The Golf club in Skolkovo has gathered a stellar team of architects and designers for ten years, which is being replenished with new names. Architect and aspiring golfer Mikhail Ryabov tells about what is happening on the territory of this closed institution, and photographer Alexander Volodin shared pictures of the golf club that he took on his iPhone 12 PRO.

The golf course in Skolkovo is the work of Jack Nicklaus, also known as the Golden Bear. This is a legendary player from the pantheon of golf glory, who became a great architect of golf courses. When designing and building the Skolkovo Club, he was inspired by his main creation — Muirfield Village in Ohio.Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO

For five centuries, golf has gone an incredibly interesting way. The fun of poor Scottish shepherds — driving cobblestones into rabbit holes with sticks — has acquired many traditions, rules, acquired strict etiquette, terminology and has become an attribute of a successful lifestyle. The first discovered mention — a decree banning this game — dates back to the middle of the XV century. The soldiers spent so much time behind it that their archery skills began to yield to the enemy. However, fifty years later, King James IV became a golfer himself and lifted the ban. 

From the entrance, the clubhouse designed by Shigeru Bana looks quite impregnable.

Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO

The golf club in Skolkovo is a little more than 100 hectares, the territory is half of Monaco. To cross the entire field, bypassing all the holes, is no longer an easy task. The decision to build a club here arose ten years ago from the Millhouse company — this is part of its large-scale project to develop the territory in Skolkovo. It took two years to change the terrain and create reservoirs. A system of ponds was dug and hills were filled in. The power lines were hidden underground. I bet you won’t notice this detail right away, although it’s what gives the landscape its charm. 

The building of the club house on the side of the fields — with a terrace and an open fireplace.

Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO

Since the club is private and closed, to say that the building is included in the top list of the architectural collection of modern Moscow, although fair, is not entirely correct. It is impossible to enter the territory “from the street” just to take a walk and look around. You can, by paying a membership fee, become part of the golf community. For a short period of its existence, the Skolkovo Golf Club has already gathered an impressive list of participants, its own productive team and is very selective in recruiting new candidates to its ranks. Club membership is restricted for the sake of comfort. Who would like to be breathed in the back of his head, and the time limit for passing all the holes is reduced to offensive?

Ilse Crawford was engaged in the interiors of the club house. Clean and lightweight zoning solutions, natural materials and textures represent a very modern understanding of comfort.

Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO

Ilse Crawford was engaged in the interiors of the club house. Clean and lightweight zoning solutions, natural materials and textures represent a very modern understanding of comfort.

Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO

The first season took place in 2014. At the same time, the clubhouse of Shigeru Ban’s authorship was opened. Ban hails from Tokyo, although he does not like being called a Japanese architect. This building is a materialized Zen teaching, which is based on submission to nature and the path to wisdom through its contemplation. It is cozy, bright and incredibly calm. Thanks to the original use of the relief drop from the entrance side, the building flows into a minimalistic wall-an arc of mighty columns-trunks branded for Shigeru Ban. The narrow light slits between them are glazed. The main entrance — a transparent opening — acquires monumentality due to the horizontal visor. The building is deployed as an amphitheater towards the fields. Behind the panoramic glass, as if behind an open curtain, the terrace stage turns into hills. This is the perfect place at sunset — bright amber-golden shades begin to play in the interior created by Ilse Crawford. 

The fireplace room with smooth ceiling shapes and a modernist light lantern in the roof resembles a temple.

Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO

Another pride of the club is the recently opened golf academy. It complements the territory development plan conceived by golf course architect Jack Nicklaus. This is another step towards the completion of the composition, the first part of the future complex at the highest central point of the site. There are no dramatic height differences here, but it is from this man-made hill that the most impressive views of the club’s possessions open. The driving range (training area) stretches in a wide strip towards the main entrance, all eighteen holes with glades-greens are located around the constellation. Circles of neat lawns are woven into an ornament of hundreds of sand traps-bunkers. Liners flying away from Vnukovo soar high overhead. Everything around resembles a perfect picture of the future. The towering forms of the Herzog & de Meuron school and campus beyond the fields add to the futurism. The Swiss architectural duo also took part in the competition for the building of a new club house. Their project provided for a roof in the form of a reservoir that turns into a skating rink in winter. However, the honor of becoming the authors of the construction fell to the French duo Studio KO, known primarily for the magnificent Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech. They started their work in Skolkovo with a golf academy. An important task was to observe the style set by Shigeru Ban throughout the club, and the views on the creativity of both teams can be called related.

Landscape designer Linda Bird has figured out how to cope with the task of an impressive scale: to place 4,500 trees (about 40 species) and 15 species of shrubs on the territory of the club.

Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO

The construction coincided with the quarantine regime and became a definite challenge for the performers. In the work of Studio KO, the most important role is given to working with materials, textures and shades of colors. True pedants of architecture, the French could not leave the project without the supervision of the author. The tactile and aesthetic qualities of the finish were coordinated in Paris, after which the approved samples were sent to Skolkovo. This has turned delivery services into the most important link in construction. The visit of the architects to the finished object at the end of the lockdown proved that everyone coped perfectly. 

The compact building of the academy accommodates an advanced set of equipment on which you can hone the technique of the game all year round. Three halls with fully opening gates allow you to make shots in the field, even when there is snow on them. Golf simulators not only record and analyze every movement, but also give lessons.

Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO

The closing of the golf season allowed the construction of the main clubhouse to begin. Soon this building, harmoniously integrated into the landscape and subordinated to it, will become a new center of attraction. Hopefully, such a method of land use will be more common outside of golf courses. A thoughtful attitude to nature teaches, ennobles and motivates changes for the better. 

The Golf Academy building designed by Studio KO.

Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO

The golf course in Skolkovo is the work of Jack Nicklaus, also known as the Golden Bear. This is a legendary player from the pantheon of golf glory, who became a great architect of golf courses. When designing and building the Skolkovo Club, he was inspired by his main creation — Muirfield Village in Ohio.

Photo: Alexander Volodin. Shot on iPhone 12 PRO