A city’s history is invariably intertwined with that of the waterway that shaped it. Water is the city’s mirror, reflecting not only its skyline, but the way its people live: how they work and relax, how they relate to nature and the damages it sustains. As times change, rivers and lakes cease to be central to transport and industry. We are reimagining the role of water in contemporary cities, seeking best possible ways for people to engage with it.
In 2011–2012, when the transformation of Gorky Park in Moscow was just beginning, we came up with two proposals: the Olive Beach, which became an instant hit despite the fact that one cannot actually swim there, and the Golitsyn Pond, which we set into a wooden deck. We had clearly struck a nerve, because people flocked there immediately. These were spur-of-the-moment solutions for temporary use. In 2024, we returned to Gorky Park, this time rethinking the entire riverfront from the New Tretyakov Gallery building all the way to Sparrow Hills, creating sports, food, and art clusters for the whole metropolis to enjoy.
When developing masterplans for places with water bodies, we always make these features central to our design proposals. In Tobolsk, for instance, the Irtysh riverfront is set to become a popular leisure destination with a concert hall and interactive pavilion. The city also features several smaller rivers—the Kurdyumka, Slesarka, and others—which could potentially form the basis of a remarkable canal network, becoming the lifeblood of the city and revolutionising Tobolsk’s entire framework while providing vital new connections. These are the kinds of opportunities we uncover, endorse, and incorporate into our projects.
Reclaiming a river can be transformative for people’s lives and the city as a whole. The waterfront by Tula’s Kremlin was once a popular promenade, but in the early twentieth century the land was given over to an industrial site, and until 2018—when we created a new public space there—it remained completely inaccessible. Commissioned by the regional government, our practice designed a new public waterfront where the industrial zone once stood. The river has been cleaned up, and now people are boating and relaxing by the water once again. Through the transformation of the riverfront and the historic neighbourhoods facing it, Tula has become a fascinating place for visitors and locals alike.
Anna Ischenko: “In Tula, the waterfront facing the Kremlin was effectively a no-go zone until 2018—the area was an industrial site, and for decades the Upa River had been polluted with refuse oil and dumped waste. When production finally ceased and the riverfront returned to the city, the question arose: what was it actually for? What to do with it? The city authorities rehabilitated the river, installed hydraulic infrastructure, and cleared the waterfront. The old riverbed filled with water once more, and through our studio’s efforts, the waterfront came alive—people in Tula suddenly discovered a brand new public space. Today, it is the favourite promenade for the residents and a magnet for visitors. It is wonderfully peaceful there—one can walk down to the water’s edge and meditate while watching the flow and listening to the sounds of nature. There is something magical about it all. Water fascinates people, it is always nice and restorative to be near it.”
