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Ekaterina Shkuleva, the chief architect of the Ingrad Project Bureau, a graduate of the Moscow Art Institute, is one of those responsible for the modern look of Moscow. Her look combines a classic approach to design and a desire to experiment. Like many millennials, she appreciates the efficiency of space and comfort, while not forgetting about the traditions and aesthetics of forms.

— Moscow is changing rapidly. What will be the appearance of the city in five to seven years?

— Moscow in many ways follows the path of New York, Singapore and Shanghai, buildings with multi-stage architecture tend upwards, providing maximum functionality. At the same time, a comfortable urban environment is organized around them, in free territories. In my opinion, it is important for the city to use a symbiosis of landscaping and architecture (for example, green roofs). Now we see how many interesting solutions in this direction are being implemented in the capital. This is a positive trend: restoration and adaptation of embankments, maintenance of the historical fund, adaptation of old production sites to the new needs of the city are actively underway. For example, this happened with the “Bottle”, “Winery” and the Trekhgornaya Manufactory, from which the industrial function was no longer required, and they were preserved and transformed. I think that in five to seven years the appearance of buildings will be more embedded in nature and the environment. And all this will create a new and harmonious space in which it is convenient to live, walk, and work.

— Today you are the chief architect of the Ingrad Project workshop. What are you working on now? And most importantly, how do you define the concept of the future project?

— Our workshop has been engaged in complex architectural projects in Moscow for more than nine years. We understand well how to implement the developer’s ideas taking into account the urban planning policy and the vector of development of such a complex and dynamic city as Moscow. If earlier the most interesting architectural solutions were concentrated in the city center, now the transformation is taking place on the territory of the entire capital, which makes me very happy as an architect. For example, for the FGC Group, we are implementing the Architect residential complex in the southwest of Moscow. The visual appearance of the buildings is based on the works of the graphic artist Mauritz Escher — his lithographs and engravings are reflected in the design of three-dimensional futuristic facades. It is especially pleasant that another follower of the Dutchman, artist and sculptor Grigory Maslennikov, in partnership with the developer, will provide a unique art object for the residential complex, combining simplicity, ergonomics, elegance, optical illusions and minimalism. For me, this is an indicator of the successful implementation of the idea of the project itself, which found a response in the artwork.

We are developing another interesting volumetric solution for one of the projects in the Varshavka area. The object is located on the bank of the river, and a large relief difference has set the tone in architecture and landscaping.

— You mentioned unusual forms in architecture. Do you like experiments?

— Yes, very much. I like it when a building is self-sufficient and can set the mood for the whole space. That’s why I’m looking for interesting solutions. Recently, there has been a trend to use three-dimensional facades. We were one of the first to cooperate with manufacturers of volumetric modules for exterior decoration of buildings. After all, it is not only beautiful, but also technologically advanced. The elements of the modular assembly are integrated directly onto the floor.

— What styles and trends are closest to you?

— I really love organic architecture and bio-tech (Frank Lloyd Wright, Santiago Calatrava) — for the picturesqueness of natural forms and functional content, modernism (Antonio Gaudi, Oscar Niemeyer) — for the incredible flight of imagination and the embodiment of form into reality, deconstructivism (Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Tom Main, Rem Koolhaas) — for bold constructive, engineering and architectural solutions.

— Urban projects are becoming more complex, often they combine several technological solutions. What difficulties do you face when implementing?

— When we talk about buildings, it’s not just about architecture. There are many nuances in terms of design, construction, preparation of documentation. Difficulties are usually smoothed out in the process. Sometimes they are caused by the site: for example, there are difficulties with soils in proximity to the river, and we need to work out such schemes that will keep the buildings in functional mode. Sometimes this is due to the moment when the ideas of the designers are conveyed to the rest of the key participants in the process.

It happens that there is not enough space for parking and other useful objects on the objects. We also have restrictions during construction, for example, the presence of security zones, underground utilities, metro, lines of projected roads. After all the restrictions imposed, the number of square meters sold decreases.

— Without what the project may not take place?

— The team that works on it and the inspiring idea are especially important for the project. For example, the basis of the residential complex “Architect” is a hexagon — the personification of love, family and community. If you look at the plan, the buildings are arranged in such a way that they form a hexagon. When working on the project, we wanted to set the right message, perhaps that is why the project has successfully started and is developing.

— Do you have any hobbies that are not related to your main activity? How do you relax, what inspires you?

— It is believed that for an artist and an architect, watching is important, so I really like to travel. We are not necessarily talking about trips abroad, it can be the Moscow region, Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, where I strive to get as much information as possible. I not only go on excursions, but also try to make drawings. I really like watercolor graphics and collage. In the Turkish city of Side, for example, I painted a lot both on the streets and in the museum, where elements of landscaping and decoration of buildings of the past have been preserved.

Photo: Archive of the press service / Ekaterina Regush.

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