The plot was severely degraded during the Soviet period. Turning the desolated waterfront into a public beach and constructing a boating pier for the use of local residents revitalized it.

The accentuation of natural surroundings was at the forefront of our design process, so we had to be very careful to integrate the sizable volume into the existing environment. We covered the whole building with black wood, thus connecting it with natural surroundings and giving it a natural but noble look.

Voids and openings to the landscape create terraces and tunnels. Circulation areas outside the building feature sculptural concrete stairs that rise through openings in the volume and connect the courtyard to the lower-lying waterfront.

There are four stories in total, including a basement with one side buried underground. The structure is built from reinforced concrete.

Parking and storage areas in the basement are connected to the levels above by lifts that open onto spacious staircases with large windows allowing natural light to enter the interior. Exposed concrete surfaces on the ceiling and walls are interspersed with wooden cladding. The floors and stairs are polished concrete.

Each staircase has an entrance from the courtyard. The main entrance lobby is connected to the communal areas. There is a gym, a spa with a pool, a restaurant facing the lake, and a roof terrace to encourage socialization of the residents.

Photos by Ansis Starks