“i want to wake up in the morning and just see blue sky,” said client.
When a client told renowned architect, Zaha Hadid that he wanted to wake up among the clouds, Zaha set out to design an innovative home that unites with the hillside forest surroundings. With her visionary imagination and unrivalled ability to create architecture, that seems impossible, Capital Hill Residence is, in the words both architect and client, a “dream house” – as much fantasy as reality.
On a north-facing hillside in the Barvikha Forest near Moscow, Capital Hill Residence emerges from the earth’s surface like a spaceship that belongs on the set of Star Wars. Ascending from the hillside, the residence has two main components, made up of four floors and connected by three concrete columns. While the first component merges with the sloping forest landscape, the other floats 22 metres above the ground, like the conning tower of a submarine – soaring high above the treetops.
The fluid lines and flat surfaces of Capital Hill Residence have been defined by its natural topography. Partially embedded within the hillside is the homes lower level which houses leisure and recreational facilities. The ground floor consists of its primary living, dining, kitchen and entertaining spaces. Above on the upper level, is the master suite with exterior terraces.
A key architectural feature of this project is the three concrete columns that connect the lower levels to the sky-high master suite. While aesthetically sleek an elegant in appearance, the columns have a crucial structural purpose – two out of the three columns provide space for circulation and services which includes transparent glass elevator and staircase. Capital Hill Residence displays outstanding craftsmanship with its shape and form.
