Nagatinsky Zaton Subway Station Concept
Modern subway inspired by nature. Combination of the rapid lines and smooth forms, tranquility and dynamics, cold gray and rich brown. The balanced contrast.
Just like it often happens in nature, complicated things sometimes pretend to be simple, and simple things at first can seem complicated. The the Nagatinsky Zaton metro station concept is the same, in its basis there are circles converging to the center, simple forms reflecting complicated evolution process which has happened in this area and in this city.
There were small lakes here before, and later the new riverbed of the Moskva River has been formed, and everything that is left from the old area is this island. The island is our concept basis. On the island there are a lot of beavers, they even call it Bobrovsky island, and sure, there are a lot of dumped trees here, too. A tree and its rings by which it is possible to see its age and history — this is the concept basis, too. Moscow with its development by rings, radial roads and lines of the subway are essence and basis of the concept too. Besides, the new station will be a part of the third transfer ring. So, these rings which might seem simple at first, actually reflect a huge number of events and details, important for history of the place.
The color palette and materials solution are also inspired by the area nature. Two colors are the basic ones — very quiet gray, just like smooth water surface, and rich brown, like trees and bushes. Porcelain tile panels with textural concrete and ceramic plates with texture of corten steel are used both for the platform and lobby interior.
Rings form the station interior — passengers are met by round cash desks, circles decorate the station pavilion. The volume solution of rings makes the station expressive and gives it additional scale, forms depth — walls of the station platform are decorated by convex half rings, benches are organically inscribed in part of them. The ceiling and the wall of the platform are lined respectively with corten steel-like metal and ceramic plates of similar structure. This solution strengthens depth and creates bright contrast.
The station lobby has the strict and structural form. To provide this, accent and decorative lighting is used. In general the project implies complex light decisions that create additional volume and increase the comfort of passengers.
The ground pavilion is performed in the form of strict and simple volume in which the rings forming the entrance portal are inscribed. Imposing of rings forms the pavilion entrance group. This particular solution looks modern and at the same time sends us to the history of subway construction. The main material in the pavilion finishing is polished concrete. Infrastructure is also subordinated to the main concept — the rings which are laid out by stone blocks, narrowing to the pavilion entrance.
