Neverland Haven: toward happy childhood

RUDN Peoples Friendship University of Russia

Project idea

As part of the thesis, an architectural solution was proposed for an orphanage located in the village of Zarechye, Moscow region. The house consists of four family-type houses, each of which houses from 10 to 15 children. The main goal of the project is to create the experience of an experimental parenting system that will allow children to gain the missing knowledge and skills, as well as allow them to feel the care and love that they lacked so much.

The peculiarity of the proposed architectural solution is that in each house children will be brought up according to a specific program that will be based on their individual needs. Thanks to this approach, children will be able to get all the necessary knowledge and skills that will allow them to confidently enter life in the future.

One of the features of the orphanage is the possibility of children returning to their parents-educators after graduation. This approach allows children not to lose touch with the "family" and better integrate into society.

The project provides for the use of modern technologies and materials, and also includes innovative solutions in the field of architecture and design that will create comfortable living conditions for children. The implementation of this project contributes to the formation of a healthy lifestyle, the development of creative abilities and self-realization of children.

Keywords: educator, orphan, architecture, family-type orphanage, methods of education, house, architectural solution.

Project description

To design an orphanage, you need a healthy environment, an area with developed infrastructure and accessibility. The place should fully correspond to a comfortable standard of living.
At first, the author's choice fell on the design of an orphanage in Moscow, but later it was concluded that in a big city it is more difficult to monitor children, especially unusual children or children with disabilities, which is not uncommon for orphanages. Therefore, the place of design was moved to the Moscow region. The available distance to the capital, where children can be taken to exhibitions, excursions and other various events, confirms the correctness of the chosen solution.
Zarechye is an urban—type settlement (work settlement) in the Odintsovo City District of the Moscow Region of Russia. The population for 2021 is 10,649 people.
Residential buildings are located near the design site of the orphanage, including the residential complex "Residence Skolkovo", Kindergarten No. 9, Kindergarten "Little Einsteins", Zarechenskaya school, Tennis Center, various grocery stores and coffee shops, and much more are within walking distance.
According to the names of public spaces and residential buildings, it can be concluded that the Skolkovo Innovation Center has a serious impact on the district (see Appendix 6). The center is within walking distance from the design site (1 km). Skolkovo provides special economic conditions for companies operating in Russia and engaged in research activities that meet the strategy of scientific and technological development of the country. Skolkovo is often called the "Silicon Valley of the Russian Federation".
Skolkovo is becoming an increasingly developed center every year, more and more specialists and scientists come there for various congresses, lectures and webinars.
From the point of view of architecture, Skolkovo is also actively developing. For example, the Moscow State University School of Management, which was developed by the famous British architect Ajaye David. The incredible building consists of a lower disk, on which the architect "put" 4 rectangular shapes of unusual color combinations. Another example is the Skolkovo Institute of Technology. Skoltech is a technological institute, built according to the project of one of the most famous architectural bureaus with the Pritzker Prize "Herzog & de Meuron".
The territory of the orphanage is surrounded by loose buildings, mostly low-rise. There is a large amount of landscaping, which will have a good effect on the children of the orphanage.

Three-dimensional solution. Modularity
The first stage of design is always the search for a form that will comply with all the principles of the concept and emphasize the main idea. With this project, the author offers a layout, which is a three-dimensional composition that develops along the circumference . It closes, forming an empty space in the center (hereinafter the courtyard). Functionally, this form is divided into 5-6 blocks, which further suggested to the author that each house should have its own central core / dominant.
Further, based on the concept of dividing into several block houses, sketches were made for each of them. The spaces that are necessary for a certain type of children classified according to creative inclinations are highlighted .

The master plan. Zoning, communication, small architectural forms
One of the tasks of the author of the project is to create an autonomous territory for the residents of the orphanage so that they do not have to go or go somewhere for the necessary function.
The design area is 3 hectares . There are various functional zones on the plot , which continue the semantic purpose of each house. For example, an area with vegetable gardens, beehives, and a necessary warehouse is attached to a house with tactile education. To the house with the STEM education method, there are paths to a birch grove and tree houses to get fresh air there and play in nature, since such children spend quite a lot of time sitting at computers. A small square with a theater on wheels goes out to the house with creative children. Near the Administrative Block and the square with the theater, the square continues, and recreation areas are allocated on it. A playground adjoins the square. Adjacent to the house with a sports education are sports areas: a large football field, a running track, which then goes around the entire complex, an obstacle course, a tennis court and an area with tennis tables. There is also a quiet recreation area between the sports and IT blocks.
In the courtyard there is a picnic and barbecue area, a meeting area and lawns for quiet relaxation. Also on the eastern side of the site there is a pedestrian path leading into the city, to which squares with swings and flower beds are adjacent.
There are also a number of transformable small architectural forms on the landscaping, continuing the functional idea of the complex . From such objects, a walking ramp, sitting recreation areas, game elements and canopies can be assembled.
The main transit routes are the paths passing around the complex and the boulevard passing through the complex, exits to the city, as well as the fire passage running around the orphanage.


