Else-Club, Moscow, Russia. Christine gebert

Transcription

1

2 Else-Club, Moscow, Russia Christine gebert 2

3 The Else-Club in Moscow was designed by the German Architects 4A Architects, who have their headquaters in Stuttgart. The four architects Matthew Burkart, Eberhard Pritzer (partner until 2001), Alexander von Salmuth and Ernst Ulrich Tillmanns founded the architectural firm in This is also, where the name comes from. Today the firm s main focus is on the connection of working environment and leisure facilities. 4A Architects have their own philosophy. They want to create atmosphere. In their opinion architecture affords identity, animation, reflection, fun, orientation and security and it is a process, that always develops. That s why discussions in the team are that necessary during a planning process. In the centre of that team is always the Client: his requirements, his wishes, his opinion and his demand. We don t want our spa projects to fulfill the usual stereotypes such as South Pacific, palm trees, beach, said Ernst Ulrich Tillmanns, they should deal with their specific environment and the relationship between architecture, water and the human need of well-being. In a got the application to design the Else Club. Baden WS 09/10 3

4 URBAN SITUATION The Else Club is located a little outside of the city centre of Moscow in an ecologically safe district. It is situated in the lap of nature, in an atmosphere of privacy and tranquility in a beautiful park, the Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo. This neighborhood offers a great quality of living and public space, which is preferred by diplomats and businessmen. Other residential high-rise buildings, institute buildings, foreign schools, a clinic etc. are all in the direct vicinity. The wellness park itself occupies the two basement storeys of a 25-storeyed residential block, that has already been completed and is partly inhabited. To use the first two storeys for residential purposes is a big problem in Moscow, because they are difficult to rent or sell, presumably for reasons of security. This area therefore lent itself to public or at least semi-public use. 4

5 ARCHITECTURE AND CONCEPT Else means different and that is also the main concept of the Club. To emphasize the different use the wellness division is architecturally completely separated from the upper residential building. A pedestal - which floor plan is larger than that of the residential storeys - is being pushed under the building. The east and west facades are glazed throughout. Revolving lamellas in various, powerfully fresh shades of green have been mounted in front of the glass facades of the second floor. On the one hand these are superimposed as a filter while on the other hand linking inside and outside using the color green. The connection between architecture and nature was also a concept of the interior design, which is inspired by the four seasons. This is reflected not only in a colored interior, but also in using the most avant-garde combination of materials like glass, wood, metal and natural stone. Baden WS 09/10 5

6 AREAS AND THEIR DESIGN The Club is functionally one single unit on two storeys on a ground area of about sqm. For an unlimited stay in any area of the club you need a membership, that costs Euro per year. But a family in Moscow only has an average salary of 400 to 800 Euros per month. That s why there are just about members today - this means, that only 1 person out of 3500 in Moscow has a membership. Now let s have a look at the floor plan, starting with the second floor, because there is the lobby of the Club. There are areas you can also use without being a member of the club. These services are paid separately and that s why these sections are near the entrance and the lobby: the restaurant and the spa area. The areas you can only use with the membership are: the changing rooms for men and women, the Aqua-zone and the fitness area : entrance Hall/Lobby, 2: restaurant, 3: Spa area, 4: Changing rooms for men, 5: changing rooms for women, 6: Aqua-zone, 7: Fitness area And on the ground floor there are the second part of the Aqua-zone, the second part of the fitness area and the sauna area. 6

7 : Aqua-zone, 7: Fitness area, 8: sauna area The entrance is on the northwest corner of the building. Guests reach the club via the entrance staircase or using the panoramic lift at the northwest corner of the building or else using the lift from the underground garage. entrance staircase and panoramic lift, lift from the underground garage Baden WS 09/10 7

8 Entrance hall 1. ENTRANCE HALL: The central entrance area is located on the second floor. Fresh colors and warm light fill the entrance hall. The ground floor is covered with Brazilian green-grey granite and the ceiling is wood-paneled. All of this gives a very colorful impression, that is almost overcrowded, I think. 2. RESTAURANT: The restaurant is divided into two zones: a common hall with forty seats and a tea area, in fact both with the same tables and seats, so in my opinion there is no real separation between the two parts. The architects and the client wanted to create a sophisticated atmosphere of luxury and a touch of bohemian. But I think the material and design of the tables and seats contradict this impression. 8

9 common hall and tea area of the restaurant 3. SPA: This is the highest-quality area of the facility. At the centre there is a relaxation room shaped like a stone, the so called Isle. Its external wall is golden - that shall look luxurious and expensive. It is located in the middle of a decorative pool and can be reached across stepping stones lying in the water. After a resting period, the guest is picked up for his or her Wellness treatment and guided into the treatment rooms, which are lined on the outside. They are completely glazed on the exterior wall. After entering the room green lamellas close slowly to produce an introverted atmosphere. The spa area shall be inspired by autumn, but I would like to know what cowhide, which the treatment rooms are covered with have to do with autumn? isle, treatment rooms covered with cowhide Baden WS 09/10 9

10 6. AQUA-ZONE: The Aqua-zone is a two storeys high barefoot area, which is located in the north section of the building. It can be reached from the entrance hall via the generous communal changing rooms. A free staircase leads from a gallery to the bathing landscape on the ground floor, where there are four different pools. A swimming pool, a leisure pool, a relax pool and a hot Jacuzzi offer a variety of bathing options. The Aqua-zone shall be inspired by winter, so I expected colors like blue, grey, white, light green or purple, but the colors used here are orange, grey, brown, fresh green and a deep purple. The wood-paneled ceiling and orange and green colored walls in fact don t leave an impression of winter. And the pictures look like they are showing many different areas and not the same. relaxation pool, leisure pool by night swimming pool, leisure pool and jacuzzi in the background 10

11 7. FITNESS AREA: The open fitness area is two storeys high and can only be reached from the changing area on the second floor. Rooms for aerobics, spinning, stepping, gymnastics etc. are located on the gallery level. There is a large airspace at the centre with a single-flight staircase, that leads to the ground floor, where further areas with fitness equipment are located. The fitness area shall be inspired by summer and is designed with light natural colors, like green and orange. The floor is covered with bamboo parquet. The colors almost look like in the Aqua-zone, but it really leaves an impression of summer. But the concept is the difference of the areas and this is not completely maintained, I think. airspace with Staircase from the ground floor and from the gallery level the fitness area in comparison with the aqua-zone Baden WS 09/10 11

12 8. SAUNA: The sauna area is located on the ground floor and can only be reached from the Aqua-zone. A bridge across the swimming pool leads to the sauna landscape. There are three areas: the mixed sauna as a non textile-free area, textile-free saunas for women and textile free saunas for men. At the centre of each area there is a shaped stone with a hot whirlpool and a cold immersion pool. Around this there are various saunas, like Tepidarium and Caldarium, Aroma sauna, Russian baths and Finnish sauna, steam baths and coldwater and multi-sensory showers. The sauna area shall be inspired by spring, even if it is the hottest area. The colors are again orange and green likewise the other areas. the shaped stone in the mixed area and in the women s area different saunas: finnish sauna, caldarium CONCLUSION After all my conclusion is, that the Else-Club is not that different as it wants to be. The idea of the four seasons separated in four areas is not really devised and maybe a bit disputable. For example: Why is the sauna section inspired by spring? Shouldn t it be summer inspired, because it is the hottest area? The architects and the client wanted a unique club - but is it really that unique? 12