PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: Already next spring, we will be able to see with our own eyes the result of your design in UNIT.City — the landscape on the main square. Now we have the opportunity to learn more about the concept, the idea and have time to think about it. What exactly is the key to reading the landscape of the new Kyiv public space?
Hiroki Matsuura: UNIT.City has several public squares located at the intersection of streets in the central part of the innovation park. Main Plaza will become a symbolic center, a center of life on the scale of the entire complex. Even before the beginning of our participation in the project, it was obvious that this particular place would become the main one for holding mass events. Therefore, I first thought about how to create a flexible platform that is convenient for various events and many other functions in the future. But the design itself must also correspond to the ideology and ambitious goals of UNIT.City — it cannot be simple, it simply must become unique.
Main Plaza in the Kyiv innovation park UNIT.City. Concept and design: MADMA urbanism+landscape
In plan, the site has a very simple geometry, similar, for example, to a traditional Italian square. It is a closed space surrounded by houses and therefore limited by them. But in UNIT.City, buildings have more floors than in any medieval city. Therefore, the distances between them are much wider, which is determined by fire regulations. If you stand in the center of the Main Plaza, you don't get the feeling of being squeezed by the walls. On the contrary, there is a sense of space created by the streets diverging from the square. And I thought: isn't it very spacious here? After all, this is not the center of a metropolis, not the center of Kyiv, but a local area that should become convenient, first of all, for the local community.
Therefore, we decided to create a space plan more suitable for such conditions. Why not surround the square with symbolic but transparent frames? That's why we created Bento Box. Reinterpreting the image of the traditional Japanese lunch box with different compartments led us to create a frame of many units, which is both a showcase for the display of various plants and, limiting the space, makes it proportional to the person.
Bento Box is a reimagining of the traditional Japanese lunch box
Kyiv is a very green city, inscribed in rich nature. There is so much natural vegetation and forests around that residents are used to taking them for granted. And usually they don't think too much about the importance of trees and the diversity of the plant world. But we would like to emphasize their value with our landscape design.
In addition, the very idea of UNIT.City is based on diversity — it is a place for different purposes and different people. Let's focus on biodiversity by choosing unusual plants for our Bento Boxes, I thought. Each of the ten "containers" has its own character and identity. One will be Japanese - with cherry blossoms. The other is Ukrainian, with trees endemic to Ukraine. And so on. In general, everything can be considered as a kind of museum of rare plants. Like a showcase in which each tree is presented in the most favorable light.
I think that the children who will grow up in UNIT.City will become true experts in botany. So, this landscape project also has an educational aspect. We give people new information.
PM: Your idea for the Bento Box is very original. Few people would be able to transfer the image of a lunch box to a public space. What is the mechanics of your creativity?
HM.: My specialty is quite unique in that I am an architect but also a landscape designer. I work with plans of territories of several hectares, and sometimes I design interiors for restaurants. So I have a rich background. Often, the best architectural idea is born precisely in the process of contemplating the landscape, observing nature. Or suddenly a great landscape idea comes to mind when I'm designing furniture. Diverse, often contrasting ideas and embodiments influence each other.
And today I cannot choose the main direction of my activity. I have to refresh my brain by working in different fields. Most often, an idea is born precisely when you are not thinking about it. If I develop a solution, but it does not come, then I postpone this activity and switch to another. And usually after a day or two completely unexpectedly, for example, a fresh idea suddenly appears in my head, and then I can work on it without any problems. I do not rule out that inspiration comes to me thanks to the work of various brain centers, "muscles".
The transparent frame of Main Plaza consists of 10 units - containers with trees and perennials. Concept and design: MADMA urbanism+landscape
PM: Is that exactly what happened with UNIT.City?
HM.: The case of UNIT.City is unique in its own way, and the story of it may seem a little sentimental to you. I came to Kyiv for another purpose, but UDP managers found out that I was in Ukraine and invited me to visit UNIT.City to show how the innovative project is developing. At the time, it was thought that Main Plaza was already planned. I was asked to comment on the master plan. Without a second thought, I made a few observations. When saying goodbye, UDP representatives thanked me and expressed hope for further joint cooperation.
