One office building. Two site options. ↗
An existing office concept adapted to two new sites. Both options worked; parking strategy was the principal cost difference.
01
Density and the urban environment
Asteria is a concept for a dense economy-class residential complex on Talalikhina and Geroyev Khasana streets in Vladivostok. The programme includes many compact apartments and studios, outside the central part of the city. Within these conditions, we aimed for a restrained complex that would be pleasant in everyday use.
Three tall buildings occupy sloping terrain and are separated by a street. Design therefore had to extend beyond the façades of individual towers. The task was to establish a coherent urban environment, connecting buildings, entrances, public uses, courtyards and routes between the different parts.
The principal focus was what residents experience around their homes. Active lower levels, access to the kindergarten, planting and landscape should help hold the complex together despite its density. The site plan shows how these decisions relate to building placement and the surrounding streets.
02
Connections above the street
Ground floors are predominantly allocated to commercial and public uses. They create active frontages at the point where the residential development meets the city. Rather than a closed base beneath the towers, premises and entrances face the pedestrian environment along the street.
An integrated kindergarten is included in the complex. A bridge connects buildings across the street, allowing residents to move between parts of the development and reach the kindergarten without crossing the carriageway. This connection responds directly to the site being divided by a road.
The terrain also informs ground-floor arrangements and entrances, linking rooms to street level at different heights. The bridge and coordinated lower parts help the buildings read as one complex. The views show not only the bridge itself but also the space beneath it, commercial façades and entrance areas.
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03
Landscape at several levels
Landscape was developed at several levels. Planted courtyards occupy the podiums, while a square across the road includes play and sports areas. These spaces complement one another: the life of the complex extends into both its courtyards and the public spaces alongside the homes.
Landscape elements, furniture and play equipment were selected for the project, with planting developed separately. We wanted the landscape to have its own character and relate to the architecture rather than feel like an unrelated collection of objects. Courtyard views show flowing forms, places to rest and natural-style equipment.
The work went beyond atmospheric images. The podium axonometric explains the positioning of activity areas, equipment and plants relative to entrances and changes in level. It makes the organisation of the space visible. Landscape became one of the most carefully developed and significant parts of the concept for us.
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«I really like how the landscaping turned out here. It feels pleasant.»
Alexander Gast, architect · translated from Russian
04
Soften the perceived height
The tall buildings have simple volumes. The aim was to retain restrained architecture while reducing the impression of one large continuous mass. Each tower was therefore visually divided into two blocks, white and coloured, with different effects on how the volume is perceived.
A second device breaks the repetitive window rhythm. Irregular openings and shifts in air-conditioning baskets make the façades less monotonous. The baskets form part of the composition: technical elements contribute to the building's pattern rather than appearing as unrelated objects added after design.
A shared palette connects the buildings, while the divisions help each tower read as smaller parts. Commercial lower levels and landscape also soften its scale. The gallery's overall view explains the separation of volumes; the façade fragment shows how windows and baskets work at closer range.
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05
From public space to building detail
The concept progressed to detailed layout studies. Residential floor plans, apartment mix, parking and entrance arrangements were coordinated with the client. With many compact apartments, internal organisation needed to align with the building volumes and their connections to the site.
Regulatory and structural questions were discussed during development. Connections, lobbies and other circulation details needed to be considered within the plans rather than left to an unspecified later stage. This planning work formed part of the architectural concept and established a basis for further design.
Underground parking and a separate parking block were coordinated with the terrain and public uses. The latter includes a commercial frontage and a sports area on its roof, making it part of the urban environment. The expandable drawings below give examples of a residential floor and parking layout.
Explore example floor and parking plans
06
Check the effect on neighbours
Sunlight studies covered the complex and its courtyard spaces as well as neighbouring housing. In a dense setting, checking the proposed buildings alone is insufficient: it is also necessary to identify which surrounding façades are shaded and how direct-sunlight duration changes.
The drawing is an example of this work on neighbouring homes. Colours distinguish façade planes with different durations of sunlight, supported by a short legend. The diagram locates areas of concern without requiring the reader to interpret the technical album as one extensive table.
These results provided a basis for discussing the effect on neighbours and possible further actions with the client. At the concept stage, this analysis helped identify areas requiring more detailed assessment. Overall, the album connects building organisation, analytical checks and the quality of open spaces within one developed architectural system.
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Direct-sunlight duration on façade planes in the source study. Original labels are in Russian; values do not establish compliance for every apartment.
Project team and period
Chief Project Architect: Alexander Gast. Project manager: Olga Nabasova. Architects: Konstantin Tarabanov, Vasily Redkin, Nikita Zarytov, Evgeny Kwon, Stepan Mironov and Olzhas Kausyl. Site-plan consultant: Stanislav Yareshko. Visualisation: Anna Kharlamova. Post-production: Mikhail Korotkov. Graphic design: Elena Rodionova.
Source concept album dated 4 June 2025.
