Located on the north-facing hillside within the Barvikha Forest near Moscow, where pine and birch trees grow up to 20m high, the Capital Hill Residence is divided into two main components. The first merges with the sloping forested landscape, while a separate volume ‘floats’ 22 meters above the ground to benefit from the spectacular views of the forest over the trees.
Video Courtesy of OKOgroup.com
Some Facts
1. The Project cost a whopping $140 million
2. The project was built for International Businessman Vladislav Doronin
3. The home has a 65 foot-long indoor swimming pool
Courtesy of OKOgroup.com
The client, Russian billionaire Vladislav Doronin, explained to Zaha Hadid, “I want to wake up in the morning and just see blue sky.” Hadid replied “You realize you have to be above the trees?” And so the design met its first challenge.
Courtesy of OKOgroup.com
The form of the residence is defined by its natural topography with fluid geometries emerging from the landscape and remaining partially embedded within the hillside.
Courtesy of OKOgroup.com
“The Capital Hill Residence is, in a way, a celebration of early visionary modernism, from expressionism through constructivism and the visual dematerialisation of architecture, making it appear as something fast-moving and organic, rather than fixed and static. It has Zaha’s signature features of organic intricacy, complexity, of spatial arrangements, a lot of surprises, a lot of craftiness and beauty in the honing of the shape and forms. But even more than that, it is, in the words of both architect and client, a ‘dream house’ — as much fantasy as reality, an idea of architecture that still seems somehow impossible.”
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The residence is organized vertically over four levels. The lower level houses leisure and recreational facilities. The ground floor includes the primary living room, dining, kitchen, entertaining spaces and indoor swimming pool. The residence’s entrance foyer, library, guest room and children’s rooms are on the first floor, while the master bedroom suites with exterior terraces occupy the upper level above the tree tops.
Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects
The two main components of the house are connected by three concrete columns that establish a dialogue between these levels while also functioning as structural elements. Vertical shafts required for circulation and services are located between two of the columns and incorporate a transparent glass elevator and staircase.
Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects
The main entrance to the residence is located on the first floor where three concrete columns intersect with the roof, defining skylights and double-height space. The view to the forest from the living room is framed by a double-curved cast concrete structure that supports the roof while also dividing the living areas.
Project Details
Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects
Engineering: Ant Yapi
General Contractor: Ant Yapi
Facade Contractors: Fibrobeton | Schueco Aygun Aluminium | Sinerji
Lighting Engineers: Symetrys | Lightplanner
Landscape Designer: Dan Pearson Studio
Acoustic Engineering: Sound Space Design
Joinery Fit-Out Contractor: Nergiz
Project text courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects | Images and video courtesy of OKOGroup.com and Zaha Hadid Architects