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Russia

Karres en Brands was commissioned together with Strelka KB to develop a landscape strategy and architectural design for one of Russia's most beautiful nature reserves. The goal of the project is to provide a unique visitor experience while at the same time preserving and enhancing local ecologies.

Recognizing the beauty and environmental sensitivity of the area, the main idea focuses on the concept of "near touch": This state of suspense positions human intervention as an alien keeping its distance from the context but highlighting both nature and architecture at the same time.

Recognizable objects with a minimal footprint provide shelter or a unique experience of nature, tailoring their response to various ecologies. They amplify the experience and strengthen the relationship between people and nature. The family of objects includes carefully choreographed pathways that take the visitor through the nature reserve as well as a family of architectural interventions providing shelter and a unique experience of nature. All interventions make use of local, sustainable, modular, and fully removable materials and structures.