Central Park of Zavodoukovsk, Tyumen region

Before the comprehensive improvement in 2021, Zavodoukovsk's Central Park was just a small pine forest, yet it always had chances to become a popular leisure spot, given its prime location in the city centre. In 2020, Zavodoukovsk won the All-Russian state competition for projects to create a comfortable urban environment for small towns and historical settlements. The main victory of the project was to unlock the potential of the park as a public space for various groups of visitors without disturbing the natural landscape of the place. The idea of an ecopark is the basis of the project concept. The concept is revealed in design approaches, functional zones arrangement, architectural and colour solutions and chosen materials. The main idea is a careful attitude to the existing ecosystem of the place, paying special attention to the preservation of the pine forest. The new functional zones of the park respond to the existing natural areas of the park: the arrangement and dimensions of the playgrounds are related to the existing forest glades; through-park transits are designed along existing paths and their fluid-permeable covering does not disturb the root system of trees. The paths are designed along existing trails and not a tree was harmed. All throughways in the park are designed with permeable pavement - granite screening. The project has preserved all healthy trees in the park, the architectural solutions take into account each tree and fit stylistically into the local landscape. Thanks to the project, a stream and a pond, which had been waterlogged for a longtime, were returned to the park. The project involved clearing the pond and placing plants to prevent the area from getting waterlogged again. In order to create a popular space, the creators have provided activity zones and areas relevant for different ages: a promenade, retail (cafes), event, play and sports grounds, places of peaceful recreation, a rope course for active recreation, as well as observation decks and photo zones. The large sports zone includes streetball, table tennis, badminton and street fitness equipment. Instead of the old dance floor at the event zone there is now an amphitheatre and a stage with a canopy. The rest of the park is a "quiet" zone for peaceful walks among the pine trees and along the water. Local nature has become a source of inspiration. The vertical rhythms of the pine trees are echoed by the fences of the embankment and the sports ground, the play area has natural small architectural forms made of wood, and the unique fences of the embankment are the image of the pine forest. The water mill refers to the agrarian history of the city. Colours, textures and materials are close to natural shades. The main bright accent in the park is the sports ground. However, its fencing also supports the natural aesthetics of the park. The playground is also made of natural materials. The main covering is wood mulch. The rubber covering is added locally to create a play route. It is possible to jump between the islands of rubber covering, which creates a new play scenario. After the improvement, the park has truly become one of the main event venues of the city: festivals, summer and winter holidays, sports competitions, master classes and fairs are held here. Regardless of the time of year and day, the park's grounds are extremely popular among the city's residents. Contact e-mail/: info@mfour. ru Other participants /: List Bureau, LiDS Company, Blok Bureau, Zavodoukovsk City Administration, Titan-profile construction company Photo credits /: photo by Maxim Loskutov