Spatial planning solution and functional zoning
Since the orphanage is a complex of several family-type orphanages and is based on a certain method of education, this will certainly be reflected in the architecture. The complex itself consists of four houses and one general administrative building. All detached buildings are collected by a gallery, forming an inner courtyard, and a boulevard runs through the entire complex, which is the heart of the courtyard and brings people from the orphanage to the city. The complex has a garage - a storage place, a warehouse of all necessary items, tools. The author refuses to use the garage according to its original meaning - the car room, since there is no personal vehicle for the users of the projected architecture, however, there may be parking in the garage for children's vehicles: bicycles, roller skates and scooters. It is also a meeting place for teenage rebels. In the book "Garage" by Luis Ortega Govela and Olivia Erlanger, the authors reflect on how the garage helps each member of the family to find "their" place and even unleash their creative potential. This is what teenagers most often need.

Technical information

For the projected orphanage, the main material is wood - glued wood is spreading more and more because of the huge number of advantages. Even multi-storey residential buildings appear with this construction technique.
Advantages of the material:
- Cracks do not appear in the walls due to their high quality;
- The first point indicates reliability - such strength and durability is not always found in traditional materials;
- Thermal efficiency - due to the possibility of creating an ideal stable geometry, heating costs are minimal. There are no drafts. The tree can freeze without deformations.
- Ease and speed of assembly;
- Architectural possibilities. Today, glued wood is often used for large-span structures;
- Environmental friendliness and aesthetics. Often such a material does not require additional cladding, which reduces construction costs
For the whole complex, a foundation on a ribbon concrete cushion is used. This type of foundation can be used on almost any type of soil and allows you to increase the area of the building support. A ribbon concrete cushion is placed around the perimeter of the future building, and a glued wood structure is built on top of it.
Structural schemes made of glued wood are different and can include both frame and frameless structures.
Glued wood frame structures include a set of vertical and horizontal elements that are interconnected by means of connecting elements, such as spikes, grooves or metal connectors. These elements form a frame on which the skin is then stretched, which can be made of different materials, for example, wood, drywall or glass. Glued wood frame structures are commonly used for the construction of small and medium-sized buildings, such as houses, cottages, shops and office buildings. This scheme belongs to house 3, or rather its “canopy”, which is made of wooden beams, columns and trusses. The grid of columns has a pitch of 6 m. Also, the frame element is the greenhouse of house 4 and the general gallery.
Frameless structures made of glued wood, on the contrary, do not have a frame, but consist of several layers of wood interconnected with glue. Such structures can be multi-layered and may include elements of different shapes and sizes, such as bars, slats, boards and rods. Such structures are used for the construction of large structures such as bridges, airports and stadiums, as well as for the manufacture of furniture and other interior items. It is such a constructive system that is used in the design of the house 1,2,4, garage and administrative block. In these blocks, there is no reason why wood would become an impractical material: all spans are within 12 meters, which is most often used in low-rise construction, but a larger span can also be used if necessary. In part, this scheme is also used in the third block because of its architectural features: the inner blocks are made frameless, and the outer “canopy” has a frame structural scheme.
Glued wood is a strong and durable material that can be used in various constructions. It can withstand significant loads and is an excellent alternative material for traditional building materials such as brick, concrete and steel.
Conclusions
During the completion of the thesis on the design of an orphanage in the village of Zarechye, the key stages of design were successfully completed. The analysis of the terms of reference allowed us to determine the main requirements and objectives of the project. The study of the terrain and its features made it possible to take into account the environment and integrate the orphanage harmoniously into the surrounding landscape.
The choice of architectural style and design solutions was based on the unique needs of orphans. The diversity of ages and individual characteristics was taken into account in order to create comfortable and safe living and upbringing conditions. Special attention was paid to the use of environmentally friendly materials, such as glued wood and stone, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development and environmental responsibility.
The result of the work is an architectural project that fully meets the requirements of the terms of reference, reflects the unique features of the area and takes into account the specific needs of children. The project is a successful combination of functionality, safety and aesthetic appeal.