These are common polite phrases and I didn't assume there would be a sequel. A week later I got a call from UDP asking if I would be willing to work on this location and submit proposals for a week? The work on the main square was almost complete, and usually no one undertakes a redesign at this stage. But I still decided to take the risk — let it be my voluntary investment. I quickly made a sketch and sent it to the customer. It was unexpected when the UDP decided to cancel the already approved project and start everything from a clean sheet. From zero point.
PM: But in October you came to Kyiv not only for the author's supervision of the works on Main Plaza?
HM.: Now that the Main Plaza is almost ready, it's time to work on the next project. "Business Park" is another UNIT.City public space with a much larger area. We were invited to the competition, won it, and I already presented the final presentation. The new landscape will be radically different from what we created for the main square.
If the Main Plaza is designed as a purely urban space, then the character of the "Business Park" will be completely different, much more "wild". If we look on the Internet, what the centers of business districts usually look like, we will see many pictures of office buildings with rare trees between them and people on benches. This is an ordinary urban landscape, which you will never confuse with a naturalistic, natural one. I want to do the opposite.
It may sound curious, but today the best way to create a "Business Park" is to make it completely non-business. Informal. People who are actively sitting on the benches are already boring.
The Main Plaza landscape is a showcase in which each tree is presented in the most favorable light
Due to the pandemic, we are all stressed. And the more stress there is, the greater the need for communication with nature. The townspeople can't wait for Saturday to go to the lake or the forest. If the weather is unlucky, they will have to wait until next weekend. Therefore, people need contact with nature during working hours. The harder and harder you work, the more nature you need. Therefore, our project can be perceived as a call: forget about stereotypes about business parks. More of the wild, unruly nature needs to be brought into the business environment.
If you look at our new design, you might think it's a little crazy. Previously, no one could imagine something like this in a business environment. But now our client really likes the idea. And for us, its successful implementation is a new challenge. Unlike the Main Plaza, which is located on the ground, which is favorable for trees, the territory of the "Business Park" is located on the roof of an underground parking lot. And in order to realize our ideas, complex engineering solutions are needed. There are many proven technologies, but nothing similar has yet been implemented in Kyiv on a large scale. Jungle above the parking lot? Seriously? Why not?
A frame of units with plants limits the space, making it proportional to the person
PM: You implemented the Main Plaza project together with the Ukrainian company Beloded Landscaping. How close was the co-authorship with the local partner and why did you choose Ludmila Bilodid among the Kyiv landscape architects?
HM.: I wanted to work with someone I could truly trust completely. The main thing for me is the personality of the partner, but his professional qualities are equally important. I made sure that Lyudmila Bilodid has deep knowledge about modern approaches in design and about the plants themselves. Equally important is that we have similar tastes! What kind of tree to choose, what looks good and what doesn't... She, like me, is fascinated by the aesthetics of the Japanese garden. Often we simultaneously exclaimed out loud: "This tree is beautiful!"
And after the joint experience of working on Main Plaza and close communication, I can confidently say: this is the person who is perfect for me to work with. And I am glad that she will continue to work on the new project, "Business Park".
A frame of units with plants limits the space, making it proportional to the person
PM: How do you share responsibility creatively and technically?
HM.: Our roles in the work on the Main Plaza and the Business Park are clearly separated. We are fully, 100% responsible for the design - this is our competence. And Beloded Landscaping partners help us realize ideas thanks to knowledge of local legislation, materials, and experience working with contractors. When you work in another country, you always need local partners who are immersed in the context.
And, of course, I often consulted with Lyudmila, as she has great knowledge in dendrology and rich experience. Lyudmila is a kind of ambassador of nature, she tries to show people all the beauty and diversity of this world. Which is completely in my interest.
The founder of the MADMA urbanism+landscape studio Hiroki Matsuura and the editor-in-chief of PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA Kostyantyn Kovshevatsky. Photo: Maksym Drobinenko
Let me remind you of the story of the legendary Brazilian landscape designer Roberto Burle Marx, also known as Oscar Niemeyer, because each of Niemeyer's famous architectural projects is surrounded by a Marx landscape. The Brazilian designer spent his youth in Europe. It's close to me because I'm Japanese, but I don't live in Japan. Such people have the ability to objectively assess the advantages of this or that country, we always look as if from the side.
