London-based AI Studio completes ORDYNKA, a high-end residential project in Central Moscow. ORDYNKA project occupies the site of a famous chocolate factory in the historic heart of Moscow. It consists of seven high-end residential buildings connected by a spacious internal courtyard. The original facades of the factory were renovated to retain their historical appearance.

In contrast to the original buildings, the facades facing the courtyard have an emphatically modern design, with polylines, panoramic windows, large modules of white architectural concrete, natural stone, and anodized copper. These elements give the development an unequivocally modern character. In addition, ORDYNKA features a carefully restored 19th-century merchant mansion, specifically a classic manor house with a portico and two outbuildings.

ORDYNKA project is designed pragmatically, divided into separate objects to address the complexity of hosting such a large structure in the historic city center. To do so, a universal module was used in planning the facades of all buildings. The original facade faces Malaya Ordynka Street, hiding a modern spacious courtyard formed by two linear volumes with 3D facades, interconnected by two raised bridges. The facades are clad in contrasting shades of light stone and dark metal.

The wavy geometric appearance is created with a simple movement of the planes in-ward and outward, forming a regular pattern of "waves". The main feature, the “heart” of the project, is a spacious, linear internal courtyard, unique for this very dense and bustling part of the city. To transform the courtyard into a green, tranquil space, two of the buildings were elevated with the use of stilts. A serene yet modern oasis is achieved by way of landscaping with water, birch and apple trees, cereals, and objets d’art. All entrances to apartments face the focal point of the courtyard – the restored rear façade of the historic mansion, creating a sense of place and community for the residents.

Anton Khmelnitskiy, the founder of AI Studio, says, "ORDYNKA was a painstaking but very interesting project for us. Our goal was to organically install uncompromising contemporary architecture into the context of historical Mos-cow." The project generated great interest in the local property market, winning real estate awards in the luxury category several years in a row. All of the apartments were sold off-plan prior to completion, achieving prices of up to £25K per sqm, making it one of the most expensive residential developments in the Russian capital.

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