hectare complex includes a courtyard park, 71,000 square metres of housing, a kindergarten, fitness center, commercial spaces and underground parking.

Following the approval of a new masterplan for the city in 2012, which allows residential construction on the former industrial territories, Moscow is currently experiencing a construction boom in the residential sector. As a result, the city’s appearance is changing into that a modern Megalopolis. However, this growth brings with it many modern challenges, one of which is the creation of sustainable and healthy communities.

UNStudio’s design for 31 Krzhizhanovskogo Street, ‘K31 Courtyard’, therefore exploits the most advantageous qualities of the 1.93-hectare site to address the challenges of community building within a dense urban setting.

The development is designed to create a prototype of future living that puts the wellbeing of the residents first, encourages indoor-outdoor living, cultivates an atmosphere of home and safety, and provides a range of sustainable social opportunities in this rapidly changing urban environment.