Mitino Landscape Park
Competition concept for a natural and historical park in Moscow
About the project
A natural and historical park project where a unique landscape and archaeological heritage exist in an inseparable connection.
The idea
The project is based on the idea of the “Culmination of Silence.” The authors proposed to strengthen the park’s main quality: the feeling that the deeper one moves into the site, away from the city edge, the calmer, quieter, and more picturesque the surroundings become. To achieve this, noisy activities are placed closer to the perimeter, while the inner parts of the park are preserved as spaces for stillness, contemplation, and contact with nature. The project is built on three principles: preserve, restore, and improve. Preserve - silence, wildlife, the historic landscape, and archaeological monuments. Restore - the natural qualities of the site and its biodiversity. Improve - entrances, paths, and selected areas, without disturbing the overall character of the place.
Landscape
The landscape part of the project builds on the park’s existing natural structure and proposes to develop it carefully and gradually. The materials place particular emphasis on forest areas, meadows, riparian vegetation, the stream and ponds, as well as on preserving biotopes associated with archaeological sites. Rather than radically transforming the territory, the project works with the environment that is already there, strengthening its natural qualities. The proposal includes measures to expand forested areas, restore orchards, create an arboretum, develop meadow landscapes, and improve the condition of the water bodies and their edges. Protective planting and habitat buffer zones play a special role, helping preserve quietness, reinforce the ecosystem, and support habitats for birds and other animals.
