‘Comfort Town’ Draws Inspiration From LEGO Blocks For Dreamlike Residential Zone
Image via Archimatika
When visualizing life-sized architecture that resemble LEGO blocks in shape and color, perhaps the first thing to come to mind would be a Legoland park. It’s not as common for a housing project in Kiev, Ukraine, to come to mind.
But drive past the Comfort Town, and a double take is almost guaranteed. These strikingly colorful residential blocks are certainly eye-catching, to say the least. Designed by Dmytro Vasyliev, Aleksandr Popov, and Olga Alfiorova at the architecture firm Archimatika, the blocks draw inspiration straight from the… blocks.
Image via Archimatika
It’s the first residential complex in Ukraine based on the block development principle, the architects explain. Picturesque building silhouettes and fully pedestrian courtyards shelter the elaborate layouts of the apartments, becoming the new standard of residential comfort.
All good things take time: this project took a staggering 11 years to complete, but it’s safe to say that it was worth it. While the site has a history of being an unsightly industrial area, the architects were determined to come up with something that, above all, could be sellable, even during crisis.
Image via Archimatika
They were given “free rein” to go ahead with a massive transformation, and the LEGO-inspired mini-town was born.
With a limited budget, the architects stuck to minimalist geometric shapes and kept the buildings simple, without any decorative elements or balconies. However, their intention, as explained to ArchDaily, was to focus on three elements: silhouette, windows, and color.
Although there’s an abundance of tall buildings, the wide streets and courtyards prevent the space from being claustrophobic. Plenty of breathing room is invited in with lifestyle spaces such as a retail section spanning 14,700 square feet, cafes, stores, and offices. Existing elements, like a large park, were restored to full glory too.
Image via Archimatika
In addition to this, there’s the Academy of Modern Education, which sees a 160-seat kindergarten, a 140-seat elementary school, and a 600-seat high school. 22 children’s playgrounds are also peppered throughout.
Screenshot via Comfort Town
Screenshot via Comfort Town
As the name suggests, the town promises comfortable and easy living. The Architectural Digest reports that it has been “heavily embraced” by the city’s younger population in particular, as the space allows them a “more European lifestyle over the Soviet-like one that has been so heavily ingrained in the city.”
A warm splash of color and lush greenery makes up the most picturesque scenery every way you turn. And it’ll probably come as no surprise that Comfort Town has been labeled the most successful commercial project in the Ukrainian residential property sector for the last 25 years, Archimatika states.
Image via Archimatika
Image via Archimatika
Image via Archimatika
[via the Architectural Digest, images via Archimatika and Comfort Town]
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