URBAN PARK COZINESS VALLEY IN POLAR CITY MURMANSK

Competition project, 2021, Cozzey valley, drafted in the team with Dmitriy Ivanov, and Michael Muchin

Competition Objectives

Murmansk, the biggest city located above the Arctic circle, today, is a depressing city. Cold and long winters, the poor infrastructure in the region, and the inadequate connection between the Kola Peninsula with mainland Russia have made this city uncomfortable for living. To solve these troubles, the city’s administration decided to improve the urban environment. The chosen land plot for the future park is located among the Soviet residential quarters and near the huge sports complex ‘Cozzy Valley’. It represents a square territory with the site nearly 0.5 km. The main goal of the project was to create a park with minimum disruptions to nature.

The Kola Peninsula

Located in the far north of Russia, the Kola peninsula is a sparsely populated region that has access to the Arctic Ocean. Bordering Norway and Finland, the Kola Peninsula has always been a strategic region. It was the main reason to found the port Murmansk here at the end of the XIXth century. For centuries the Kola peninsula has been the ancient motherland for indigenous nations, such as the Sami, a small Finland tribe that lived in this region for thousand years. The long history of the region is represented in the cultural heritage of the region. In the Kola Peninsula, one can find the ancient maze or sacred places of the local’s tribes.

1 BBQ ZONE - SAMI SACRAL PLACES IN SEYDOZERO (900 BC)

The Barbeque zone is hidden in the forest, with the choice of an open space area or a glass pavilion that will provide warmth and comfort on long polar nights. In the design, the motives of the Seydozero landscape, a sacral place of the local Sami tribes. Such attributes as stone steles and fireplaces refer to the shaman temple and should create a mysterious but calm atmosphere.

3 SEAFOOD MARKER - PORT OF MURMANSK ( XIX CENT)

Nowadays Murmansk is famous due to its seafood. And everybody who would like to taste local delicacies is invited to the food court market for a complete immersion into the atmosphere of the city port. The two buildings covered by gable roofs play the role of the south-western park gates.

The timber viewing tower was placed on the western side of the park to make possible the panoramic observation of the park itself and the adjoining forest hills. The shape of the tower was inspired by one of the oldest timber churches in the Kola Peninsula.

4 PORKUAR ZONE - SHIPWRECKS IN TERIBERKA (1915)

The severe image of Teriberka, famous for the scenery lying on the shipwrescks of the ships which were used in the popular Russian movie Lyphiafan, serves as a parkour area for Thrill-seekers.

6 THE CENTRAL AMPITHEATER (FUTURE OF MURMANSK)

The central amphitheater, which plays the role of a meeting point of the active and calm zones, serves as a Stage for performances in summer and of a well-equipped skating rink to brighten up the long polar winter nights. It amphitheater represents the future of the strong city Murmansk community.

5 SKIING GROUND - OPEN MINE IN KIROVSK (1930)

All-season sports equipment rental provides service to lovers of freestyle skiing, snowboards, scooters, or roller skates. And steep ramps for skiing refer to the terraced slopes of the mines of Kirovsk