And when Burle Marx returned to Brazil, he became a real innovator in landscape design, a man who rediscovered all the beauty and value of Brazilian endemics. He searched the jungle for rare perennials and trees, then bought a former banana plantation on the mountainside and turned it into a nursery where he collected thousands of ornamental tropical and subtropical plants. Later, he bequeathed Sitio Burle Marx to the government, and now anyone can come to Brazil, visit his garden and house, see the botanical collection that Marx collected and the varieties that he bred himself.
I told this story to remind you that people usually don't appreciate what they have. Burle Marx created wonderful landscapes from local plants, which before him no one used in urban landscaping. In fact, he opened people's eyes to what was around them. And Lyudmila Bilodid and I share the opinion that we should not try to impress people with some exotics. Our role is to show familiar but underappreciated plants in the most favorable light.
Plants and beautiful landscapes create multiple effects, including psychological ones
The use of large-scale trees will immediately give the landscape a project look. Concept and design: MADMA urbanism+landscape
PM: We formulated the topic of our volume as "The degree of well-being". How do you think perceptions of personal and urban well-being have changed in a pandemic world?
HM.: I believe that the pandemic has not yet brought us anything new. She just reminded me of many important things. People used to eat with their hands, but epidemics forced them to use a knife and fork. Many cultural transformations have come about through experiences gained during pandemics. And often these global upheavals accelerated progress.
Today, people mostly work not in separate offices, but in open spaces. Money talks — to build open spaces. But sometimes you would like to be able to work in nature. And now many business meetings often take place that way — outdoors. You can take your mobile gadget with you and hold a meeting right from the park. The previously unspoken desire has today become the demand of the time. If we talk about apartments, then you know that people have always loved open balconies or terraces, and now their presence is becoming a necessity. Therefore, many trends have already been accelerated due to COVID-19.
And plants and beautiful landscapes have multiple effects — not only biological or ecological, but also psychological. If people decorate their homes with beautiful indoor plants, they are not doing it because they care about the environment. First of all, they care about their psychological well-being. And in general, the potential of landscaping is incredible! Architecture could never compete with nature. And while urban greening has a long history, the pandemic has made its role obvious.
Our task is to facilitate contact between people and make it safe at the same time
PM: What should we or can we do to improve the well-being of our cities?
HM.: In a few months, we still did not get used to the isolation. This proves that the virtual, digital world is not enough for happiness. We need physical contact and personal communication, but the task of protecting each other comes first. Therefore, it is very important for designers and architects to remember that when creating a public space, it is necessary to think through the concept from the point of view of security.
Our task is to facilitate contact between people and make it safe at the same time. If you are designing a restaurant, then you need to anticipate several scenarios: work during normal times, during the epidemic period, in the post-epidemic period. It is necessary to think about how to reduce the number of seats, increasing the distance, so that the restaurant continues to work. Flexibility has always been an important quality of projects, but now it has become a matter of urgent need. Security has now become the responsibility of architects, which has never been the case before. But today it is the new standard.
The Main Plaza space makes it easy to maintain a safe distance between people. Concept and design: MADMA urbanism+landscape
PM: Do your projects in UNIT.City, in particular the Main Plaza, which was planned even before the pandemic, meet this standard?
HM.: Our new format that we created for Main Plaza has become even more relevant due to COVID-19. This space makes it easy to maintain distance between people. And at the same time, it is saturated with many different plants. And the next public, "Business Park", is not just an innovative idea. The project seems to reflect the current situation and is a direct signal that people need a new working environment. This is what the workspaces of the future will be like.
Spoken: Nadiya Bogata
And about the specifics and experience of collaboration with Hiroki Matsuura in the work on the new Kyiv public Main Plaza PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA spoke with the founder of the Beloded Landscaping bureau, active member of the Society of Garden Designers (SGD) and member of the board of the Guild of Landscape Architects of Ukraine (GLAU) Lyudmila Bilodid.
https://pragmatika.media/ru/unit-city-kollaboracija-kak-put-k-jugjen/
